# Pheasant Opener



## msdb32 (Apr 10, 2005)

Haven't been pheasant hunting in years but the old man got a new over and under and wanted to go. My question, how crowded is it since it opens on a Friday? You think a lot of people take that day off or wait to go on Saturday? Most likely will hit Grand River. Thanks.


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## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

make sure you wear safety glasses and a thick coat. a motorcycle helmet would help too. and leave the dog at home! go out sunday and clean up what was left behind.


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

I dont know about the helmet, but DEFINITELY wear your eye protection. Wear as much orange as you can. And still be prepared to duck.


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## bassangler120 (Mar 19, 2007)

Go buy a pheasant hunting video game. It will be safer.


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## ckfowler (Jul 14, 2008)

Wow, no wonder hunter numbers are declining with that kind of support from peers!

I have never been to Grand River but I have been to several other release sites. Some years the pressure is thick, others not so much. Come prepared to see other hunters and to either share the fields, wait till they are through, or go where they won't. I find most folks still look in teh fields where wild pheasants would hold. These are pen raised birds that gravitate towards visible cover. Hit the woods edges instead and there will be fewer folks. Look at the map of where you want to hunt and look for areas others will push birds towards but won't follow (swamps, heavy fields away from parking spots, etc)


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I hunted the pheasant opener at Grand River Wildlife area for years. I never felt that I was in an unsafe environment at any time.

We always hunted the area on rt 534 south of rt 88. There's plenty of room for a decent number of hunters.


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## Mike_13 (Jun 11, 2007)

if you decide to go to Grand River and wanna hunt together shoot me a PM.... I was thinking of going out there but don't think anyone will make it out there with me.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

I hunted on the thanksgiving release last year at Beach City I stood there with a game warden and watched about 5 different instances of extremely poor gun handling. He had writers cramp by the time he left that afternoon. Even seen a guy try and get away with taking 5 birds his excuse was that he found 3 of them that were dead that no one knew were hit. He got a ticket. The following day my buddy and I were down there rabbit hunting trying pick up the odd bird and seen another guy with 4 birds, My buddy says "you know your only allowed 2 " the guys says it's only Illegal if you get caught. I just shook my head as he walked away. It's pretty much the reason why I don't bird hunt anymore. And I would never take a dog when its like that.


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## msdb32 (Apr 10, 2005)

Thanks for the info guys. My Dad use to take me to Grand River all the time when I was a kid and it wasn't too crowded. I'm not sure I will be able to get off work now anyway. Might hit it up on Sunday and see if the dog can knock a few up.


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