Lucky9953

I've been hunting in excess of 40 years and am amazed at the pheasant's ability to outwit us and our best dogs. Often times they seemingly prefer running to flight. Our dogs have figured out how to team up with each other and hunt at differing distances from the guns. But, there are times when there are only one or two dogs on the ground and the birds outrun them. We have tried "Hawk Squealers" and forcing the dogs out longer range, but would like more suggestions from all of you "experts"!
What do you have to say?

Roost em 1st

Lucky,
You and me both! I've only been hunting pheasant for 6- 7 years and am confounded by the same problem. Is it getting worse?Darwinism, the running birds live through the season and then breed the following spring. Is running genetic? All I know is to do what you said. I hunted last week in MT and had alot of hens hold for the dogs but the wily roosters wanted to run. We had GSP in the field and usually put 4 dogs in at a time with 3 to 5 guns. We put 6 dogs in once or twice. Definitely the extra dogs confused some of the roosters and they flushed, sometimes in range. Our hunting party had 3 guys in their 30's and 2 guys in their 50's. The young bulls and the old bulls. We are hunting pointing dogs and really didn't want to use blockers but when the old bulls grew slightly tired we asked them if they wouldn't mind blocking. We took some roosters doing so, or should I say the seasoned hunters did. Stealth took some birds using one or two dogs hunting the sloughs with 2 guys. No whistling or talking and we were able to get some pointed cocks. But when the birds got out into the huge grass fields they much prefered to run. The last morning we hunted opposing fields and one group put some roosters across the road into the field I was in. The birds flushed 40 feet from the edge of the road about 15 feet in front of our group, the young bulls. To my dismay 2 of the young bulls had unloaded guns {amateur mistake} but my sweet 16 took a nice bird with one shot. We ran the birds to each other and they flushed. If any knows how to stop running birds I'd like to know as well. I know someone out there is saying we need dogs to close the back door and I've accomplished this with some of the older dogs we hunt; even my chessie has learned to do this for the pointers but if there is another approach I'm all ears.

johnch

My lab and I have figured out a trick that works for our group . I send my lad out 100 yds and have him hunt back to us as we stand still down wind . Yes some dirds flush to behind him but most catch the wind and fly right to us .

gselkhunter

I have found big groups make the birds very nervous and they run. With a lot of dog and hunters there is just too much commotion. So I hunt with no more than 3 hunters. I also don't try to stay in a line down the fence. I am blessed with 2 very good GSPs. The old girl will herd them back to me. The guys back east talk about Ruff Grouse dogs, Emily is a Pheasant dog. My other dog Gertie, just tracks them down. I get points in January in Kansas. I am not telling you the birds don't run, I am telling you we don't quit. I have followed my dogs across a section of land to get a point. Or have watched the birds get tired of us on there trail and flush. But then the real game is watching my dogs work anyway. They are in charge, I am just the blocker.
Gselkhunter