Prepare for pheasant season

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Pheasant season is coming up fast, and now is time to start prepping.

The youth pheasant season begins Oct. 21 and regular pheasant season starts Oct. 28.

The season is about five to six weeks away so in honor of that here are a few tips.

Get in shape

Hiking with a lot of gear is par for the course when hunting and moving quickly can make the difference between bagging a pheasant and coming home empty.

“it’s a great time to start to start getting yourself in shape for walking through tall grasses and creeks,” said Pheasants Forever President Dave Van Waus. “Just do some exercising.”

Just wearing your hunting boots around won’t be helpful if you aren’t going in the terrain you plan to hunt in.

“It’s best to walk in the conditions you’re going to walk in when you’re hunting,” Waus said. “Walking down the sidewalk doesn’t do much.”

Getting your dog in shape is just as important, Waus said.

“Don’t forget your dog,” Waus said. “It’s an excellent time to get your dog out onto a grass-like habitat that you’re going to hunt so that both you and the dog are in shape and not exhausted by 10 o’clock.”

Get your license now

A hunting license is about $30, plus a habitat stamp. Charles City license sales locations include Thiesen’s, Ace Hardware, Hy-Vee, Kmart and the Floyd County Recorder’s Office, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“Get those things in your billfold or in your vehicle and have them ready to go,” Waus said.

There is no limit on the number of pheasant hunting licenses issued.

“Get it down so you’re not waiting to the last minute on friday night,” Waus said.

 Weapon safety

Proper weapon safety saves lives.

“Get your gun out, check it over, make sure it’s not loaded when you start cleaning it,” Waus said.

Going out and shooting at a range or at clay birds can help get you ready for the season.

“If you’ve got a youngster that’s going with you for the first time get them familiar with gun safety,” Waus said. “Even us old guys still need to practice.”

The more practice someone gets in, the more they can improve, he said.

“Its makes the day much more injoyable if you’re harvesting a bird or two, instead of just shooting in the air,” Waus said.

Now is a good time to go out and buy shotgun shells, and some places have them on sale, he said.

“It’s a good time to get yourself prepared,” Waus said.

Location Location Location

“If you have hunted on farmer Joe’s place for years, maybe he sold it,” Waus said.

Know who owns the property that you’re hunting on, and get hold of them in advance to make sure you have permission, Waus said. Things can change in between seasons.

“Go take a look,” Waus said. “There’s nothing worse than showing up at farmer Joe’s and expecting to see 25 acres of beautiful habitat and see it’s been turned into corn, or beans or hay.”

If you hunt on public land, check it beforehand and see if anything’s changed, Waus said.

“Sometimes a small or short road trip can save a massive hassle come Saturday morning at seven o’clock,” Waus said.

Gear up!

“One thing I do, I have a tub ready to go that includes my shells, extra socks in case your feet get wet and an extra pair of dry shoes,” Waus said. “Water for both you and your canine companion are critical.”

Weather is unpredictable, but a little bit of planning can make a day of bad weather a little easier.

“Your weather guess at this time is impossible,” Waus said.

Don’t forget your fluorescent orange.

“You have to have it on the hat or vest. Make sure everyone in the party has one of those,” Waus said. “Not only because it’s the law, but it increases the safety dramatically.”

An hour’s worth of preparation while watching a football game on TV can make a weekend go smoothly, Waus said.

Check out the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website before going out to know where to go and know what public lands are available.

“A bad day hunting is better than a good day working,” Waus said.