NE Pheasant advice

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
I’m heading up to south central/south east NE next weekend to try and get into some pheasants/ quail. The only experience I have upland bird hunting is at the farm type places for work functions, so basically zero experience. We’ve got a good mix of public and private places identified and plan on walking as much of it as possible over the weekend. We don’t have a dog. Really just looking to get out of the house this time of year and try something new. I was hoping some of the more experienced guys could lend some advice as far as types of cover to target, different strategies for time of day and any other general advice.

Thanks in advance.


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PA Hunter

WKR
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Dec 29, 2018
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582
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Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Since you got no replies I dont live in NE but Pennsylvania and there are no wild pheasants left in my state last one I saw was in mid 1990s. I would be real skeptical if you have wild ones anywhere in the Northeast or East Coast for that matter.

Having said that you probably have stocked birds. I dont know how your hunting season goes for them but look at your state reg book or online and you may see public lands that are stocked. You may actually even find the days or a span when they are stocked. I would hit those stocking days.

Look for any kind of fields or brush with road paths for a stocking truck and truck tire marks then you know they are stocking. They should be near public parking lots for access.

Stocked birds do not live long maybe 2-3 days tops, they are not anything like a wild late season South Dakota pheasant.

Once you find a stocking location and grass or brush strips zig zag back and forth slowly you may flush one if there are any around.

Wild pheasants gravel or head for roads before dark to eat stones to digest food but again I highly doubt you have wild ones.
 

go_deep

WKR
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
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1,615
I've hunted the southern border of Nebraska a couple times. Can find quail around wild plum trees, the trees are really small, and if you get on any edge of an ag field to CRP or brush line you'll bump pheasants. You see any kind of little brush line, patch of brush, or even a single bush go walk around it.
Good luck and have fun!
 

Haggin

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
134
Location
Nebraska
TBH - Pheasant hunting here isn't all that great (I live 15 mins SW of Lincoln). Quail is average/below average. Small pockets of public ground or those private with walk in access (Look on G&P site to see the maps) may have a few, but the roosters will be far and few between. We own 160 acres 40 miles south (Fairbury ish) and have kicked up one or two pheasant (total, not per year) in the ten years we've owned it. Seen a few quail, but not many.

I don't even hunt upland here anymore, unless its on a stocked private/club type thing or doves for a afternoon walk, and head to SD instead when i get the itch.
 

PA Hunter

WKR
Joined
Dec 29, 2018
Messages
582
Location
Bethlehem Pennsylvania
Since you got no replies I dont live in NE but Pennsylvania and there are no wild pheasants left in my state last one I saw was in mid 1990s. I would be real skeptical if you have wild ones anywhere in the Northeast or East Coast for that matter.

Having said that you probably have stocked birds. I dont know how your hunting season goes for them but look at your state reg book or online and you may see public lands that are stocked. You may actually even find the days or a span when they are stocked. I would hit those stocking days.

Look for any kind of fields or brush with road paths for a stocking truck and truck tire marks then you know they are stocking. They should be near public parking lots for access.

Stocked birds do not live long maybe 2-3 days tops, they are not anything like a wild late season South Dakota pheasant.

Once you find a stocking location and grass or brush strips zig zag back and forth slowly you may flush one if there are any around.

Wild pheasants gravel or head for roads before dark to eat stones to digest food but again I highly doubt you have wild ones.
My bad I thought you meant New England not Nebraska. I know you have wild roosters !!
 
OP
Ehiggins

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
TBH - Pheasant hunting here isn't all that great (I live 15 mins SW of Lincoln). Quail is average/below average. Small pockets of public ground or those private with walk in access (Look on G&P site to see the maps) may have a few, but the roosters will be far and few between. We own 160 acres 40 miles south (Fairbury ish) and have kicked up one or two pheasant (total, not per year) in the ten years we've owned it. Seen a few quail, but not many.

I don't even hunt upland here anymore, unless its on a stocked private/club type thing or doves for a afternoon walk, and head to SD instead when i get the itch.

Not making me feel optimistic for this weekend lol. We’ll give it a shot and see what happens though!


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OP
Ehiggins

Ehiggins

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My bad I thought you meant New England not Nebraska. I know you have wild roosters !!

Sorry about that I should have spelled out Nebraska at least once before using NE!


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OP
Ehiggins

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
I've hunted the southern border of Nebraska a couple times. Can find quail around wild plum trees, the trees are really small, and if you get on any edge of an ag field to CRP or brush line you'll bump pheasants. You see any kind of little brush line, patch of brush, or even a single bush go walk around it.
Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the advice! That’s kinda the plan is just walk every brushy place we can find and see what comes out. I’ll keep an eye out for plum trees


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Laramie

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Apr 17, 2020
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2,616
Why SE Nebraska?

Western part of the state has plenty of birds and a lot more public to walk. Do yourself a favor and dive an extra couple of hours. Anywhere west of the line from North Platte to McCook to the Kansas line will have more birds... and more hunters because it's no secret. That said, without a dog you are facing a pretty tough challenge. The birds are very wild right now since they have been pursued for 3 months. Don't be surprised to see them fly out 300-400 yards in front of you. The quail will hold but most guys struggle to get them to fly without a dog unless you get lucky and walk into the middle of a covey.

Or if you really want to shoot birds, give these guys a call - https://www.beedeoutdoors.com/
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
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1,794
Location
Colorado
Good advice above. Without a dog, bring plenty of guys, don't space yourselves too far apart, and walk pretty slow (at least in my experience). I've had hens jump up at my feet after I stopped to BS with someone for a minute or two.

Hit the crop corners that are walk in access points, and narrow strips, not the big one mile by one mile fields.
 
OP
Ehiggins

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
Why SE Nebraska?

Western part of the state has plenty of birds and a lot more public to walk. Do yourself a favor and dive an extra couple of hours. Anywhere west of the line from North Platte to McCook to the Kansas line will have more birds... and more hunters because it's no secret. That said, without a dog you are facing a pretty tough challenge. The birds are very wild right now since they have been pursued for 3 months. Don't be surprised to see them fly out 300-400 yards in front of you. The quail will hold but most guys struggle to get them to fly without a dog unless you get lucky and walk into the middle of a covey.

Or if you really want to shoot birds, give these guys a call - https://www.beedeoutdoors.com/

We’re coming from the eastern side of Missouri so driving to western Nebraska is a bit much for a weekend trip unfortunately.


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MR5X5

FNG
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Jan 6, 2021
Messages
56
Location
Wetside of WA
End of season, no dogs, limited experience, new ground... That is some tough sledding. So long as you realize it is most likely exercise you'll be fine. Like Gunnarsdad49 said - work small tight cover, keep it slow - regularly stopping for a few minutes at a time. That it is late in the season should work to your advantage as they may be more inclined to flush wild - especially with some wind. Blockers at the end of strips might work. Make sure those blockers are well hidden and quiet. Good luck!
 
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Laramie

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We’re coming from the eastern side of Missouri so driving to western Nebraska is a bit much for a weekend trip unfortunately.


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Nothing wrong with a weekend adventure but for the cost of the drive, lodging, and the non-resident permits, you could pay for a bird farm hunt. If you pick the right place, they can be really fun. There are a gob of them in Missouri.

I love to hunt wild birds but in reality a lot of the birds guys end up hunting are released. South Dakota who is famed for their amazing pheasant hunts buys millions of birds yearly to release. One of their main suppliers is located 20 minutes from my house so I have seen it first hand. I say all of that because I feel there is no shame in a bird farm pheasant hunt- it's not the same as a behind high fence big game hunt to me.

If you end up in eastern Nebraska, I wish you luck. It will probably end up being a lot of nature hiking without much nature.
 
OP
Ehiggins

Ehiggins

WKR
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
Messages
335
Nothing wrong with a weekend adventure but for the cost of the drive, lodging, and the non-resident permits, you could pay for a bird farm hunt. If you pick the right place, they can be really fun. There are a gob of them in Missouri.

I love to hunt wild birds but in reality a lot of the birds guys end up hunting are released. South Dakota who is famed for their amazing pheasant hunts buys millions of birds yearly to release. One of their main suppliers is located 20 minutes from my house so I have seen it first hand. I say all of that because I feel there is no shame in a bird farm pheasant hunt- it's not the same as a behind high fence big game hunt to me.

If you end up in eastern Nebraska, I wish you luck. It will probably end up being a lot of nature hiking without much nature.

You’re absolutely right about the cost and the bird farm places are fun, but in this case just looking to try something new. Maybe we’ll get lucky and stumble into a bird or two, either way it beats working around the house.


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huntineveryday

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
251
I live and hunt in south central Nebraska, mostly on public land. This time of year I'm pretty happy I have a good dog to hunt with. There are still birds out there, but it can take a lot of work to get good shot opportunities.

Hunting small areas slowly would work well early in the season, but I don't think you'll kill January pheasants on public land that way very often. The smaller chunks of ground have less areas for birds to escape, so by now most of the roosters there have been shot. Larger tracts of ground where birds can move around and escape will still have birds, but it takes good dogs or big groups to get them now. Expect them to run lot, and plan accordingly. Use blockers and push birds to them. Friends of mine took 5 birds off one of the more popular spots in the area just last weekend, but they logged some miles doing it and weren't hunting the ground the same way they would have earlier in the season.

Be safe and good luck! There are few things more satisfying than shooting late season public land pheasants! They are absolutely nothing like pen raised birds.
 
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