Breakaway Adventures: Pheasants for Peasants
Breakaway Adventures: Pheasants for Peasants
The Art of Upland Bird Hunting
Tom McCormick pheasant hunting with Bruno, his German Shorthair Pointer. Photo / Indrek Kongats
I had the opportunity to sit down with a friend who is big into hunting pheasants, starting with raising them from chicks to training his German Shorthaired Pointer to hunt them. His name is Tom McCormick and he resides in nearby Bliss, NY. Pheasant hunting is not a sport reserved for kings - in fact, the DEC releases birds every fall for anyone that has the time and inkling to do so.
So I asked Tom what makes Upland Bird in particular pheasant hunting so special for him. He answered, “Autumn in western New York is one of the more beautiful times to be out and enjoying our areas natural resources. Pheasant hunting has been our family tradition for decades.”
According to Tom, Ring Neck Pheasants at one time roamed the farm fields and hedge rows in great numbers throughout the 1970s and 80s. However, as farming practices evolve and USDA Conservation Reserve (CRP) “set-aside” programs no longer were economically viable – paying farmers not to farm lower quality land – pheasant population suffered. Habitat diminished and natural predators devastated the wild population.
That has not dulled the enthusiasm for pheasant hunting though! One of the driving forces that helps feed this enthusiasm is the Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Facility. The facility’s purpose is to raise birds for release into the wild for hunting on New York Wildlife Management Areas, State Forests, Forest Preserve and State Parks. There are also several private clubs that offer upland bird hunting in our area. They provide outstanding experience for both experienced and first time adventure seekers alike. Most preserves provide a guide and a hunting dog if needed.
What really adds to the experience is having trusted partners with you. For Tom, that is both his wife and their German Shorthair Pointer, Bruno!
Tom affectionately explains that about 6 years ago Bruno came into their life. “We are lifelong dog lovers. Bruno was our first entry in bringing a highly effective hunting breed into our family. One of the most rewarding parts of our love of pheasant hunting is watching Bruno do what he was born to do… find this elusive bird every autumn and hoping not to disappoint him after the flush with a poor shot from his master! Training Bruno was a massively rewarding part of our love of pheasant hunting. Every sportsman may have a slightly different approach in training a highly effect bird dog. For us, we needed guidance. There are countless books, DVDs and free YouTube videos that are for sure helpful. However, what made the greatest impact was when we joined our local North American Versatile Hunting Association or NAVHDA. Without question this organization gives you a community of pheasant dog loving outdoorsmen that will speed up yours and your partner’s learning curve and cement your love for the sport.”
Tom explained that when he was a teenager he had various hunting dogs. “I was told by the local population that if you want your hunting dog to possess and maintain a strong hunting desire that they need to be kept outside, tied to a doghouse and in the element, never to see the inside of your house. For us with Bruno, that proved to be ridiculous! First off, a properly train upland dog knows when it’s time to work! Bruno for the past 6 years has spent every night curled up in our bed!”
Tom goes on to say, “However, when I reach for my hunting gear, Bruno knows what is coming. I can’t get him into the pick-up fast enough and when we arrive at the field, he converts to a laser focused hunting machine waiting for my command to ‘hunt-em-up’”.
Getting Bruno to that level was as rewarding as knocking a flushed rooster out of the air from 25 yards away. Training him myself allowed us to develop an incredible bond. We are a team out in the field and at home. We know people that send their prized purebred off to a ‘professional trainer’. To be clear, this is an excellent way to get your dog to hunt. That said, it’s not the same. Its’ just not. I can spend 10-15 minutes a day training Bruno with the basics. He is my only student. I learn his habits, he learns mine. And when we are done with the training, he follows me into the house or plays with our other dog, who happens to be a very lovable recuse, chasing sparrows or chipmunks in the yard.”
Tom and his wife look forward in great anticipation to being out with Bruno on a crisp frost-covered October morning flushing a rooster in the field.
Another great program that the DEC offers through the Reynolds Game Farm and that the Houghton Fly Fishing Club is scheduled to partake in is a customized pheasant hunt where they will come to your location of choice and release two birds per hunter, and all of this free of charge!
The HFFC is looking for anyone interested, but with a catch - the funds generated from signed up participants will go towards Wild Trout habitat improvements! Contact the HFFC by email at info@riverdogflyfishing.com, dates and location TBA.
We live in one of the most beautiful parts on the country. Add in pheasant hunting in the fall to all the other outdoor activities!
—————————————
Indrek Kongats is an artist, traveler, outdoorsman, and business owner residing in Ellicottville. He operates River Dog Art Gallery in Houghton, NY, and his Breakaway Classic Adventures specializes in adventure travel destinations. Learn more about him at breakawayclassicadventures.com.