Some will argue that late season is the best season. I’m one of ’em.

Even though December or January hunts will involve cold weather, educated birds and the thickest of covers, I love it. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but I prefer these conditions. Luckily I’m on the taller side which gives me an advantage when bulldozing through cattails.

I love to pheasant hunt. I enjoy the exercise, the ability to walk around wild places and see parts of the world that most people never step foot on. But, like most people, I get busy and don’t always have all day for the adventure. I have learned to target the areas with the most potential for success.

I’ve compiled a list of late-season tips to help you weather the weather and attack a piece a property to maximize your time.

Start with onX

1. This will give you a chance to view the property from the air. You will know where the land boundaries are, where various late season covers sit and if there are wet places that could be a problem. Late season birds will search for thermal cover near a food source. So the first thing I look for are tree plantings or willow thickets. These covers allow birds to run undetected from aerial predators and escape from hunters and nosy dogs.

2. I always search for nearby corn fields. The field edges could hold birds and if there are patches of woody cover, go there first. But, be prepared for them to bust out the other side if you’re hunting solo. That’s ok, just keep an eye on them and if they stay on the property, that’s when the fun begins. Go after them!

3. This has taught me to watch for escape routes. Before you start, check onX for potential escape routes. They’re most likely going to head for big cattail sloughs if possible. If they’ve been pressured, they’ll most likely try to leave the property for neighboring cover where they’ve been safe before. If you can figure it out, you can approach from that direction to try and keep them in a place that you have access to.

4. Check your wind. While they’ll need a little lift, once they’re airborn, they’ll spin and fly with the wind and if it’s blowing hard, they’re gonna be gone in a hurry. Understand that wind can play a factor in their escape direction.

5. If there is a lot of snow, cattails may not be the answer. If there’s been a heavy snowfall, cattails can get filled up. I’ve excitedly jumped out of the truck to hit a slough only to be frustrated and sweaty at the end when snow has filled all the nooks and crannies of the wetland. Pheasants need to hide and have room to move around so they can escape without having to fly immediately. If you can look at a slough and find where there might be small, shallow open water pockets that have frozen over, those can be favorite haunts because they can offer enough room for the birds.

6. Plan the route. Once you know boundaries, likely covers and escape routes, you can plan your hunt. If you’re lucky you can make it a loop so you’re never backtracking. This is where the wind gets tricky because you’ll always want to use the wind to you and your dog’s advantage. Don’t be afraid to backtrack to good locations however, as I’ve shot birds in a thicket, walked a big chunk and come back to that spot later in the day and found new birds (or birds that I’ve pushed back) using the location and shot more there.

7. All in all, I always make sure to finish the walk if there is good cover near your truck. Even though late season birds can flush wild, there are times that a cagey rooster will try to outsmart you by running circles until they run out of cover. This can be a road, trail or grove. Many times I’ve seen guys get close to the end and throw the gun over their shoulder and relax only to be surprised. Dogs will see the truck and get excited too and forget they’re still hunting.

8. Wear appropriate gear. Don’t overdress. There’s nothing worse than being stung by the cold in the morning and thinking you need that extra layer. Unless you have the ability to shed clothes and carry them easily. Lightweight rubber boots keep your feet dry and don’t weigh you down during the hike. I like to use Sitka Traverse gloves because you will still be able to use the touchscreen on your phone to navigate the onX app and take pics along the way. Save 20% on new onX memberships using code SJR20

I’ve put together another list of gear that I like in this video. Then I head into a beautiful property for late season pheasant hunting. I’ll show you how I used onX and then I have the full hunt with no edits for you to see exactly what I did. With an assist from my lab, Tiny, I had my limit in 15 minutes.