Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game pheasants and chukar partridges

I shot some birds Tuesday on a preserve in New Mexico. This was my first time to shoot any released birds on a preserve. I had mixed feelings about it but talking to friends who have done it several times in Kansas and South Dakota, decided I should give it a try and see for myself. My bird hunting experience has been a lifetime of hunting wild bobwhites over English pointers and Brittany spaniels I trained myself.

I expected all the released birds would have to be kicked to make then flush and their flights would be slow and short landed. I also expected that the dogs would know where the birds had been planted and would be likely to flush the birds. It did not turn out to be like that.

Weather wise, it was overcast, 33 degrees that morning, light wind, with a dusting of snow falling early. The first rooster we spotted running across a mowed hay field better than 100 yards away. My guide, the dog , and I gave chase hoping to pressure that rooster into the head high grass and brush on the outside of the hay field where we hoped he would hunker down and hide. A 150 yard foot race latter the rooster did just that.

The young Vizsla bitch locked down on point and the rooster flushed after we approached to within ten yards behind the dog. The rooster launched straight up for about twelve feet, cackling as he went. I got my muzzle on him, waited for him to level off, let him fly about 30 yards, swung ahead and fired. His head and neck dropped straight down and his body followed. He hit dead in the tall grass across a barbed wire fence. The Vizsla made a nice retrieve. My guide wore a big grin as he handed me a beautiful mature rooster and said "nice shot". That was my introduction to preserve bird shooting. Not what I expected at all.

The rest of the morning hunt was a pleasant experience of the dog pointing single birds. Some flushed as we approached the point, some held firm until we kicked them up. Much as a wild bobwhite single reacts after I have blown a hawk whistle. I managed to kill three roosters, two hens, and two chukar with seven shots and never fired my second barrel. It cant get much better than that.

I was shooting my old Red Label with 26 inch fixed mod / IC choke barrels loaded with Winchester ounce and a quarter #6 high brass shells. Photo attached. I plan to go back next season and try it with my 12 gauge percussion side by side muzzle-loader.

I have shot a lot of preserve pheasants and chukars over the last 30 years. They can be a lot of fun, I prefer the chukars, although they can be hard to get them to flush, works best with a flushing breed. Pheasants can hold very tight and need to be kicked, sometimes a flushing dog will bring back the unflushed bird in its jaws. Were did you hunt in New Mexico. I got a son who lives about 20 miles south of Sante Fe, I might want to take him out for some bird hunting on my next visit. We are from Michigan.

Tinnin hunt club. 45 minutes south of Albuquerque on I-25.

I hunted pheasants for the first time a couple of years ago in Iowa. Was a ton of fun.

Good birds make this style of hunting fun.. Plus it extends ones hunting season.. Not wild birds for sure, but I never had my dogs say this isn't fun.. Anything that gives them and me a few more days in the field together is worth it..