9 replies to this topic

[.243Win]

making my annual trek to the Imperial Valleygonna walk some ditches and hopefully a rooster or two will get upfolks laugh when I tell them I track themif the ground is soft enough, and you have a lot of sign, they gotta be there......somewherenice thing about this time of year is everything bird wise is open:dove, quail, chukar, pheasant, ducks, if it flys, it dies

[Cranky Farmer]

Not this year for me. I hope you do well.

[SpotandStalk]

making my annual trek to the Imperial Valley

I'll be out there...have you heard anything about this year's Pheasant chicks? I know Leon usually adds a few to the wild population so we can harvest something in addition to the quail and Dove that flies through.See you Saturday

[.243Win]

Leon usually releases them right before dove opener.I don't hunt those fields as there is a healthy native population around the valley.Most folks road hunt till they see something.I look for sign and good cover.Most guys walk the fields with their friends and their dogs.They do okay.But I like to hunt the drainage ditches with lots of cover most dog guys don't want the dogs in the ditches: bad water, mud, etcgood luck and take picsI will do the same

[SpotandStalk]

I don't hunt those fields as there is a healthy native population around the valley.

243,I'm not trying to pry, but it seems like you need to know the right people out there to kick up the "Ditch" pheasants. Do you know people? Is it usually a mad house (waste of time) on "The Fields" during the pheasant opener? S&S

[.243Win]

here's my thoughtslet the other guys walk the fieldsyes, they will get some birds, but some will escapetry to think like a pheasant: "where would I be if I were one?"Leon told me the mortality rate on the planted birds is very high; less than 5-10% will survive in the wild after opening weekend; being pen fed makes them stupid; hawks and coyotes eat well !a likely combination for birds are alfalfa fields with ditches that have arrowweed along the sidesa freshly cut field with cover around is even better; the mower pushes them out of the field.less water in the ditch, the better; this means drainage ditch, not incoming water.although a cotton field offers very little to a pheasant (exept cover), try the drainages around the fieldif alfalfa or sudan grass is around, good chance a bird will be there as well.get out of the car, and look for tracks; they leave a large footprintthey also are a social bird; if you jump one, good chance another will be aroundI think the biggest mistake pheasant hunters make is not finishing the walk or course; it's very important to walk that field, brush row, or drainage ditch to the end of cover; even if you haven't seen a thing; you push birds along as you walk, and they are masters at hiding for being such a large bird; I've seen them come out of a single bush not hardly big enough for a quail.Another trick is to studder step; walk and then pause, take 5 steps and stop; makes the birds very nervous and believe they have been discovered.When walking a ditch, I use this method as well as kicking dirt clods off the bank down into the ditch.I see a lot of pheasants during dove season when we are down there; I right down the roads or the fields to remember for later.Lately the irrigation district (IID) has been scraping and removing a lot of vegetation from the ditches; this includes the drainage ditches as well: I don't know why they bother with the drainages, as they destroy a lot of good pheasant habitat in the process.As far as "knowing people", I know only a couple of the locals I have met over the years; I've had an offer here or there to hunt their property; because we hunt differently than most, I usually don't have to ask.Respect the distance from occupied dwellings, don't shoot over the road, clean up your trash, pick up your casings, and you'll get along fine with most locals; take the time to stop and talk to them.Oh and one more thing; the sheep are pretty heavy this time of year in the alfalfa fields; winter range.Pheasants hate sheep; must be the fear of getting stepped on or the sheep eating all the cover down to the ground. You can't hunt the field ar area where they are; but take a look at the opposite end of the field or the drainage at the other end; the sheep will push the birds out.I hunt pheasants using 3 people; if we have a lot of cover, all 3 will walk; if only a simple ditch, 2 will walk.the 3rd brings the vehicle along behind. This way, you don't have to walk the same ditch twice, on the way back to the vehicle; saves wear and tear on you, and allows you to cover more area as less time wasted walking back to the vehicle. Of course, we take turns, and the "high" man usually drives; the one with the most birds.Anyway, having hunted down there the last 30 years, you start to learn a few things.

[MojaveJ]

This is just a suggestion as it works really well where I'm from in KS and you have a better chance of getting more birds. Instead of having the third man follow behind in the vehicle. Why not send him to the other end of the field to block as pheasants are notorious runners? Just watch where your shooting. Talked to my dad last weekend and they opened the season a week early this year because the bird numbers are so high.

[.243Win]

if I were field hunting, then the blocker might worknever needed blockers when ditch huntingdo what you think will work bestjust remember: whoever surprises who, wins ; if you surprise the pheasant, you most likely win; if he surprises you......well...he lives for another daythat's what makes the native birds fun...or.....frustrating

[SpotandStalk]

243, Thanks for the info. If I see a guy kickin' the ditches with his limit...I'll be sure and say hello. S&S

[mac]

If anyone's interested the Stockton's Sportsmens Club is holding it's annual Thanksgiving pheasant hunt. I think's $25/day for 2 or 3 birds. They lease the rancher's fields and run plants. Out near Manteca kind of a nice hunt. I'm taking my daughter for her first time.http://www.stocktons...anthunting.html