Pheasant Hunting-1st Time Luck

[Gunowner99]

Two shots. Two kills. Bagged out. Blue Marsh. They stocked yesterday and today. Holy cow that was fun. I am hooked! Will be at it again next week!! When they stock again. Those suckers jump up quickly and fly away. You have to be quick. Wow I am on a high. Feels great!!

[jthrelf]

Congrats!

[JAKIII]

Well done Gunowner!

Quick story of my first pheasant kill.

The location was Cumberland County, circa 1979. I was hunting with a group of fraternity brothers. We had three well trained German short hair hunting dogs working out front for us when one pulled up pointing at a thicket of brush. I clicked off the safety on my 870 Wingmaster, shouldered her with finger on the trigger, as I advanced. The pheasant bolted like a helicopter on steroids and flew straight out. My shot scored... his wings folded and he dropped like a rock. Then, my frat brother shot him again on the way down. That bird had sooo much 12ga lead in him that I couldn’t harvest the meat.

[Gripsafety]

Two shots. Two kills. Bagged out. Blue Marsh. They stocked yesterday and today. Holy cow that was fun. I am hooked! Will be at it again next week!! When they stock again. Those suckers jump up quickly and fly away. You have to be quick. Wow I am on a high. Feels great!!

Congrats. Were you hunting with a dog?

[Pilot321]

Well done Gunowner!

Quick story of my first pheasant kill.

The location was Cumberland County, circa 1979. I was hunting with a group of fraternity brothers. We had three well trained German short hair hunting dogs working out front for us when one pulled up pointing at a thicket of brush. I clicked off the safety on my 870 Wingmaster, shouldered her with finger on the trigger, as I advanced. The pheasant bolted like a helicopter on steroids and flew straight out. My shot scored... his wings folded and he dropped like a rock. Then, my frat brother shot him again on the way down. That bird had sooo much 12ga lead in him that I couldn’t harvest the meat.

I had a German Shorthaired Pointer for sixteen years and hunted with him. They are excellent bird dogs.

[Gripsafety]

I had a German Shorthaired Pointer for sixteen years and hunted with him. They are excellent bird dogs.

I'm trying to train a black lab. She can easily find the dummy by scent, but she wants me to chase her around for it.

[Pilot321]

I'm trying to train a black lab. She can easily find the dummy by scent, but she wants me to chase her around for it.

Do it with a long rope attached to her collar or preferable harness. Let her find the dummy, then pull her to you and reward her with a treat. Repeat doing this, and then remove the rope, and have her come to you with the dummy, and drop it voluntarily, then give her a treat.

[Gunowner99]

Congrats. Were you hunting with a dog?

I was however the dog was just window dressing. It was a Labrador. Nice dog but just a mess of a bird dog, ran around a lot panting ha ha! I did see people there with pointers and bells on them and some sort of homing beeper on the dog. You know how many those groups got? 1 ha ha! Me, my buddy and his gal pal and the happy dog, I think we flushed 10, 2 ran across in front of me like the roadrunner and the two that flushed in front of me and presented themselves both went down. I'm not cocky, I'm just happy is all. Will go out next week when they stock again.

Honestly, it was the first time I ever killed anything hunting so I'm pretty satisfied for being a beginner. You all here are a great source of support and inspiration as well!

[Gunowner99]

Well done Gunowner!

Quick story of my first pheasant kill.

The location was Cumberland County, circa 1979. I was hunting with a group of fraternity brothers. We had three well trained German short hair hunting dogs working out front for us when one pulled up pointing at a thicket of brush. I clicked off the safety on my 870 Wingmaster, shouldered her with finger on the trigger, as I advanced. The pheasant bolted like a helicopter on steroids and flew straight out. My shot scored... his wings folded and he dropped like a rock. Then, my frat brother shot him again on the way down. That bird had sooo much 12ga lead in him that I couldn’t harvest the meat.

Helicopter they do! I saw a lot of that. They just pop up, it is freaky!

Now, what is the best way to dispatch? My 1st one my friend must have snapped the neck but it happened so quick I didn't know to ask or what was going on. I want to be ethical with my hunting at all times.

[wis bang]

I miss those days...the 'gun club' ran a raffle and sold buttons to 'members' and released pheasants around a bunch of farms than anyone with a button who asked could hunt the posted farms.

Lots of birds, some even wintering over...

Being only 15 minutes from a toll bridge to NJ, all those fields and orchards are now housing developments full of 'transplants'. the Mt. Bethel Hotel [bar and club headquarters of Laurel Hill Rod and Gun] is now a real estate office