The DNR will be reducing the pheasant stocking from 75000 to 50000 because of covid 19. Also no day old chick program this year.
I read this in the latest WON paper.
Upland/Small Game
Pheasant 2020
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I’m new to pheasant hunting and I hunted Tichigan twice(no birds) than finished my year at bong(lots of birds) last year and loved it!
Now bong stopped stocking on november 29th for some reason?? Last year they stocked through december 21 and it was a great year! Anyone in the know on here???
Luckily my dog is really good and she flushed 8 birds and I was able to get 3 of them this weekend so there are a few birds left but Im afraid most of the birds will be gone by next weekend??
What are all you guys doing for the next month to get your pheasant hunting itch??
I guess i’m just confused why they stopped stocking birds so early this year and do you think there will be enough birds to hunt the last three weeks of season?? I’m not afraid to hunt hard as long as there is a few birds left???
Sorry for long post but I was pretty bummed out there done stocking for the year!
I drove by when they were burning, the smoke was unreal, as were the flames in some areas. turned around and hunted off Wilton, the smoke wasn't hitting there. didn't see a bird and when I got back into the truck it still smelt like smoke.
speaking of Wilton, this is a longshot but did anyone lose anything out there? article of clothing so to speak. if so, let me know, if described correctly, I'll get it back to you.
Shot this guy yesterday on a small state owned wetland. Almost didn’t shoot when it flushed into the sun because it looked different and I thought it was hen...until it cackled and then I touched off on the trigger. Of course he dumped into the cattails and by the time my dogs found it, it was quite soaked and bedraggled.
Well the birds are still out there. And the field I hit this morning did not have a recent drop. When I showed up at 5:55 am and saw three trucks with 6 guys and 4 dogs in the lot, I thought maybe they knew something. Then 2 more trucks showed up and I thought maybe right time right place.
Well I walked to a spot with my dog on a leash waiting on legal shooting time. However the large group thought that as long as there was a semblance of light they could hunt. Pissed me off. So as I let them trounce through the field I took my pup off leash, walked around, and 150 yards behind the swarm one point, one rooster. Granted we had to go into the swamp, but still a great feeling.
Then we went through another swamp where people prefer not to go, got on some hard land and busted another.
Here’s an interesting one, my pup has “tree’d” a few birds this year. And when he does, he goes nuts barking at them. Anyone else ever seen this? He’s a GSP.
Anyway, good luck, shoot straight, stay safe, and look on the outskirts!
I gave up hunting the public land years ago. Too much driving. Way too crowded and often no birds to be found. I have a young dog that “needs” to work or she is unbearable in the house. Some of the local hunt clubs offer good habitat and strong flying birds and they don’t require a membership. Yes it costs money. To me it’s worth it to get the dog some work and hunt birds with my son. It beats having to compete for space in the field with guys chasing the bird drops.
We were in the field when a drop happened. This area usually gets 3 different releases of 3 to 5 birds each. The pickup backed into the middle and released 5 birds. All flew into the swamp where even in hip boots you couldn't work as your pooch was well bathed for this quality hunt. There is more hunters yes but I drove to the meet my partner on the other side of the area about 3 mile wallk. Never put a bird up . No other hunters then 5 cars just milling in the lot. My partner and pooch comes out and what do you know here comes the bird truck. I always believed this was the DNR best kept secret for releases. Was it coincidence ? We travel minimally 2.5 to 3 hours to get to the nearest spot. The noon close has pretty much shut down those areas. We have shot birds this year but it really seems different this year. Now I read no releases after the gun deer season until the holiday Hunt. I am grateful we have this opportunity to even have a chance at pheasant but where are the birds? Maybe the no doc program had a bigger impact then we thought.
I’d have to agree with some previous comments on the number of birds. I did have a gentlemen this Saturday morning tell me he saw the dnr releasing on Friday. He got his two roosters and was out again at first light on Saturday. With the added pressure this year of fewer spots, the birds the dnr is releasing are not making it much past one-two days.
Personally this season has stunk. My older pup may need to be retired and my younger GSP is already two sets of stitches into the season. That’s how it goes.
Got a feeling it may be a lot of taking our guns for a walk this year and just watching the dogs work the best they can. And that’s okay with me.
Good luck all
There was one small drop of birds at Killsnake and Brillion for opening day. Not a 70 percent drop as stated. The DNR's one single drop was maybe 10 percent of the normal bird number.
No drops since. Not 70 percent, nor 50 percent, nor twenty percent. No percent. Where are the birds? Who has been given our birds?
I wonder if Richard Bong is looking for birds? The DNR has our stamp fees. Why settle for just a single stamp fee for the season, when the DNR gets a normal stamp fee plus an extra $12.00 per hunter each time out.
Where are the birds? Who has had any regular bird drops and where?
I mainly Hunt in Southern Rock County. I’ve only been getting out a couple times a week due to my job. But I have been able to find the birds. Wednesday I only saw three other hunters out. I am also a guide at a local Hunt club so if I see birds great, my dogs get to see a lot of birds at the club. For me it’s just getting them out and getting them exercise.
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