Pheasant 2021

I checked the dnr site today and the stocking list is out. Looks like they're back up to 75 thousand birds again this year up from 50 last year. They've added 10 more properties also. Still no day old chick program. 

Two months until the opener.

Santa's helper did a great job on photos.

Got out on Friday afternoon.  Covered quit a bit of ground and got 2 up.  Since I missed the first one, the 2nd flush might of been the same bird which I missed also.  I need to practice more.

Fritz

Merry Christmas from Santa and Al.

I got out on Friday on public land in Columbia County.  Dog got up 1 rooster and I got lucky and got it on the second shot.  Not sure if it was an early season plant or a wild rooster, but obviously a younger bird. Across the road, there was a big corn field (private land) which was picked.  When I was there in early November, it was still standing.

Was hoping the DNR would of planted birds, but if they did, I couldn't tell.  I did not hear any other shots coming from the public side of the road.

Fritz

You got to work for it, but there are birds out there. 

Merry Christmas 

It has been ten years since the DNR had a pheasant holiday release in the northeast. 

Not since Bong started selling three thousand five hundred public birds a year. https://dnr.wi.gov/pheasantstocking/

Great day to be out with Al. Never gets old seeing a dog on point. 

More birds out there?

Maybe around Madison and Bong.

Up in the Northeast, we used to get a Christmas release, 10 years ago.

Not since they started selling public birds at Bong.

Look at this website's past years.

2016- 90 responses, 2017-63, 2018-43, 2019-39, 2020-36, 

2021 a whopping 25.

Great job DNR

Went to public land that is stocked to look for birds. Chicken wagon left about hour before i arrived. I spotted 2 birds thinking awesome next morning is set. Then i watch a man jump out of his truck walk right to these birds and shots one on the ground. I'm thinking what kind of fun is that, no orange on no dog just walk to a released bird and kill it. I know if I ever get that lazy I'm done. I know ammo is in short supply but come on man that's not even sporting. And yes I'm hunting these birds too, but at least with a dog and already missed two this year. That is what keeps me going.

Another perfect Wisconsin afternoon. Southern Wisconsin. So nice to get a late afternoon hunt in with little pressure. 

Exactly  Wright... my 2 farmer friends said the amount of birds they are seeing while combining is 5 fold over last year. And last year was a very good year. The public land is perfect out there ! And most of the private I hunt borders some huge chunks of public... best of both worlds !!!  Best of luck on your trip, enjoy !

I will be in Spirit Lake for 3 days this weekend.  I have reports that it was insane during the youth hunt last weekend.  So good that locals are putting campers at public parking areas.  Over 80,000 acres of well managed public land in one county!

I use Wisconsin pheasant hunting as an excuse to get out of the house, and keep the dogs in shape. They don't know the difference between a planted bird and a wild one.

 Leave Friday for the first of 2 , 10 day trips west. Iowa for 3, then hop the border in N.S. Dakota for a week. You cannot beat the hunting in these states, 5 hours to spirit lake Iowa, usually make 3 trips there in a season. Hunting both private and public.

From there another 3 hours to the Webster, Aberdeen area.

  My daughter goes to school in Aberdeen, so it's a great trip, I get to see her, she gets to see her dogs, and I get to watch her swim for NSU. 100 flush days are possible,  and common. A little tougher this year, but beats Wisconsin  ! Plus Huns, and sharptails added to the mix. 

  Reports I've heard from friends so far is tougher than last year, but still shooting lots of birds. If you own a bird dog you owe it to them to experience the Dakotas. Or Iowa, Nebraska,  kansas... those states do it right !

Wright6:

I’ve never been to SD and I stand corrected on the three bird limit. My son is in college in Iowa and we see a ton of wild birds there. Close to home too. Wisconsin is tough. But there are some wild birds. And it could get better with support from the DNR and maybe a better CRP program.

I don't know what to tell you.  I just know if I lived from 5 hours from Watertown SD, that I'd be over there a lot...by myself with my dogs...walking public land and ditches.  I don't do that group hunting thing anymore.

There's a lot of good pheasant hunting between Watertown and Redfield.  I'm heading out November 13th and December 4th.  Or, I'd just keep shooting 2-4 grouse/day like I have been doing this fall.  That's about as good as it gets.

I just know I won't put any time or money into pheasants in WI.