# Questions from New Pheasant Hunters



## elkiegirl (Sep 18, 2017)

Hello all,

My friend and I are new hunters this year. We are trying to learn the ropes of upland game hunting and thought pheasant (or chukar) hunting might be a good place to start.

My topic is regarding the opening day of pheasant hunting. My understanding is that Utah DWR releases pheasants before the hunt. My questions are as follows:

1. Are the birds released before each weekend (that was my understanding) of the hunt? In other words, will there be four releases total and not just one at the start of the season?

2. Are there areas to hunt that are less crowded? I am guessing areas close to SLC will be pretty slammed. We are willing to travel to hunt but if it's going to be about equally crowded everywhere it seems like a waste of effort to drive really far out of the way. 

3. Is there any use in going hunting during the week or are all of the pheasants gone after the opener? What about going the second weekend or during the second week after the second release of birds? 

4. Our concern is mostly safety. While I realize there are very few deaths associated with hunting, two of the stories relayed in my hunter safety class involved pheasant hunting. The idea of too many hunters shooting at too few birds seems less safe than I'm comfortable with. Does anyone have thoughts on this.

Any thoughts are appreciated including thoughts on crowds, weekend vs weekday (including if any birds will left come midweek), benefits of hunting the last weekend/if any birds are left, etc.

Thank you so much


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

elkiegirl said:


> Hello all,
> 
> My friend and I are new hunters this year. We are trying to learn the ropes of upland game hunting and thought pheasant (or chukar) hunting might be a good place to start.
> 
> ...


_________________


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## elkiegirl (Sep 18, 2017)

*Thank you*

Fowlmouth,

Thank you for taking time to answer my questions. That helps a lot. I know they do a map of the releases so I will check out the areas you suggested and I will also go during the week

Thanks again for your time!


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

There are more areas to hunt than just the release sites. Contrary to common belief, It is possible to find wild birds in Utah if you look hard and have a good dog. There is not a whole lot that is more exciting than a wild rooster flushing in front of a well seasoned pointing dog in my mind. 

It might not be easy but it can be done.
Welcome to Upland birds. They are amazing and challenging critters.

Good luck.


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## elkiegirl (Sep 18, 2017)

*Bret Reply*

Thanks for you tips Bret!

I didn't realize that there were many wild pheasants left in Utah (based on what I've read) so we didn't put any time or effort into scouting the locations; I basically thought you went where the birds were releases. Now that I know that I will consider it for next year!

The only thing is, neither of us have a good dog or access to one to even borrow for a day. We'll be hunting just the two of us. I know this makes it harder and I've been doing some research about how to flush birds with just two people, etc.

Do you have any tips for two newbies without a dog?

Thank you!


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

It will be harder without a dog, much harder. 
I wish I had time to give everyone the experience of hunting behind a good dog because I think everyone should have that experience at least once.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Ive seen guys hunt without dogs and it is extremely discouraging. IF you ever could get some it would be on these freshly released birds. The release areas even out here in rural utah are very hard hit and all birds are usually completely gone by about 8:07 plus or minus 7 minutes. 
Best of luck to you, a bird farm may be your best luck where they will rent you a dog and guide for a few hours.


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## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Not having a dog does make it much more difficult! I know last year my boys and I went to a CWMU, It was our second stop so opening had been over an hour before. two fairly large groups 5+ were just coming back to trucks after going through an area, and they did get some birds. We walked out with my Britt and within 50 yards had my doing point 3 birds, 1 was a hen but still it shows what you can walk right by.


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

all of these released birds are dummer than a box of rocks. a possible strategy for you is to pick an area, wander out in the middle and just wait. birds will be flushed and some will likely fly right over you. these birds wont land in thick brush, they are right out of the pen and when looking to land... since they are novice flyers and landers, will be looking at shorter vegetation. I see quite a few dogless hunters using this strategy for the opening hour or two and seem to have some success. after the opening hours, just pick an area/ditch to walk. go slow, it makes the birds nervous and they will be jumpy after getting lit up a bit. kick the bushes. have some fun.


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## fishcarver (Sep 10, 2007)

*Hunting pheasants is one of life's joys. I grabbed some tips from the UDWR website. Spend as much time in the field as possible. Have fun.
*

*Hunting tips*
Pheasants are excellent at hiding. Hunting with a trained bird dog can often help you find them. "If a pheasant has cover to hide in," Robinson says, "you can be standing only a foot or two from a bird and not know it's there. A good bird dog can make a huge difference in finding hidden birds."
You can still find pheasants without a dog, though. Robinson suggests the following tactics:


Walk slowly. Take your time.
The biggest mistake many pheasant hunters make is walking too fast. Simply slowing down, and stopping and standing still from time to time, can cause birds to flush. "Pheasants will often hide and wait for you to walk past them," Robinson says. "Slowing your pace down, and stopping and standing still from time to time, makes birds that are close to you nervous. In many cases, they'll think you've spotted them. That's when they'll try to get away by flushing into the air."
Driving and blocking.
A group of hunters is needed to execute this maneuver. One or two hunters are quietly placed at the end of a field to "block" any pheasants the remaining hunters (the drivers) push to the blockers. Then, the drivers enter the field on the opposite side from the blockers, and start walking towards the blockers.
Pheasants that are pushed by the drivers will often run to the end of the field, see the blockers and then hold tight until continued pressure from the drivers causes the birds to flush. When this happens, all of the hunters - blockers and drivers - can usually get shots.
"If you're going to try this tactic," Robinson says, "it's absolutely vital that every hunter in the group knows where the other hunters are. It's also vital that each hunter wears plenty of hunter orange."
Walking ditch banks.
This is a good strategy if you're hunting alone or with a friend.
If you're hunting with a friend, place your friend on one side of the ditch bank and you on the other. Then, walk together down the bank.
Robinson says it's important to walk to the very end of the ditch bank, fence row or whatever cover you're hunting. "Pheasants would much rather run than fly," he says. "You might be pushing a pheasant ahead of you and not even know it. But once you reach the end of the cover, the pheasant won't have any other place to hide. At that point, the bird will usually flush."


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## shaner (Nov 30, 2007)

Elkiegirl, be prepared to go at a moments notice if we get a fresh snow. Be in the field and walk likely areas while looking for ' chicken tracks'. Follow the tracks as fast as possible while still being prepared for a shot. More than likely the bird will hold up in some cover. You and your friend surround the cover and then move in kicking and making lots of noise. Shoot bird, collect bird, then repeat 3 more times.
I hunt a lot on my own and use a few radios turned up loud to talk radio stations. I set them up at the end of big ditches and canals. I then make a big loop away from the radios but come back to them through Virgin cover. The birds will be running in front of you but will hold tight about 50 yards in front of the radios.
Good fun.
Pheasants also don't like wet feet. Push perpendicular to canals and ditches. Go all the way to the edge of the water. If it is steep banks, even better. Throw dirt clods and sticks at any clumps of cover right at waters edge. Only problem with this method is if you don't have a dog don't take the shot if you can't retrieve the bird.
Wild pheasants are too precious to lose.
Good luck, Shane


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