For me the dogs make the hunt, but I understand your situation. I would suggest getting a retriever or spaniel pup that can be a pet and hunt a little.

You will probably see and shoot just as many birds without dogs, but you will have a very very hard time finding down birds without a dog.

The public ground gets hammered pretty hard, so you will have to find really thick grasses and cattails. As colorful as pheasants are they blend in really good with the cover, and can be extremely difficult to find without dogs.