Ring-Necked Pheasant
Description: The ring-necked pheasant is a highly recognizable upland game bird. The males, called roosters or cocks, are large, flashy birds with long, pointed tails and a highly-visible bright-white ring around its neck. The head is iridescent dark purple, green, and white, with a red wattle around each eye. The body is predominantly iridescent copper. The chest has more red, while the sides, back, and belly have more brown. The rear has a light blue-green patch. The tail is long and pointed, with bars along the entire length; the legs have spurs. Average size of cocks: 30-36 inches. Average weight of cocks: 2 ½ to 3 pounds. The hen is mottled brown with a tan underside. The tail is not as long as the rooster’s; the legs have no spurs. Average size of hens: 21-25 inches. Average weight of hens: 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ pounds.
Science: Ring-necked pheasants spend most of their time within an area no larger than a few hundred acres and may be found in varying numbers throughout much of the western and northern states. Preferring areas with grasslands, agricultural fields, wetlands, and brushy cover with an abundance of grain, they retreat to denser, thicker cover such as cattails or brushy draws in the winter. Their diet consists mostly of small grains including corn, wheat, oats, and soybeans, though they will also eat seeds and insects. They move from roosting area to feeding area in the morning and lay low during the midday, then return to feed in the late afternoon. While usually solitary, they can be found in large groups in feeding fields and during cold months. Roosters make a sharp clucking noise and often cackle when flushed. Their population is increasing due to conservation and stocking efforts.
Hunting: Hunting techniques depend upon the location and the population of birds. In some areas of tight cover, a pointing dog can be used to locate individual birds, which can then be flushed and shot. In areas of lighter cover such as corn, one or more birds may run in front of the hunters. In these instances, flushing dogs and a system of using blocking and walking hunters is effective. The eating quality is very good: the meat is tender and mild.
