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on regulated shooting grounds just isn't the way I like to hunt this regal game bird. But my gun club stocks them on club grounds so what ya gunna do? The don't fly, they hardly run. Talk about shooting sitting ducks. The only upside to this slaughter is I did get exercise, head shooting means no BB's to pick from the meat, and they're gunna make a nice crockpot full of Hungarian pheasant paprikash; my all time favorite dish. Mmmm good! Oh yeah, I also got to use my 16ga Society birdhook pocket knife.
And it's 3 less dumb birds the coyotes will get to feast on.

Pheasants that don't fly (or cackle) kinda take the sport (and half the fun) out of the hunt. They're not nearly as big-bodied as the ones I remember chasing through the standing corn fields on the family farm in the early to mid 60's.

16ga B. Rizzini Arum Light EL
2 3/4" PMC 1 1/8oz heavy field load, #4 lead shot

Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 184 Location: Dover-Foxcroft, ME

Sounds like you would have done as well with a .22 pistol. Preserve experiences vary. In over 20 years (and well over 1000 birds) hunting at a preserve in NYS I have never encountered non-wounded birds that would not cackle and fly. That goes for ones I planted before a hunt - let alone the "lost by others" birds I usually chase. The worst "beach balls" I ever encountered were fat, slow fliers. But they still flew.

Yet, last month I ran into birds that wouldn't fly on a preserve here in ME. Birds were pretty young, though.

Nice looking Rizzini, BTW.

Sam

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

onefunzr2,

Can you post the recipe for Hungarian pheasant paprikash?

Thanks

I think some birds are raised in more confined pens that others. The bigger the pens; the better.

The enterprise that runs about four put and take sites where I do most of my hunting, provides good flying, cackleing birds. About the only difference I can tell with wild birds is the pen raised don't fly as far and it can usually be seen where they come down.

I remember, years ago, once in a while I had to kick the bird to get to fly. "Oh look, someone came to feed me" Confused

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

Patriot USA,

You have something there. For those of us that live in the Northeast, put and take birds come with the territory. The smaller China birds in the big pens are the best runners and flyers.

Some of the breeders in CT raise the Mongolian variety they are bigger, but they don't hardly run and they don't fly for sh*t. A couple of the breeders around here figured it out with big pens, China birds and as little human contact as possible. A few breeders actually plant corn in the pens, that doesn't hurt either.

A lot of guys around here don't like birds that run, I love birds that run, makes the dogs and me work harder. The last thing I need to do is shoot another pheasant that I have to kick into the air. Those runners don't wait for you to get close, just like the real thing. The more of them my dogs handle right, the better I like it.

After all for me, like my handle suggests, its all about the dog work. There is nothing better than watchin' my shorthair Mick run in a field of foxtail, use his head and pin a runner.

Joined: 11 Aug 2008 Posts: 37 Location: north-central SD

Fellas, you need to c'mon out to South Dakota to hunt wild pheasants. While all hunting behind a dog is good, some of it is extra special. The corn harvest is way behind this year and we're going to have some spectacular late season pheasant hunting. Season is open until 7 Jan. this year to let folks coming home for the holidays get in on the fun. The only drawback is that it might be cold. Mighty cold. I've hunted pheasants at -25 (air temp) and you'd better be using magnum loads of #4s. And you can bet that any rooster big and strong enough to make it through November will be one big, smart, strong bird come December. The other untold secret about late season in SD (at least the eastern half) is that the cold weather forces birds into thermal cover--cover where they can conserve heat. Around here that means cattail sloughs which you can find all around hundreds (yep, hundreds) of public hunting areas bought with federal Duck Stamp monies. Download the public land hunting map at http://www.sdgfp.info/Publications/Atlas/Index.htm and look for WPAs (Waterfowl Production Areas). Don't let the cold scare you, it's easier than shooting with snowshoes on.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

SDshooter2

Thanks, but I am headed to Nebraska in 3 weeks. I would wave as I drive past SD but I will be on I-80 dogs and all. Laughing

I hunted in Bonesteel, Avon, and Mitchell back in the mid 90's. I had Maverick an exceptionally smart Brittany(he would make any hunter work to hold up his end of the bargain) back then and was hunting alone. Just knocking on doors and shooting roosters. That probably was the turning point for me as I only had me and my dog to rely on. I shot some beautiful birds in those five days but more important I learned that I could successfully hunt out in the midwest without having to know someone. Haven't missed going out there since.

If all goes to plan I am going to retire out there. Already bought a small house and my wife is in love with the midwest, heck I am halfway there.

Man, I feel for you guys out east. A pheasant that doesn't fly is like a beautiful car that doesn't run. No fun at all.

Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 190 Location: Washington State

Parikash can be made several different ways. Most recipes call for chicken, whole or parts, legs add a deeper flavor, bone in beats boneless. Saute chicken (or pheasant) in olive oil or lard, your choice ( or your cardiologist's)

Saute onions, garlic, maybe green pepper if you want. When the onions are clear, push aside and add sweet paprika, lightly browning the paprika, then mix together with a tablespoon or two of tomatoe paste. Add chicken parts and cover with some stock. Reduce it down, add sour cream to flavor and serve over spaetzle, rice, or egg noodles.

Thanks for the info. Our truck is headed West Wed about 5:00AM. Three of us are going to White Lake to meet about four other guys. This will be my third time to SD. It is something you have to see to believe. A lot of CRP and a lot of wild birds to go with it.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

onefunzr2 and roper,

Thanks for the recipes. Always looking for good ways to prepare pheasant