From what I’ve seen Wild Pheasants are not always on a hair trigger and enough get up close enough. A Dog that knows the game can also make a difference.
If I was hunting late season Birds, it would still be a 16gauge, Mod and 1 ounce of 5’s. Any Bird that gets up past the effective range of that combination can fly off and be gone till another time.
Seems to me there are more than enough Birds, in the late nasty weather, that often have to be practically kicked out of their protected chosen roost.
There is a proven Pheasant hunter here that says the late season is the best killing season.
And the birds’ reaction is also determined by what kind of cover it’s in, at least in part; i.e., in fairly clean row crop stubble, they will often run for the end.. while in thick CRP or closely planted sorghum, especially if snow-packed, they will get up anywhere from under your nose to a quarter mile away.
Seems to be the security they “feel.”
