Pheasant hunting in Alberta and shot questions

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Mr. S

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I have an interest to go pheasant hunting and I’m trying to figure out the proper gear needed and the best time of year to go. The Alberta Conservation Association website has some great information and shows all the release sites. These are my questions.

I have an over & under 12-gauge shotgun. What shell size and steel shot size should I be using? Any recommendations on ammo brands?

Any tips on required/recommended upland game bird gear? I’ll be walking mostly and without a dog.

In your experience, what’s the best time of year to go pheasant hunting?
 
The season varies with the part of the province that you are hunting, anytime with an open season is a good time to go. I don't know anyone that uses steel shot, because it isn't required, but if you insist on steel, #4 would likely be a good choice. You don't even require a 12 gauge, so 2-3/4" is plenty. If you don't have a dog, you will do a lot more walking, and a lot less shooting, as they usually either run as you approach, or stay hidden, and let you walk by without even seeing them. I typically spend around 30 days every year hunting pheasants, and a dog is a huge advantage.
 
With steel, I'd choose #4's, or #3's use IC & Mod chokes or Skeet / IC and keep all shots within 40 yds. With steel, extra fast loads work best. Faststeel 2-3/4" 1-1/16 oz 1550 fps are very good. The biggest mistake most pheasant hunters make is shooting way too far. Not every bird you see is a shot opportunity.
If you decide to use lead shot loads, 1-1/8 or 1 1/4 oz of 6, 5 or 4 in a standard velocity load of 1200 fps works well, or the high velocity 1350 fps loads are OK too. I avoid the recently fashionable super fast lead loads, their high pressure in the chamber deforms the shot and they tend to pattern poorly. You will never "need" 3" 12 ga. shells for pheasant. If you do you're hunting them wrong.

Without a dog, figure out how to crowd pheasants into a thin finger of cover. They will run ahead of you and often will only fly when they run out of cover. If you hunt big blocks of cover on foot, you will see lots of wild flushes and will walk by lots of other birds that hold tight, and let you go by. Don't make noise when approaching cover that holds birds. They have very good ears and will avoid you from hundreds of meters away.
 
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wow i did not knew about pheasants hunting. are they wild or released every year?

with a dog it was my favourite hunt in europe. loved to use 5 in 2 3/4 in a 12 ga miroku.
 
medvedqc said:
wow i did not knew about pheasants hunting. are they wild or released every year?

with a dog it was my favourite hunt in europe. loved to use 5 in 2 3/4 in a 12 ga miroku.
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There are both wild and released pheasants in Alberta, the season in the northern part of Alberta opens in early September and the birds are released, the southern zones open mid October and you can hunt wild or released birds. A good dog makes it an entirely different hunt, I use a 28 gauge SxS for released birds and usually a 16 gauge SxS on wild birds, both using nickel plated #6 loads.
 
Great insight guys, thanks for all the information. I figured steel because of migratory birds and I didn't see much of a difference given the application. That said, I'm new to game bird hunting and don't know anyone in my area that does it.

I'll have to go out and get some 2-3/4" #6 Heavy Game "LEAD" loads. I understand the choke system and I'll have to test the patterns out on some targets.
 
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Just a heads up, but nickel plated shot penetrate better, and they don't drag nearly as many feathers into the flesh. Fiocchi Goldem Pheasant uses nickel plate shot, and the price is more reasonable that some of the other so called "pheasant" loads.
 
I'm struggling to find any gun shops online that carry #6, let alone the nickel plated shot you mentioned. Any suggestions? Maybe Cabela's would carry this in-store?
 
Go to a gunshop (or Canadian Tire or anywhere else that sells ammo) and buy #6 lead.

Lead is a superior shot to steel and should be used in every circumstances unless legalities dictate it not be. Pheasents are not covered under migratory birds so lead is legal to use.
 
We used to reload a 2.75” 1.5oz #4 (lead) magnum load for pheasants. The trick was to let them fly out 20+ yards before shooting and this load was very devastating with minimal meat loss.
 
Mr. S said:
I'm struggling to find any gun shops online that carry #6, let alone the nickel plated shot you mentioned. Any suggestions? Maybe Cabela's would carry this in-store?
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Nickel shot isn't nearly as good as claimed to be a straight lead 5s or 6s is going to serve you well.


Don't stress about wardrobe shells guns.
 
Thanks. Just went to Canadian Tire and picked up two boxes of Winchester Super X Heavy Lead Load, 2-3/4, 1-1/8oz, #6 for $12.09 a box before tax. Last two boxes.
 
Mr. S said:
Thanks. Just went to Canadian Tire and picked up two boxes of Winchester Super X Heavy Lead Load, 2-3/4, 1-1/8oz, #6 for $12.09 a box before tax. Last two boxes.
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That is a good pheasant load, but you will want to pick up a few more boxes.... this is what I use;
 
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Mr. S said:
I'm struggling to find any gun shops online that carry #6, let alone the nickel plated shot you mentioned. Any suggestions? Maybe Cabela's would carry this in-store?
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Prophet River typically handles Fiocchi Golden Pheasant, I buy it by the flat( 250 rounds) , and a flat lasts me a few years . I have been using them for several years in three different gauges, and they definitely drag fewer feathers into the flesh. Chaps are definitely a good investment , to protect your legs from thorns, and to keep them dry in wet conditions. Lightweight waterproof boots are also nice when walking for hours.
 
Mr. S said:
Thanks. Just went to Canadian Tire and picked up two boxes of Winchester Super X Heavy Lead Load, 2-3/4, 1-1/8oz, #6 for $12.09 a box before tax. Last two boxes.
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You're set. If htg with a buddy I'd suggest calling out, "hen" or, "####" when they fly. Have fun, best of luck.

btw, pheasant gallantine a medieval dish is great, I substitute blueberry for the junipers, and another good one is break it down, coat/brown the skin then bake in gravy. drooooool.
 
I never hunted pheasants in Alberta but I did for many years in Ontario. In 12 ga, I used my own reloads 1 1/4 oz. of #6 at 1330 fps. Or when I could get federal paper target hulls 1.5 oz. #6 at 1250 fps. the last 10yrs or so I used a Browning M12 20 ga. I used commercial ammo from Win, and Rem, dove loads, in # 7.5, 6, 4's. Got a good deal on it by the case at the time. It worked fine, dropped pheasants without issue. Pheasants are not a hard to kill.

Your big issue is no dog, that is actually a really big issue.!! A good dog is worth it's weight in gold. The roosters will run ahead of you and the hens will hold to the point you will walk right by them and never know it. We have literally stepped on hens, you feel something soft under foot, you look down and there's brown feathers and an eye looking up at you.
You will walk a tremendous amount to maybe get lucky on a few birds with no dog. A good dog will put birds in the air consistently for you if their there. Plus it will bring them back out of that tall grass and thick cover for you. I can not stress enough you either need to get a good dog or hook up with someone who has. In my opinion with no dog your just going for a long walk in some fields with the remote chance of maybe seeing a pheasant. There are all sorts of guys that say, oh we get lots of pheasants no problem without dogs. Pure unadulterated Bull sh!!t. I hunted pheasant for over 25 yrs. my last two labs spent their whole hunting careers on pheasant. So I do know a little something about the subject.:)
 
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