Catch and release pheasant hunt

[so haaad]

Well, I can now add my 11 year old lab to the list of dogs who have caught a wild pheasant. It was a hen, so I practiced catch and release. It was pretty cool watching it fly out of my hands.

[Sartell Angler]

sweet! I'm bringing a very agile little lab to SD from Wednesday thru Sunday so I'm hoping she catches one (a rooster that is)

She caught a grouse this fall and that was pretty cool! Didn't release that one though

[snapcrackpop]

Opening weekend I helped out our PF Youth Hunt.

As I was leaving (after we were done) a rooster landed on the road in front of my truck. So I grabbed my gun and a couple of shells. He didn't jump up but I could see him moving in the ditch grass towards the corn field. When I got to the edge he didn't flush. I looked down and there he was, at my feet. So I reached down and grabbed him with my hand.

This would be a cool story if we hadn't been using released birds for the Youth Hunt.

Oh well, still a first for me.

My dogs have caught a couple of hens and a rooster too(wild ones).

[sdstatekid]

Sartell, If you are planning on hunting public land i wouldn't count on your dog catching any, the birds are getting pretty wily around here.

[Sartell Angler]

oh well ya never know.

[ReelTimes]

My english cocker caught one last winter. The pheasant thought he was safe buried in amongst the cattails and snow. After a little bit of a scuffle in the brush, out came the dog with the bird. I let him go.

[sdstatekid]

Yeah, ya never know what will happen out in the field, my old dog wasn't very good, we got him for free from my uncle, a lab/chessie cross, he ended up catching 5 in his 12 years of hunting. 3 hens and 2 roosters. My uncles dog has caught 2 and my 3 year old lab has caught 1. I think it is the coolest thing that can happen while hunting. If the birds are in the cattails this week your dog could probably catch one but if they are in the light grass, you better have somebody posting or you better be able to run because the roosters will take off running and flush at about 80 yards. Anyways, good luck during your trip.

[Sartell Angler]

thanks for the advice sdstatekid--we'll have to do some posting because we will have 6 guys and 5 dogs.