Wild Pheasant Hunting - Kansas Missouri Iowa

Several behind the scenes points about this picture from one day of many while out pheasant hunting, running land contracts and meeting members one of which took this picture after sharing a one field hunt.

First, It was taken during the last week of the season in January with temperatures that allowed 'T' shirts by 11 AM. Unwanted and unusually warm adding a bit of stress to the hunt with the dog's experiencing some heat fatigue.

The water bottle seen on the hip was matched by one more on the other side and two more in the game bag, all for the dog -- each field. The weekend earlier it was frigid cold and the typical cold winter weather returned again by Thursday.

The second point is that a pheasant limit is possible anytime hunting during the season to include the very end. The reason for this is limited pheasant hunting pressure and a lot of habitat variety. However, and probably the most important point, this limit was made possible by the dog in the picture. He is one of those exceptional upland bird dogs that can find pheasants sitting or running and work both in the tall grass. One good pheasant hunting dog of acclaim by those that have seen him in action. John's other two dogs are as good on quail as this one is on pheasants and both less than this dog on the larger of the two birds.

The pheasant hunting buddy on this day with his three rotating dogs did get a limit as well, but it took most of the day and several properties. This limit in the picture was harvested on the first hunt of the day on one lease of two properties split by a road walking side by side with the other hunt buddy and his dogs.

It was the dog that earned this pheasant limit, the hunter was only in support. Other Association hunters hunted this field before and after this day with variable results and all seemingly dependent on the dog power at hand.

It has been our observation for a good many years that those that have the most success have dogs capable more so than most of working any particular habitat. This same dog is also good on quail along edges. His kennel mates while good on quail can not match Jack's pheasant hunting performance in the tall grass. And, jack is the second best pheasant dog John has had in his lifetime.

The right pheasant hunting habitat in the right region of the state is what we lease. The variable we cannot influence is dog power. Those that remain with the Association for decades are those that can develop this the type of dog power capable of effectively handing not only the bird of choice but also the habitat of choice.