Pheasant hunting in utah

[ocean]

I have never been hunting in my life exept for humans in the jungles of panama when i was in the military.I would like to hunt for pheasants but what are the requirements? I did get a hunters ed license.What else would i need besides a gun?
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[One_eyed_jack]

Lots of practice [cool]. The season is over soon as well. You will need a small game license to hunt the wiley ringneck.
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[fish4fish]

First get a gun that you feel comfortable using, see if you know anybody that has a semi-auto as well as a pump action, and a 12g. and a 20g. Once you find that action that you like, get your self a gun of your own then shoot it alot so you get the feel for it and the pattern that it produces also try different chokes. then get a helper and a box of clays and shoot alot of shots in different buck sizes and materials. Then when you finally get to go on the hunt go with someone who knows the area and hopefully can get you into some birds.
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[cat_man]

For pheasant I recommend a 12 gauge shotgun with a modified or improved cylinder choke (which come standard on most shotguns). I like to use 6 shot lead unless I'm on a restriced waterfowl management area such as Powell Slough, in which case nontoxic steel shot is required. In that case I'd use 4 or 6 shot steel.

Go out and shoot a bunch of clay pigeons. It's great practice plus it's loads of fun too. Get used to your gun.

Another good alternative especially here in Utah is to go grouse hunting instead of pheasant. The pheasant hunting in Utah isn't all that great these days. Grouse, however, are plentiful, as long as you don't mind hiking around to find them. Blue grouse can be found at higher elevations in the conifers, or just below the conifer line. Ruffed grouse can usually be found in mixed maple, oak, aspen and other deciduous trees, especially along or near creek bottoms, springs, etc. You can find them up every canyon on the wasatch front, up the Nebo loop, Daniels Canyon, around Strawberry, in the Uintahs, down by FishLake, pretty much everywhere. The proclamation has pictures of what they look like. They're usually on the ground feeding in late morning and are fairly easy targets unless they flush -- then they can fly like a rocket.

Anyway good luck with whatever you do.
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[fish4fish]

cat_man, i have a dumb question but is the grouse the same as a pine hen, i lived in mona, just under nebo and i went up the canyons i saw them and i saw their neste but everyone that i talked to called them pine hens.
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[cat_man]

Yes, that's correct. The Forest Grouse are often referred to as "Pine Hens". Usually Blue grouse, but sometimes people even call Ruffed Grouse Pine hens.
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[ocean]

[]I always see flocks of pheasants around mona and sometimes nephi when i go to work in the mornings. Sometimes they just stand right next to the highway .Tyler probably knows secret spots where they hang out !
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[fish4fish]

Of course i do, hey let me know what you are interested in and when you get a gun we can go skeet shooting on one of my trips up that a way, ill grab my 'lil single-shot.
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[IceRod]

If you really want to enjoy pheasant hunting you will need a good dog. I enjoy training my dog before the season as much as the actual hunt.
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[ocean]

How important is the dog for pheasant hunting?My dog will listen to me and if i tell her to go get something she will!
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[One_eyed_jack]

For pheasant or upland game I do not feel the dog is that important; it does however add alot to the hunt and can make you more successful. The most important part is not the retrieve on upland game it is the point/hold and the flushg at the right moment. They can smell them and hold on them until you are ready to shoot then flush them out. Just my thoughts on it. I have shot many phesants dogless just makes for more walking and more effort on the human side.
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[IceRod]

From what I have seen using a dog will get you about 3 times as much game, when hunting pheasants and grouse.

Until recently I had always hunted with pointers, for the last few years I have hunted behind a flusher (brittney) and I have no regrets.
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[ocean]

Exactly what is a flusher?[crazy]
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[tynyum9800]

a flusher is a dog that just flushes the bird(makes the bird fly) up when it gets by it u can tell if the dog is getting birdy by his tail. or u got a pointer who will freeze on the bird and then flush it (make the bird fly) by a command or u can just flush the bird. I live for bird hunting if u have any questions let me know
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[ocean]

Cool i guess my dog would be a flusher then.She is very obedient and she wouldnt chase anything until i told her to.I know its too late in the season for pheasant or any bird hunting but i want to go hunting next year.Thanks for the info!
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[tynyum9800]

you still got chucker hunt going on. 31http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/proclamations/2004-05_upland_game/2004_upland.pdf
there is the web site cause they do have a few laws on were it is open and bag limit n stuff. scroll down to page 18 on that website.
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