# Pheasent Hunting



## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

Any pheasent hunters here? I'm looking to give it a try. Is it worth it without a dog? I live relativly close to Deer Creek so I'd be hunting there most likely.



Any tips you guys have to share would be GREATLY appriciated!!!!


thanks in adavance


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I have never hunted Deer Creek so I can not give any details for there in specific. But to answer your question about whether it is worth trying without a dog the answer is yes if the layout is suitable. The best situation is finding an area where plot of field are isolated which hold birds. If the birds are pushed slowly they will stay out in front of you and flush at a clearing. The idea here is to move birds to a flushing point. If there are 2 or 3 guys working an area you can set up so that you have someone in shooting range of the flush points. Also work back and forth toward each other if passing through a field. If the birds field trapped they will take flight.

Obviously the best way to hunt them is with a dog as they can do the leg work and the nose is irreplaceable. But if you are willing to do the legwork to flush it can work as well.


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## DZimmer_1 (Jul 3, 2005)

After seeing what the Darke county state hunting area looked like last thanksgiving, No thanks  If 4 or 5 released birds lived through that war I would be amazed We were trying to squirell hunt but people were even tromping through the woods rather than the fields. I did really enjoy it when i lived in South Dakota though and a dog was nice but not really a necesity


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## SWFisher (Aug 15, 2005)

I am fortuante enough to have 2 esetters to help me out but I have noticed that Rush Run (outisde of opening day and holiday weekends) hold a fair amount of birds and the layouts are decent for producing a flush. I see flush hunters at Kildeer Plains that have decent luck as well. If you hit Kildeer after one of the several Field Trials there is a good chance of getting up some stocked birds. THis would be in the fields behind the horse stalls and kennels for trial activity. (there is also a huge viewing hump setup for the gallery). I would suggest hitting a pheasant farm. THis is pretty much a sure thing for producing birds. There is a little known farm on RT 725 west of germantown ohio. (cant remember the name) I also enjoy taking out other hunters to work over my dogs. (as long as you follow the rules). I breed and train setters and love to generate interest in dogs with other people. I will be doing quite a bit of hunting this season.


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## littleking (Jun 25, 2005)

im new to ohio from indiana and we did a lot of pheasant hunting over there without dogs, and like was posted above, we just pushed to a flush point... anyone need an extra huntin buddy hit me up!


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## BigChessie (Mar 12, 2005)

Pushing to the flush here in Ohio as opposed to Iowa or the Dakotas is not gonna do you much. I'm sure guys have shot some birds. I can only tell you what I witnessed first hand. Out at Dillon myself, a coworker, my son and his 2 boys took out 2 dogs. We sat in the truck and watched 1 group of 4 followed by a group of 3 and then a couple guys (4) not sure if they were all together. They all walked a field and then cut back around to cover 2 diffrent fields. Without a flush or a gun shot they all slowly worked there way to other fields. We got out, released the dogs and started walking. The dogs ran around, did their "business" and started to come up from behind us and get birdy. We were not out there 5 mins before we had our first point and down bird. Long story short, each child had several misses before each getting a bird. We stopped counting the hens and after the boys were tired, we headed back to the truck and let them rest. We watched other guys go past and then the kids went back and again after several missses got their limit. Without a dog we also would have just been walking around. Pen raised released birds will just sit there until you literally kick them up. The dogs could have caught several that just sat there and looked at us. I have no idea how other places are but this is what happened to us. Get a dog or get a friend that has one, more than likely it will make or break your day. Just my $.02 worth.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

BigChessie is right. Pen-raised birds will be much more apt to sit tight on you. And if you are working a large field without flush points then what he described will be the norm. The only way to maybe change that is to try and push at each other as much as possible. With only a couple or three guys this is very difficult. If you can force them to the edge of cover though you will have a chance. But it is still much better with a dog.


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm planning on trying deer creek where there are wild birds because they no longer stock it with pen birds


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## bunkeru2k (Aug 26, 2005)

The birds will definitely sit tight. We haev literally had to kick birds to get them into the air at Rush Run...and could have taken several with a knife. These pen raised birds also seem to move to the woods and tree lines just as often as they take to the fields. You can easily limit out by hunting tree lines on release days.

From what we see regularly (have hunted the public areas every week of the season for about 10 years) people just fly through the fields as fast as they can. If you work the fields slower you will pick up birds that they just ran over. One method we found successfull is to come to a complete stop every 30 yards or so......some of the birds will spook and flush just from you stopping.

Thanksgiving....we just don't even want to talk about. It is just ridiculous that morning everywhere. All you can do is pick the least populated field and be very wary of the guys wearing all camo and no orange that have about a billion shells strapped around them.


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

Polesnatcher hit deer creek the first few days of the season if you do not have a dog. I talked to one of the wardens there and his advice is to pick a field that several people are hunting in. Go to the opposite end and the birds will come to you. He says there are a few old men that come out the first few days of the season and limit out and never walk over a 100 yards. I also have had good luck with a pointer I had down there, later in the season. One thing you can do instead of trying to push up birds is to track the roosters until you get it up. You just need a little fresh snow on the ground and look for the biggest set of tracks then just start walking. You may fill like you are on a nascar track but the bird will come up eventually. Just walk slow as not to scare to much and it will just set down after awhile until you walk up on it.


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

thanks for the tips guys. I'd really like to try this type of hunting


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## INSANE_SQUAD (Apr 13, 2004)

i have hunted that area awhile ago..Nice small place to work dogs..80 acres or so.


Mulberry Pheasantry (Preble, Co.)
6099 RT 725 E.Camden Ohio
937-787-3912


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Dave, maybe we could meet up sometime this winter and chase some birds. Two people would be better than one.


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

can I use you for a dog doug? hopefully we do better with birds then we did when I tried to put you on some bass out there!!!


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

One thing I have noticed on the Public Hunting Areas is that you need to hunt the transitions and other "Hot Spots" without a dog. Look for fencerows, or where 2 different types of brushy cover blend together, look for cover and bushes along the edges of the standing corn, and ditches in the middle of the field...There is some great advice in this thread..especially about slowing down. My success without a dog always came when I focused on the HIGH % areas. I am so looking forward to this season...My GSP "Grady" and I will start our first full season together. He scored very well in his 1rst NAVHDA Test this spring...despite my best efforts to screw him up...LOL Will post a photo of him if I can....
Counting The Days,

Hawk


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## ThunderHawk7 (May 3, 2004)

I hope this works....


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