Outdoors Angle: December Pheasants

The Flag Outdoors Expert Steve Carney has your weekly Outdoors Angle right here!

     December for this hunter means late season pheasants! Most hunters have given up for the year but in reality, the month of December is tops for pheasants.

     I spend a lot of time hunting public land and everyone knows the pressure that these public areas get in September and October. The birds are pushed off by the pressure onto private land. The good news is that once the really cold weather hits and we get some snow, they will return to these public areas because that's where the best cover happens to be.

     Keep in mind these birds have been pushed a few times meaning you have to go about the hunt with different tactics. First off, never park in the designated areas but rather find an obscure spot along the gravel roads. The veteran roosters know when the hunters arrive and park and they are wise. Always walk the cover from the rear to the front. This will fool even the most savvy birds. They are used to bailing out in the rear and if you walk them from the rear they are totally fooled.

     Looking forward to more snow cover as this allows the birds to sit tight and you always get a close flush with 3 to 5 inches of snow.

     The best bird hunting is yet to come. Bring on the cold and the snow as December is my favorite pheasant month.... hands down!

Steve Carney is The Flag WZFG Outdoors expert. He can be heard every Thursday morning at 8:05 on AM 1100 WZFG. Check out his weekly podcast on am1100theflag.com and hear his Outdoors Angle reports every Friday on AM 1100 WZFG. You can also visit stevecarneyoutdoors.com for more information.