Alberta Pheasant hunt?

[CodyJ]

Hello all,

Now that I am living very close to Alberta ( sparwood) I keep thinking about a real Albertan Pheasant Hunt.

I learned how to hunt by following my Uncle on his grouse hunts, the dogs working, chasing big blue grouse in the high country logging slashes of Vancouver Island. Those fireweed filled ridges, the thunder of a covery getting up, will always be a cherished memory.

All the while though, my Uncle would talk about the REAL upland bird hunting, Southern Alberta, and the hair raising screams of a big Cock Pheasant.
He did his hunts way back, about 30 years ago.

Its time to do it again.

I am asking those that are in the know, how to go about this. Licensing, land access, time of year. We really dont want to do a Canned hunt for recently released birds.
I am not asking for your personal spots, the chase is so much more then a heavy bag.

Please help a Young buck find something new, and an Old timer rediscover past glory.

Thanks,

Cody

[Blacktail]

You can check out mywildalberta.com for info on release sites
You can also try the Alberta Conservation Association
You would need a WIN card and a wildlife certificate a gamebird license and a pheasant license

Not sure if you would need a hunter host or not

[fuzzybiscuit]

No hunter host needed for migratory or upland game bird hunting in Alberta.

I've hunted Pheasants north of Brooks in Patricia a few times around the middle of October. Can be great hunting.

[Blacktail]

The hunts around patricia are farmed birds. I have done a couple organised hunts up that way

[fuzzybiscuit]

The hunts around patricia are farmed birds. I have done a couple organised hunts up that way

You are correct that a lot of birds are released around Patricia but not all birds in the area are farmed birds and not all hunts canned. I've got a buddy that owns thousands of acres north of Patricia. His property boarders the Red Deer river and Dinosaur Provincial Park. He has never had a bird released on his land and the Pheasants you hunt there are as wild as any.

My dad has been hunting the area for over 45 years and it took him the first 30 to get permission to hunt his land.

[britman101]

The other thing you did not mention is whether or not you will be using a dog. If you are hunting released birds, hunting without a dog is something that can be done. But if you try and get on land with wild birds without a bird dog, it will be tough not only in finding birds but also in finding ones you shoot. Pheasants are a lot hardier than grouse, and just because you hit one, doesn't mean it is a clean kill. That is where a good dog becomes invaluable in tracking down cripples.

[BiG Boar]

This is a hunt I hope to do in November. Wild pheasants with my own dog.

[fuzzybiscuit]

The other thing you did not mention is whether or not you will be using a dog. If you are hunting released birds, hunting without a dog is something that can be done. But if you try and get on land with wild birds without a bird dog, it will be tough not only in finding birds but also in finding ones you shoot. Pheasants are a lot hardier than grouse, and just because you hit one, doesn't mean it is a clean kill. That is where a good dog becomes invaluable in tracking down cripples.

I assumed that the OP was using a dog but as britman101 pointed out, a dog is a must. To get a wild bird to flush without a dog would probably happen only a very small percentage of the time. The suckers are smart and boy can they run.

[CodyJ]

Thanks to all for the info, I am really looking forward to making this all come together.

Yes, there is a Dog included, a fairly novice young black lab, who acts all cocky, but I think he is just as surprised as me when a Bird gets up.

Cody

[barklee]

If your lab hasn't hunted pheasants before you should call one of the guys that raise birds and they will give you a pretty good deal on 4-5 birds in a controlled release. That way your dog gets some practice on the pheasant sent before you go walking all over Alberta. Its a big flat place to take a walk.
The biggest challenge is to get permission. I would start looking at the Canal systems as the birds seem to hang around them most of the year. The river valleys should hold some birds. Again the hardest part is to get permission. The best chance you will have is to get as far from the cities as possible. Less hunters and less people asking the farms if they can access there land.
PM me if you want the guys number that I get my birds from. You can hunt them on his farm and its only about 20 minutes from Calgary. He might be able to point you in the right direction to get wild birds.

[Eastbranch]

Barklee, just out of curiousity, what is a 'pretty good deal' on 4-5 birds?

[barklee]

Chuckers 13 a bird and 15 or 16 for pheasants. Compared to Wessex north of Calgary who charges 20 or more. Keep in mind they are early season birds but great for getting a dog used to the game.

[Eastbranch]

Yup that's pretty good! I've shot some released birds but the price was definitely north of there! Good to know, thanks.

[srupp]

Hmm Patricia is in my travels...I have that as part of my pronghorn hunt in a couple weeks...your buddy have pronhorn also? Would be nice to get a few pheasants also...hmmm Im a Really bad wing shooter..
Cheers
Steven

[shotgunner]

Hunt the base of the milk river ridge and coulees running up. Wild pheasants, Huns and sharptail. Most farmers and colonies give permission but forget the desert ranches - they won't let anyone on the land. Haven't been back for a couple of years but was very good hunting. This is south of lethbridge and Raymond.

[Brez]

I've brought both my last dogs ( a golden retriever and golden/black lab [golden lab]) on pheasant hunts with only grouse experience and had no problem (only my shooting). If your dog is a flusher, you may have to hustle to keep up on a running bird and when you get a shot it may be out there but that's why we have dogs. Your dog will love it. Where I've hunted in Alberta, it's full of cacti. I'd put shoes and a protective vest on the dog. I wish could go, maybe next year. Good luck.

[scott h]

Check out the EID (eastern irragation district). Look it up on line and their office is in Brooks http://www.eid.ca/ . They should be able to point you to which part of their grazing land is open for hunting. Also check out http://www.albertadiscoverguide.com/search.cfm . I grew up hunting pheasant in the Tilley area but while their are still birds around the farmers have cleared almost all of the small patches of cover that is so important to all upland birds. They also relined all the irrigation canals to prevent water loss but that ruined a lot of willow patches also. Another area is the north western borders of the Suffield base. Their are quite a few sharptails and huns around (not to mention ducks and geese)