Late Season Pheasants & Quail

Late Season Pheasants & Quail

By Mac Chilton

Pheasant and quail hunting at any point during the season has its ups and downs and poses various challenges to even the most experienced hunters. Early season hunts usually come with traditions, camaraderie, and hopefully abundant bird numbers. These hunts can be some of the most exciting if you’re on private ground or a secluded piece of public land. However, most public lands that hold any amount of birds, will more than likely be packed to the brim with an orange army the first few weeks. Fast forward a month or two and the hunting has changed drastically. Late season hunting is filled with cold temperatures, brisk winds, and snowfall. Birds are highly pressured, and have hunters patterned down to a “T.” These birds are extremely hard to come by, but with a little effort birds can be killed. I’ll give you the information that you’ll need to know to overcome these late season pheasant and quail for this season and seasons to come.

Cover
When I think about early season pheasant hunting, I think about a line of hunters spread across a field of knee to waist high grasses, working big areas of ground. This is not the norm when it comes to finding late season birds. That’s not to say birds won’t be found in these areas, but if you want to have more opportunities, I would recommend getting into the thick, nasty areas, where nobody else wants to go. Cattails are the obvious habitat in this situation. When snow falls, and winds pick up, cattails will lay over, providing great protection for upland species. Other terrain features that I am looking for during this time of year are willow patches near “typical” pheasant habitat. The willows act as a snow and wind barrier to protect birds as well. You can also find birds in low lying areas next to creeks, where there are thicker, clump grasses. For quail hunters, you will want to focus most of your hunting on “typical” quail habitats. Hunting close to brush piles, hedge rows, fence rows, or any overgrown areas will likely result in the rise of multiple coveys.

Food
It doesn’t matter what you are hunting, if you are near a food source, your chances of success are automatically higher than if you are not. Obvious food sources for late season pheasant and quail are typically standing seed bearing crops. If crops have not been cut or harvested it provides two benefits to upland game. The first thing it does is keep the seeds up off of the ground so they don’t get buried under the snow. Birds will dig to find seeds, but if they don’t have to, they won’t. The second thing standing crops do is provide additional shelter for those windy, cold days. These crops include corn, sorghum, soybeans, millet, rye, wheat, and sunflowers. It can also include weeds that stand upright and hold seed, such as ragweed. Crops that have been harvested or cut will also act as food sources, but the birds have to dig and expel energy if the snowfall has covered the seeds. Loss of energy during the cold winter months can be harsh on these birds if they lose enough.

Stealth
When I’m not bird hunting in the fall, I’m usually in a tree stand trying to fill my deer tag. If you are familiar with bow hunting or bows in general, you may have heard of Mathews Archery. They are a well-known name in the archery industry, and not so long ago they coined the term, “Stealth is Lethal.” It’s a phrase that has really stuck with me, and it’s something that I try to incorporate into all of my hunting endeavors. It’s also something that can be key for putting down late season birds. Pheasant season in Iowa generally runs for about 10 weeks. If we’re just focusing on late season birds, we’re looking at somewhere around the last 3-5 weeks of the season, depending on how you look at it. So on public lands that means other hunters have been hunting the same ground, walking the same route, for the past 5-7 weeks. This all equates to having weary, pressured birds, the kind of birds that flush 100 yards in front of you before your dog has even picked up on its scent. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one solution to prevent this, but you can take multiple precautions to help your cause.

The things that I would recommend would be to park anywhere other than the “usual” parking lot and start somewhere where others would not. Don’t slam the truck doors, birds have heard this noise for the last 50 days, and they know that it’s usually followed by the bang of a shotgun a few minutes later. A dog that is trained to hand signals or a whistle would be ideal, but not totally necessary. If possible, don’t yell when giving commands, this is just alerting your potential dinner to where you are at. Walk slow and quiet, and pause every now and then. If a rooster knows something is nearby, but can no longer hear where it’s at, it could provoke the bird to flush, giving you an easy shot. If you are on private ground, birds probably won’t be pressured as much so this may not have the same effect on you. However, you should definitely be aware of these things if you have hit one property a lot during the first part of the season.

Conclusion
Late season pheasant and quail hunting can be extremely rewarding, especially on public land, and especially in Iowa. It’s no secret that birds in Iowa can be pretty few and far between in certain areas nowadays. However, with the help of a good dog and the knowledge to key in on certain areas, these birds can be found and can be harvested. To put it all together, look for the late season cover, find the food, and remember that stealth is lethal. When your hard work comes to fruition, the feeling you get can be unmatched. Good luck, and happy hunting!