Hogan

Wondering if anyone out there has had any success hunting pheasants in Northwestern Pa this season. A friend of mine that hunts once a week has had little luck. Just wondering if it's a bad year or what? I hunted game land area for 5 hours the other day in locations that usually hold at least a bird. Alot of the fields seemed hardly hunted. No tracks from game commission trucks, so it's seems like they may not have stocked as many birds as they stated on their website. Any ideas?

Ruddyduck

To put it mildly ,pheasant hunting in Pa. on S.G.L. stinks. Here in Northeast part they put out X number of birds thoughout the course of a season for a couple of counties ,that neighboring N.J. would put out in a week.
Along the Delaware they stock the birds and predators get 80% of the birds before hunters have a shot. I've been to field trials conducted on state land and watched as hawks come down and get the chukars being used while a dog two guns and 4 judges were walking the same field.
It's typical to hunt during the week and see 3-5 other hunters working some of the big fields and not see one bird put up or hear another shot during 4 hours of hunting.
You're better of trying to find some decent grouse/woodcock hunting or go to a preserve if you want to hunt upland birds.

Ruddyduck

I forgot to add those 3-5 other hunters are all working with dogs. Given that not all dogs are equal, that amount of hunters with dogs ,one should atleast bump up one bird by accident. But alas ,it doesn't happen.

mauser06

i think they skimped on stocking this year.....my buddy and his dad are hard core pheasant hunters...and they arent having a good year....they find birds...but takes alot longer....usually they can limit in an hour or so...and usually if we have a group and a few dogs we all end up with a bird or a limit within a mornings hunt.....this year its not so good......dont know whats up with it??

Bowhuntingsoccermaniac

I hunted last year in Southwestern PA in Late season, aside from paying out of state fees, the birds where just not there. Needless to say that my lab was extremely depressed by the time we were done. I was born and raised west of Pittsburgh and as a kid in Westmoreland County, we had fairly good numbers of both wild and stocked birds. Hope you have better luck than I did last year. I'll be up there over xmas doing some Grouse hunting.


Hunt em hard

Hogan

Thanks for all the input guys. I think it's safe to say that Western Pa pheasant hunting isn't what it used to be. I have been training my year old lab at a hunting preserve near Confluence Pa. I have a hunt scheduled for this Saturday for pheasant and chukar. So far they have about 1ft of snow, so it should be an interesting hunt. I may try to get out for second season and go after Grouse/Pheasant since I feel most of the pheasant got pushed into the woods with the Grouse.

Hacimsaalk

i havent gone out for them yet her in NW PA, but ive seen probably 5 along SGL 69