THE TEXAS PHEASANT HUNT

By Reis Ladd

Maile was the first girl I ever loved. She came into my life in the early 2000s with the most beautiful blonde hair, spunky attitude, and a love for bird hunting that matched my own. I was in the second grade, and she was a yellow lab, my first bird dog. My dad recalls a story one afternoon in a dove field as Maile and I were headed off after a cripple into a milo stubble field. I had my 20 gauge Mossberg over my shoulder, and Maile was zig-zagging in front with her nose to the ground; a white barn to the east glowed a brilliant pink as it reflected the setting sun. Maile flushed the bird, and I made the follow-up shot. She delivered to hand, and my dad watched as we both made our way back to his position. All he could say was, “That was the most beautiful scene I could imagine. Almost like y’all were pheasant hunting.”

History and Hunting

When most think of pheasant hunting, the states of the Great Plains harbor most of the conversation. South Dakota, in particular, has ingrained the ring-neck pheasant so much so into their culture they have pinned it as their state bird. Originally from Asia, the ring-necked pheasant was first introduced into the Willamette Valley of Oregon in the 1880s. Since then, dozens of states across the country have done the same, including Texas. In the 1930s, pheasants were introduced into the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge along the Texas coast. Unfortunately, this population failed, but in the decades following, wild birds from Oklahoma and Kansas, coupled with private stocking efforts, made their way to the Texas Panhandle and established a thriving population.

The first Texas pheasant hunting season was established in 1958 in Dallam County of the Panhandle. Since then, bag limits, season durations, and counties open to pheasant hunting have varied. In 1976 Texas Parks and Wildlife even opened a season in 7 counties across the Coastal Bend after once again attempting to restock the area. Over the next several decades, TPWD released over 17,000 birds in the area, but the habitat eventually proved incompatible, and the last of the coastal counties were closed to pheasant hunting in 2012.

Today 37 Texas counties remain open to pheasant hunting, all of which reside in the Panhandle and Southern Plains region of northern Texas. The daily Bag limit is 3 roosters with a possession limit of 9 roosters, and hunters must obtain the Upland Game Bird endorsement.

Wild pheasant harvest and hunters peaked in the late 1980s, but due to a combination of changes in habitat and drought, unfortunately, numbers have trended down ever since.

John McLaughlin, Upland Game Bird Program Leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife, said the following, “The Texas pheasant has been in survival mode for the last 4-5 years due to ongoing drought, excessive heat, and loss of cover. We really need 2-3 years of above average or at least average rainfall.”

Hopes are high, though, as the beginning of 2023 has been promising for the colorful cackling pheasant.

“The general conversation now is one of encouragement because of the recent rain in the spring of 2023. I would expect elevated production this year,” said McLaughlin.

Even though populations have decreased in recent years for the wild Texas pheasant, the hunting and conservation culture centered around the bird still runs deep. Dustin McNabb, Regional Representative of Texas for Pheasants Forever, was born and raised on the Southern High Plains and has been hunting pheasants in the area since 1998. McNabb confirmed populations may not be what they used to be. His outlook is not one of doom and gloom, but rather persistence and passion.

“There is still a wild population in Texas. If a hunter is committed to reaching out for permission and ready for some hard walking and hard hunting, they can be successful. The birds haven’t left, they have just moved!” said McNabb.

The pheasant hunting culture in this region of Texas is such that historically multiple towns even hosted their own guided pheasant hunts through their Chamber of Commerce. The town of Olton, Texas still hosts their annual guided pheasant hunt today and has since the mid-1980s.

Fortunately for the avid upland hunter, the Panhandle is not the only region of Texas one can go to satisfy their pheasant hunting addiction.

Joshua Creek

Joshua Creek Ranch is a world-renowned wing shooting lodge located just outside Boerne, Texas.

Since 1990 Joshua Creek Ranch has primarily focused on offer- ing some of the best upland bird hunting one can find. Hunters can choose between a traditional walk up style hunt for pheasants, quail, and chukar or a driven hunt. Traditional walk up style hunts are typically over 6-8 highly trained dogs of various breeds, a sight most hunters can’t help but proclaim. Hunters are also given the option to bring their own dogs.

The driven hunt enables hunters to remain stationary and in larger groups with high volumes of birds coming to them. Additionally, this year Joshua Creek is enhancing their driven shooting program by introducing a more traditional and exclusive high-volume European-style driven shooting experience.

While the hunting at Joshua Creek is second to none, the preserve is best known for its complete experience. Kevin Welborn, Managing Director at Joshua Creek Ranch stated the following:

“The whole package is what we are best known for. Hunting is as good as it gets on Earth, with Five-Star lodging, incredible food, and lots of activities like sporting clays and fishing. It truly is the end-to-end experience.”

The evolution of an upland bird hunter seems to progress in a few directions, one of which is an infatuation with the ringnecked pheasant. But why? What is it that possesses a hunter to potentially walk miles on end for three birds a day in often less-than-ideal conditions?

Undoubtedly, their striking coloration, excellent table fare, and exciting explosive cackling flush are reasons, but Danny Glenn, member of the High Plains chapter of Pheasants Forever, potentially said it best.

“There’s nothing better than watching a good dog work and the fellowship back at camp. After you have hunted with a good dog, that you may have trained, and they flush and deliver to hand that big beautiful bird, it’s like the grand slam home run.”

Maile girl is long since gone, but that scene of a mock pheasant hunt is one I plan to duplicate with my now 5 year old yellow lab, Jack. This time over the real thing and in my home state.