Dairyland Peach , October 16 , 2022 Page 18

Courtesy Department of Natural Resources

The pheasant is one of Minnesota ’ s favorite upland game birds .

Wily and elusive , it has a well-honed reputation for humbling shotgun-toting hunters by fleeing on foot or exploding into the air .

Minnesota offers good and sometimes excellent pheasant hunting in parts of southern , central and western Minnesota .

If you haven ’ t tried pheasant hunting you should . It ’ s hearty exercise with the reward of excellent table fare .

Where to hunt :

You can hunt pheasant on many types of public land including state Wildlife Management Areas and federal Waterfowl Production Areas .

You must have permission from landowners to hunt private agricultural land so make sure you ask for permission and understand Minnesota ’ s trespass law .

To find the locations of private land open to public hunting visit the Walk-In Access finder . This program allows you to hunt certain private lands for a small fee .

Pheasants are creatures of farm country . They roost in grasslands . They feed in corn , soybean and grain fields . They seek shelter in sprawling cattail swamps , which provide thermal cover in winter and safety from hunters and predators throughout the year .

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources produces a map every autumn that shows the relative abundance of pheasants throughout the state . It ’ s a handy piece of information can can be found on the Minnesota Department of Natural Rescouces website .

How to hunt :

Pheasant hunting is all about walking . Unlike hunting wild turkey , waterfowl and many other species that largely involves sitting and waiting , pheasant hunting means hoofing through fields of prairie grass , cattail swamps , tree lines and other habitat that provides food and shelter for this chicken-sized species .

Pheasant hunting is often done with a dog . That ’ s because a common pheasant survival strategy is to remain on the ground when approached by humans . Since pheasants like to hunker down in tall grass and cattail stands it often takes a pheasantscenting dog to flush them from their hiding spot .

The second benefit of a dog is that a dog can find the bird you ’ ve shot . A dead or wounded pheasant isn ’ t as easy to find as many imagine . Wounded pheasant , for example , will often run great distances or burrow deep into thick grass to avoid being found . A good hunting dog can track and catch a fleeing pheasant or retrieve a rooster that has burrowed deep into grass or cattail stems .

Still , you can successfully hunt pheasants without a dog . What follows is general hunting advice .

• Practice shooting : One of the keys to successful pheasant hunting is being able to shoot quickly and accurately . Typically , you have two to three seconds to make a shot after you ’ ve seen a rooster rise into the air . That ’ s plenty of time yet not much time . Prior to the hunting season you ’ ll want to practice shouldering your shotgun and hitting flying clay targets at a trap range , sporting clays range or on private property with your own clay target thrower . And before doing that you should “ pattern ” your shotgun by experimenting with different choke tubes and shot sizes so you know how your gun performs at different distances .

Scout : Experienced pheasant hunters scout before they hunt . This means eyeballing the land you are likely to hunt to evaluate the quantity and quality of its habitat , check the status of adjacent farm crops and look for pheasant sign such as tracks , roosts , droppings and the birds themselves . Pheasants are most visible early in the morning and near sunset . That ’ s because in the morning they move from roosts to roadsides to eat small pebbles that help digest food , and toward evening they are move from feeding and loafing areas back to their roosts . Listen too . Roosters cackle , and their crowing voice can give away their location .

Be quiet and cagy :

Pheasants have good hearing . So , don ’ t slam car doors or make a lot of noise prior to heading afield . That ’ s the kind of behavior that sends smart pheasants to distant places . In fact , it ’ s often smart — when possible — to hunt a field starting from the opposite direction of the parking lot . That ’ s because most hunters start their hunt from the parking lot and may quit hunting before reaching remote locations . Finally , when possible it makes sense to walk into wind rather than with the wind . This reduces the pheasants ’ ability to hear the noise you make and enhances a dog ’ s ability to detect pheasant scent .

Walk slowly and with purpose :

A hunter without a dog should walk slowly in an “ S ” pattern rather than a straight line . You will cover more ground this way , and you are more likely to flush birds that have moved laterally . Also , make brief stops from time to time . This can have the effect of making pheasants nervous . Repeated 10- to 20-second pauses often flush pheasants that otherwise would stay on the ground . As you walk , make sure you pass through so-called “ transition ” areas , which are seams of cover where one type of habitat merges into another . Common transition areas include fence lines , tree lines , ditches , weedy swales and places where crops , cattails and grasses converge . Other good places to hunt are grassy areas near standing corn or soybean fields . Those hunting in a group should walk in a line so that no hunter is out front ( and therefore in a potential field of fire ) or lagging behind ( potentially in a dangerous area ) if a bird flushes behind the lin .

Gear :

Pheasant hunting doesn ’ t require a lot of specialized or expensive equipment , but there are some basic items that will make your time in the field more enjoyable and productive .

Maps :

Scouting an area will increase your odds of finding pheasants and good maps will help your efforts . Go to mndnr . gov for free maps that identify Wildlife Management Areas and Walk-In Access areas . Combined , these programs provide 1.3 million acres of public hunting on 1,550 parcels . A local plat book may also come in handy to identify specific pieces of land .

Shotgun and shells :

Bring along a shotgun that you have practiced with and are comfortable shooting . The style or gauge of the shotgun is not nearly as important as your proficiency with it . Since pheasants are fairly tough birds , you will want to choose a heavier load such as 4 or 5 shot and limit your shooting distances to 50 yards or less . This will result in fewer wounded birds . Also be aware that if you are hunting federal land , non-toxic shot is required .

Blaze orange :

Minnesota pheasant hunters are required to wear at least one visible article of clothing above the waist that is blaze orange . This could be a hat , jacket or hunting vest . Remember that more blaze orange will make you more visible to other hunters .

Good boots :

Pheasant hunting involves a lot of walking on uneven terrain . Good quality , above-the-ankle boots will provide the comfort and support you need for a day in the field . Since crossing creeks and marshy areas is common ,

Layered clothing : Cool fall mornings often turn into sunny , warm afternoons . Layered clothing will prepare you for a variety of weather conditions . Long sleeves and gloves will help keep you from getting scratched up when moving through tall grass , cattails or woody cover . Hunting chaps or brush pants will protect your legs and keep you dry on mornings when the grass is wet .

Eye protection :

Anytime you use a firearm , you should protect your eyes . A pair of sunglasses will provide basic protection .

Refreshments :

After a few hours in the field , you will need to refuel and hydrate .

What ’ s important to know

• Only rooster ( male ) pheasant can be harvested .

• Resident hunters age 18 to 64 must purchase a pheasant hunting validation in addition to a small game license .

• The daily limit is two roosters ( 3 roosters from Dec . 1 to Jan . 1 ). The possession limit is six roosters ( 9 roosters from Dec . 1 to Jan . 1 ).

• To hunt Walk-In Access program lands you must purchase a $ 3 validation wherever hunting licenses are sold .

• You cannot shoot pheasants with a rifle or handgun other than a . 22 caliber rifle using short , long or long rifle ammunition .

• Shotguns used for upland bird hunting may hold more than three shells .

• To legally transport a pheasant it must have a feathered wing or one leg attached .

were first successfully imported from China to the United States in 1881 . Their first successful release in Minnesota came in 1916 .

• Pheasants eat insects , weed seeds and grain and can survive a relatively wide range of temperature conditions .

• Length : 20 to 36 inches , including the tail .

• Weight : 2 to 3 pounds .

• Males ( called cocks or roosters ) have mostly reddish-copper body feathers , greenish black heads with a red eye patch and white neck rings . They also have a spur on each leg . Females are mottled brown , a color camouflages them when sitting on a nest .

• Ring-necked pheasant roosters crow loudly in spring and summer , especially at dawn and dusk . A rooster ’ s crow is often followed by loud , rapid beating of the wings that can be heard only from relatively close distances . Roosters also often cackle when they fly .

• Pheasants begin mating in April and May . Hens lay an average of 12 eggs , which hatch in 23 to 25 days . They are persistent re-nesters . If a hen loses her nest before it hatches , she will lay another albeit smaller clutch until it successfully hatches or until she runs out of energy reserves to lay more eggs .

• Fox , coyote , owls and hawks are the primary predators . Raccoons and skunks eat pheasant eggs . Other animals likely prey on eggs , chicks , and / or hens , too .

• During extreme winter weather , pheasants can go up to two weeks without feeding by reducing their metabolism and energy .