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dbelcourt
Pheasant Egg
3 Posts |
 Posted - 08/31/2005 : 07:30:18
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I moved to Waukesha WI a year ago. I have 3 brittanys and would like to continue hunting. Last year I poked around Kettle Moraine and only saw other desperate hunters. I made a weekend trip to Park Fall and had marginal success. I can’t really afford the time to take off every weekend. In other words my wife won’t let me. I’m looking for some suggestions of were a could go that would be closer. I place that would be within a couple of hours? I’ve done the occasional preserves, they are nice but I prefer Grouse and wood-------.
Thanks,
dbelcourt@mail.com |
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Yellow Dog
Pheasant Chick
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2005 : 19:05:29
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| I forgot to mention Grouse hunting is best in Northern Wisconsin, I deer hunt near Hayward and there is a lot of count paper land with good grouse numbers. |
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Yellow Dog
Pheasant Chick
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2005 : 19:07:29
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I lived in Waukesha for 5 years and now reside in West Bend. I hunted Kettle Moraine a lot while living there. Wisconsin public lands have taken a turn for the worse, Govonor Doyle has cut the pheasant stocking program by a lot. One area that you might want to try is Bong recreational area it's located near Kenosha. Bong allows 200 hunters per day and charges ~$5.00 per hunter, you have to get in line with about 300 FIBs (people from Illinois). I would recommend a weekday hunt. They stock around 100 birds per day. I now hunt at a preserve near Horicon "Pheasants on The ledge" very nice people. I have hunted Wern Valley in Waukesha and was not pleased, I could tell you stories. If you are interested e-mail me and I would give you my phone number.
Kurt |
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porknbeans
moderator
USA
943 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2005 : 08:26:15
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| I live in the Madison area and agree with what Yellow Dog has to say about the hunting conditions of public lands in our state. Last year I hit most of the public lands from Madison to Dubuque with marginal success. I've even tried most of the county land in my area without better results. I've resorted to hunting at a game farm that is run by a couple of high school industrialists on the family farm. Great people, excellent prices, good birds and ok terrain. I also hunted probably 6 other game farms to supplement my hunting needs. I'm going to Iowa this fall to get my dog on some "wild" birds and mix it up with some old friends. I know that this probably doesn't help, but I'd be willing to buddy up with you if you want. Email me if you're interested. |
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dbelcourt
Pheasant Egg
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2005 : 18:15:51
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Thanks guys! So Southern Wisconsin is a write off or is that for public land only? Should I bother knocking on landowners doors or are the woods be empty as well? I’m sure that wood-------s must fly in. I’ve heard of Bong but from what I understand it’s a bit crowded. I’m game to buddy up with others. Sometimes I work odd hours and it’s difficult for me to commit to something in advance.
David |
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porknbeans
moderator
USA
943 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2005 : 13:50:59
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I have had moderate, but not good success on private land. If you have the time to devote to doing this, it may be fruitfull for you. Good luck.
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gameburdhunts
Forum Admin
USA
805 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2005 : 18:51:43
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I grew up in northern Wisconsin and I love grouse hunting but since I moved to the southern part of the state I think pheasant hunting is about the only upland in the area. In our part of the state I have had great luck at lima marsh between Whitewater and Milton off HWY 59 I would guess it is about an 1 hour from Waukasha. You have to work hard for the birds at lima often they are out by the water but this year is suppose to be pretty dry. As far as I know, grouse hunting is not available south of say Black River Falls.
Joing a pheasant hunting club in the area as well, they are a great way to train dog or keep hin in good hunting condition so when you do find birds on public land you actually may have a shot at getting them. Some clubs offer chuckars or quail hunts and they can be quite a challange and a change from hunting pheasants. |
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dbelcourt
Pheasant Egg
3 Posts |
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gameburdhunts
Forum Admin
USA
805 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2005 : 16:51:47
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| I hunt at Hillside springs quite a bit. He has good cover and pretty reasonable prices. If you like to bow hunt check out his 3d archery course it is a lot of fun. I also like www.bestdaysafield.com they have a great clubhouse, super cover and the people are realy nice. he is more expensive but well worth the price. |
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BristolZak
Pheasant Egg
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2005 : 22:19:41
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| My input would be to tell you to try Pheasants on the Ledge. The owner Steve is one heckova nice guy and he'll go out of his way to make sure you have a good time. I agree Bong is too overcrowded!!! |
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gameburdhunts
Forum Admin
USA
805 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2005 : 21:36:05
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| Where is Pheasants on the Ledge? Is that a public ground or a hunting club? That is one that I haven't heard of yet. |
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BrianWI
Pheasant Egg
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2005 : 20:09:18
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The DNR stocking program is NOT the answer to this problem. Restoration of the wild flock is. First thing I would recommend is to find some private land that would make good pheasant cover. Get permission from them to toss out some birds. MacFarlane "half-manchurians" being best. Throw out 3 rooster and 7 hens every year if budget is a concern, more if not. If you have a group with one person able to raise some, you could raise them from chicks or eggs.
The other part would be to remove predators. Raccoons are probably number one. Trapping or hunting them could also provide some outdoor activity. Second in some areas is feral cats, we'll avoid that subject. Coyotes and fox round out the predator list. Reduction of these predators helps alot.
Manage your own hunting opportunities. The DNR/governor aren't going to improve anything. The loss of wild birds in WI is not due to lack of habitat, its the current low population, high predators and the release program hurting the hunting. |
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Yellow Dog
Pheasant Chick
13 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2005 : 12:50:40
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| Pheasants on the Ledge is a hunting preserve located just West of the town of Brownsville. It's on the outskirts of the Horicon marsh so what we usually do is arrange a morning goose hunt with one of the local farms that rent blinds and then do an afternoon pheasant hunt at the Ledge. |
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Browndog
Moderator
396 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2005 : 21:09:53
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| Pheasants On The Ledge is located between Waupun and Brownsville, 1 mile north of HWY 49 on Centerline Rd. The bird hunting is very good and the sporting clays is always a challenge. Find it on www.claytargetsonline.com |
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gameburdhunts
Forum Admin
USA
805 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2005 : 23:02:28
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Brian,
Why in your opinion do you think the pheasant hunting is so much better in SD and Iowa. I always beleived that it was habitat. Don't they have just as many predetors as us?
Is this the Brian I know. If so, this guy really knows his stuff.
Jon |
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mnorth
Pheasant Egg
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2005 : 13:15:20
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Hi forum,
I'm an avid bird hunter that spent most of the '90s living in Wisconsin. 4 years ago I moved to Sioux Falls, SD. I still hunt grouse/wood------- a couple of times a year (when back visiting the wife's family). I used to hunt pheasants a lot in WI, and in WI terms did pretty well. Living out here it's real easy to start taking it for granted. I agree with Brian, the answer is NOT in stocking. I don't have any science to back it up, but I wonder if it is counter-productive. I believe the answer to pheasant hunting is three things: habitat, habitat, habitat. In SD they don't allow farmers or state/counties to mow the ditches until after June 15th, just to insure they don't destroy nests. Predators certainly are big part of it as well. Farmers/Ranchers/locals shoot coons & skunks on site, regardless of legality. The problem out here is all the land owners have figured out that they command a pretty penny for land access and a lot of the locals have difficulty finding places to hunt. With that said, late in the year the public lands out here are full of birds as most of the crops have been harvested. You also stand a better chance of knocking on a door and getting access to somebodies CRP stuff too. But with all the pheasants out here, we've created our own problem due to simple supply and demand. A lot of the farmers out here farm to accomodate the pheasants. They strip stuff out to allow habitat and hold the birds. They can do this because of the ability to sell daily trespass rates. I've noticed in some of the areas in IA that I've hunted over the last 20 years being farmed more heavily, cleaner fence rows, clean ditch lines, etc... dirty fence rows, and ditch lines are pheasant heaven, without them, fewere pheasants. With all of that said, odds are, if I were farming, I'd farm every inch I could.... |
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Upland In Wisconsin
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