Pheasant Hunting

So I ran into a friend of mine, Clint, on Monday and we got to talking about hunting and how I've been out in a tree stand a few times this year but have yet to find that elusive whitetail.  He gave me the option to go out pheasant hunting with him and another friend of mine Mike.  I thought it over for a few minutes, "Did I want to give up a chance to get a deer and try my luck at bird hunting?"  Since I've never gone out hunting with a shotgun, none the less, did not own a shotgun, I voiced my concern.  I was offered to use an older Mossberg pump 12 gauge and couldn't turn it down.

Mike knew a spot down 55 South near the Dwight area that we got to just about sunrise.  Mike and Clint both explained a few things to me and we got started walking the area.  We started walking slowly stopping every few steps or so to see if we could hear anything.  The wind was crisp and bit at the only openings I had, which happened to be my finger tips.  I packed a few extra hand warmers which I shared with Mike and Clint.  I seemed to have dressed and layered warm enough for the weather.  After a little while walking, out of nowhere something flew out from the brush and just about scared me dead.  I struggled to get the Mossberg to my shoulder in time to realize that it was a Hen.  Since we were out hunting wild pheasant and not somewhere that breeds them to hunt it is a no-no.  We kept walking down that side for quite some time and came to a stream that lead to some farm land.  When we approached the stream right on the other side was a good sized doe standing there, who turned tail and ran once it got sight of us.

We made our way back down the trail in an attempt to flush out anything on the other side.  When we finally reached the end, back where the car was parked, we kicked out another bird; this time a Rooster.  Another nervous raise of the Mossberg after I heard a few shots from my friends.  I saw a few feathers fly off after Mike's shot but the bird took off flying.  Sure that it had been hit we set out after it, but not before taking a breather to rest our legs and get a bite to eat out of my day pack.  It was probably about 11am by now and we headed down the other direction after the one that got away.

The long journey down took us through some great country side.  In a group of trees we were finally able to track down the wounded bird.  I heard a rustling on the side and swung to shoot, forgetting the very important rule of don't shoot the pheasant on the ground.  Luckily, I more then likely missed the bird and it was still wounded from the first shot.  Mike put the bird down and we threw it into the pack.  We made our way down as far as we could before we hit what looked like a man made river or soon to be river.  We trudged our way back to the car attempting to flush out more birds but only another Hen as we ended up back by the car.  We took a break to rest our legs and decided to go grab some lunch at the local gas station.  By now it was about 3pm or so, we've spent a lot of time walking around through some thick waist to chest high brush.  I would have never though my legs would be so sore and we weren't done yet.

We took a drive over to another spot that looked like it had some potential.  We got out and geared back up.  It wasn't about 10 minutes into walking when Mike flushed out another Rooster.  I jumped out by him and he took two shots with his over under with no report, Clint took a shot his way and the bird kept on going.  By now the bird was a good 50 yards away.  I took up the Mossberg and followed it a second or two before squeezing the trigger, one shot and down with the pheasant.  I had taken my first bird.  The excitement I felt after seeing the bird fall was almost unexplainable, it was a rush of joy mixed with a little shock.  I gave an excited yell and rushed over to verify that it was dead, and it was.  We bagged the bird and kept on moving.  We went as far as we could there and turned back around.  This time the rustling we heard resulted from a rabbit.  The first one ran out quick past and I didn't have a shot.  Not 2 minutes after that another came out, this time it was not so lucky.  I took one shot, saw some dirt kick up, thinking I missed took another.  It was a good shot and the rabbit was down.

We came out of the area across from that to meet another hunter on an ATV.  He recommended that we check out another spot a little ways away so we did.  Not thinking to ask more questions about where this spot was we headed aimlessly to were we assumed he had been talking about.  The drive was not a total loss though; on our way over in the car I was able to catch a view of a few bucks in the field fighting it out, I have not seen this in person so it was very interesting  We worked that area till sundown.  We didn't flush out any more pheasant but I did see the biggest buck of my life.  From a ways away you could see the massive build of this animal and a rack that puts many to shame.  I stood there for a few seconds and took off.  I am still thinking of going back here with the bow and trying my luck at it.  You all will be the first to know if this happens.

We took the long drive home with 2 pheasants and a rabbit.  Not bad according to how difficult I've been told wild IL pheasant can be to get.  I was very excited to have my first time out be such a great experience.  Nothing beats being outdoors with some good friends.  Below is the photo of my first pheasant taken by Clint Rife.

Area C

I wanted to change things up a little bit today and try out Silver Springs area C.  I didn't think this would be the best idea because I have never been to this area before.  I had researched it a bit as I did area B through maps and google/bing maps and had a good idea of where I wanted to setup shop.  I woke up at about 4am but unfortunately fell back asleep and woke back up at about 4:45am.  I wanted to be at check in at about 5 and on my way to setup before sunrise.  I had also forgotten that daylight savings had kicked in and sunrise was actually going to be at about 6:30am today.

I jumped in the shower, de-scented, grabbed my gear and started the Jeep; only to realize that I was out of gas.  I headed over to fill up and by the time I got to check in it was about 6am and it was already getting light outside.  As soon as I stepped out to go sign in there was a young buck just standing outside the office.  I was able to grab a quick picture with my iPhone but it didn't turn out too great.

I pulled out of the check in station and headed over to C only to see more deer off the road.  All of these deer were in areas where hunting is not permitted, go figure.

I got to area C and got all setup.  By the time I was done and sitting in my stand it was probably about 6:45 and the sun was clear up.  I was pretty sure that I missed my prime window but sat it out.  The weather was great.  The sun came up and threw some heat down my way, so much that I had to shed some layers and hang them up on some branches.  I alternated between doe calls and antler rattles and didn't hear much of anything, I thought I heard a grunt response to one of the doe calls but didn't hear anything walking my way, I gave it a few more tries and waited a bit.

I probably sat up there until about 10am before I got the itch to check out the rest of the area.  I walked around the back part and crossed a stream over a log and wandered around a while.  I didn't see anything around the back part.  I heard another hunter rattling some horns, it didn't seem like he had much luck either.  I turned back to tear down my gear and head home.  Before I left I snapped another picture of my setup.

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Second Hunt

I went out to Bass Pro Shops a few days before I hunted and picked up a tree stand.  After talking to a few different people I chose this over a ground blind.  I kept hearing stories that the deer are very observant and would notice a ground blind out of place and steer clear of them.  I was also told that they would be able to easily smell you from the ground blinds.  This directed me to make my decision on the tree stand.  I went with a King Kong HX Hang-On tree stand.

I took it home and played around with it.  This is my first experience with a tree stand of any sort so it was very unfamiliar to me.  It took me a few minutes to figure out the workings and how I planned on carrying it in and out of the hunting area and really didn't seem all that heavy.

The day came up a little quicker then I was ready for.  When I woke up it was about 4:30am, I showed with the Primos de-scent, sprayed down my clothes, and thew everything in my Jeep.  The morning air was very crisp and it was pretty dark outside.  It was a little awkward to be up and ready to go when it still felt like night.  I made my way to the sign in station at Silver Springs.  I was a little intimidated when I saw about 5 cars in the parking lot, after walking in I noticed they were all for pheasant hunting.  There was only one person signed in to B.

I dragged all my gear out of the Jeep and prepared myself to walk in.  After my tree stand, 2 small tree ladders, my day pack, and my bow, it was a little overwhelming.  I realized I should have geared up and practiced with everything before I got out here.  I was fumbling around trying to figure out the most comfortable and least noisy way to carry everything back.  I had a spot in mind of where I wanted to setup and found it.  I would have been in some trouble if it weren't for a headlamp a friend gave me this summer.  I put everything down next to the tree I had picked out.  I strapped the ladders to the tree and made sure they were stable.  I then realized how difficult it was going to be to climb them with a tree stand in one hand and secure it to the tree.  After a few frustrating minutes I was able to get everything all setup.  I also realized why the salesman at Bass Pro had suggested 3 ladders, I was not up as high as I had thought, but for my first time in a stand it was as high as I was comfortable.  By the time everything was good to hunt it was probably about 7:15 or 7:30 am.  Light had begun to peak over the hillside, which would have helped when I was setting up, but it seemed like I may have gotten in early enough.

I sat for quite some time with no movement.  It was a little cooler up in a tree then walking around on the ground.  My hands and feet took most of the punishment.  I found myself alternating a hand in each hunting jacket pocket and standing up from time to time to keep the blood flow through my feet.  I sprayed out some doe scent and did some calls throughout the 4 hours I was up there.  About an hour into the hunt I heard some rustling around behind me.  I got a little excited and turned to look.  Unfortunately it was a stupid squirrel.  I say stupid because it had me thinking that there was a deer walking up on me.  They did this a few times to me, running past and around the tree, through some leaves, but no sign of the deer.

I held out as long as I could up there and finally packed it in.  My feet were cold to the point where I could not feel them and my hands were getting there as well.  I think I am going to need some warmer gear.  I am planning to go back out on Tuesday and see what else this area has to offer.  I am thinking about checking out section C.  There is a lot more area and appears to have some good funnel points.  The pheasant hunting area is pretty close to so maybe they will be able to scare some deer my way.

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