Any Pheasant Hunters Here?

[BigRed]

It's been a while since I've been able to go, but that is going to change this week. I was invited to go this week!

 

[Winamac]

It's been a while since I've been able to go, but that is going to change this week. I was invited to go this week!

I used to hunt pheasant when I lived in Colorado, we would go to eastern Colorado next to the Kansas border because it was BIG business there.The local small towns and hotels pulled out all the stops in an effort to welcome pheasant hunters during the season. Had a great time. Around here...not so much. By chance have you been invited to a DNR "put and take" pheasant hunt?

 

[Bapak2ja]

I joined a "learn to hunt pheasant" in Mongo. I got my limit (2), learned to clean my birds, and am now have them in the freezer. I also discovered there are several pheasant hunt places in Indiana.

Have a great hunt.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Used to quite a bit as a teenager, could walk out my back door and be into them. Been a long time since I’ve chased them, but I did smoke a rooster with my truck a couple years ago.

 

[CountryBoy19]

By chance have you been invited to a DNR "put and take" pheasant hunt?

IIRC, all the DNR put-n-takes are over for this year. I'm guessing private game preserve etc.

 

[Thor]

Another pheasant hunter here who hasn't been in years. When I retire in a couple of years I plan on getting back into it.

 

[Winamac]

IIRC, all the DNR put-n-takes are over for this year. I'm guessing private game preserve etc.

Thank you for the information. Just goes to show how much I DO NOT know about pheasant hunting here in our great state of Indiana.

 

[AtTheMurph]

I do a little pheasant hunting currently both in IN (Benton/Newton Counties) and IL (Iroquois Co). The top picture is from the last day of Illinois season 2017 as we were driving home after the hunt. Nice little pile of birds along the roadside.

Next two pictures are from last year or the year before (can't recall.) Middle is of my dog on the left (Braque Francais) and my buddy and his GSP with a few cocks we powder kegged that morning.

Next pic is me walking out to a spot that looked promising! A little snow is always welcomed.

 

[indiucky]

I do...My brother runs a Springer....

 

[Winamac]

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I do a little pheasant hunting currently both in IN (Benton/Newton Counties) and IL (Iroquois Co). The top picture is from the last day of Illinois season 2017 as we were driving home after the hunt. Nice little pile of birds along the roadside.

Next two pictures are from last year or the year before (can't recall.) Middle is of my dog on the left (Braque Francais) and my buddy and his GSP with a few cocks we powder kegged that morning.

Next pic is me walking out to a spot that looked promising! A little snow is always welcomed.

Those are awesome pictures. Looks like a great time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BigRed]

IIRC, all the DNR put-n-takes are over for this year. I'm guessing private game preserve etc.

This is correct. It is a pheasant ranch in Northwest Ohio. We are to be hunting with springers. Heck, watching the dogs work is half the fun!

 

[BigRed]

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I do a little pheasant hunting currently both in IN (Benton/Newton Counties) and IL (Iroquois Co). The top picture is from the last day of Illinois season 2017 as we were driving home after the hunt. Nice little pile of birds along the roadside.

Next two pictures are from last year or the year before (can't recall.) Middle is of my dog on the left (Braque Francais) and my buddy and his GSP with a few cocks we powder kegged that morning.

Next pic is me walking out to a spot that looked promising! A little snow is always welcomed.

Very nice!

The way the weather has been, I am guessing there will be snow on the ground when we go.

 

[dnurk]

OP, are you going to Thorn Bottom Preserve over in Ohio? That’s a pretty good place and one of the better game farms in the area. You’ll have fun.

Weve been heading out west for wild birds once or twice a year for pretty much every year since the early 1990s. Used to go to Iowa then the bird population went way down. Then to SD. Used to do fine just knocking on doors asking permission to hunt but now it’s all big business for the landowners and leasing companies. Unfortunately many folks won’t have the joy of wild pheasant hunting because it has become so expensive. I still do it but mostly for the dog work.

 

[BigRed]

OP, are you going to Thorn Bottom Preserve over in Ohio? That’s a pretty good place and one of the better game farms in the area. You’ll have fun.

Weve been heading out west for wild birds once or twice a year for pretty much every year since the early 1990s. Used to go to Iowa then the bird population went way down. Then to SD. Used to do fine just knocking on doors asking permission to hunt but now it’s all big business for the landowners and leasing companies. Unfortunately many folks won’t have the joy of wild pheasant hunting because it has become so expensive. I still do it but mostly for the dog work.

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Turns out that was the place!

It was OUTSTANDING and the owners are great folks. I would definitely do it again.

 

[dnurk]

Turns out that was the place!

It was OUTSTANDING and the owners are great folks. I would definitely do it again.

Good deal. They do a really good job trying to replicate wild bird hunting and their property is great. Haven’t been in a while and their fields aren’t huge but they always had nice and different types of cover to hunt.

Assuming you kept the birds, here is one of my favorite recipes to make with pheasants.
https://www.pheasantfordinner.com/consumer/recipes/entree/pheasantpotpie.aspx

The only thing I do different is poach the legs and breasts on the bone instead of frying the meat. Poach just long enough to get the meat up to dine temperature and then let it cool. Shred the meat off by hand and then pretty much follow the rest of that recipe. So good.

 

[AtTheMurph]

https://honest-food.net/on-hanging-pheasants-2/

Essential info if you hunt wild birds. You have to age them just like you have to age deer. For pheasants I will hang for 4-7 days generally, depending on the outside temp. Hang in the garage mostly but if really warm I have a walk in wine cellar that is cooled to 55 degrees. 4 days in there.

Birds are tender, tasty, moist and far better than the ones you cleans and skin and cut up day of hunt. I will never do that again. Those are dry, tough and not nearly as good and to me a travesty.

 

[BigRed]

https://honest-food.net/on-hanging-pheasants-2/

Essential info if you hunt wild birds. You have to age them just like you have to age deer. For pheasants I will hang for 4-7 days generally, depending on the outside temp. Hang in the garage mostly but if really warm I have a walk in wine cellar that is cooled to 55 degrees. 4 days in there.

Birds are tender, tasty, moist and far better than the ones you cleans and skin and cut up day of hunt. I will never do that again. Those are dry, tough and not nearly as good and to me a travesty.

That was an interesting read.... and something I have never heard of before.

I'm going to make note of this for the future.


FWIW, some of the other guys I hunted with talked about an older guy they used to hunt with who always wanted to take his birds home "uncleaned" to do it himself..... I wouldn't be surprised if he knew about your tip!

 

[BigRed]

Good deal. They do a really good job trying to replicate wild bird hunting and their property is great. Haven’t been in a while and their fields aren’t huge but they always had nice and different types of cover to hunt.

Assuming you kept the birds, here is one of my favorite recipes to make with pheasants.
https://www.pheasantfordinner.com/consumer/recipes/entree/pheasantpotpie.aspx

The only thing I do different is poach the legs and breasts on the bone instead of frying the meat. Poach just long enough to get the meat up to dine temperature and then let it cool. Shred the meat off by hand and then pretty much follow the rest of that recipe. So good.

Pheasant Pot Pie is always a good go to... It's also a good way to stretch the birds a bit for a bigger dinner! I held some birds back for that. The problem is, the bird can sometimes get lost in the pot!

So, I also did some Pheasant Normandy. It pretty much puts the bird front and center.

https://www.pheasantsforever.org/BlogLanding/Blogs/Pheasants-Forever/Recipe-Pheasant-Normandy.aspx

All good eating!

 

[Captaincrunk]

I joined a "learn to hunt pheasant" in Mongo. I got my limit (2), learned to clean my birds, and am now have them in the freezer. I also discovered there are several pheasant hunt places in Indiana.

Have a great hunt.

Any you would suggest?

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Got to watch about a dozen birds fly across the road on my way home this afternoon.