Can You Hunt Pheasant With A Bow? [Special Hunting Techniques]

When I was 12, I was very fascinated with hunting deer.

Wait, there is more to share! If you are interested in knowing more about hunting Pheasant, read this article.

Can You Hunt Pheasant With A Bow?

Can you shoot a pheasant with a bow? Yes, you can hunt Pheasant with a bow. Bowhunting pheasant is very challenging to master, and you will need a lot of experience to gain a sense of it.

For pheasant hunting, 

You have to practice more and more to build up the right muscles to draw the bow perfectly. Is this enough? Obviously not. You can hit the target with high accuracy from different angles.

You should be aware that once you enter the hunting field, conditions may change, and you will need to take nontoxic shots from various positions, even if standing with your legs together will provide you with the necessary strength. 

I advise you to get comfortable with the bow by practicing with shots taken while standing straight and crouching. I have seent to hunt Pheasant with 40 lb to archers comfortable poundage.

I have hunted a lot of Pheasant in my 25 years of experience and got the best result with sharp blade broadhead and flu flu arrows with shield cut ¾ inches feathers; these are pretty fast arrows.

Don’t try to wing shooting because this can lead to unnecessary suffering for the  bird or upland game birds, and wild turkey. Filed point and Judo tips arrows are bird hunting arrow tips to make a successful hunt of Pheasant. 

When hunting pheasants,

Place a rock at 10, 20, 30 yards, and so on, as this will provide you with a visible indicator of your distance. You will be able to draw your bow far enough this way to ensure that the arrow does not miss the Pheasant.

Advice: If you intend to hunt with your dog, don’t use a sharp broadhead because it can lead to slicing up your dog’s mouth.

Are Pheasants Hard To Shoot?

So,  can you hunt birds with a bow and arrow? Yes, you can bird hunting with bow and aluminum arrows. Bird hunting with recurve bow is an enjoyable, fun game for most archers. But is it easy or hard?

Well, it is pretty challenging to shoot a pheasant with a bow and arrow compared to a larger animal. There are many reasons, and some of them here in brief:

• Flight patterns: If you see the flying pattern of a pheasant, you know that they always show erratic flight patterns. They change their direction rapidly, sometimes zigzagging flight. As a result, it is challenging to get them a closer range and opportunities to aim accurately.
• Speed & Agility: Do you have any idea about the flying speed of a pheasant? Pheasants prefer to run, but they can fly quickly across short distances. However, they will “flush” to the sky if frightened. When cruising, their top speed is 38 to 48 mph, but they may reach 60 mph when being pursued. So, it makes it very difficult to take a perfect shot. Keep this in mind especially while hunting with a ball bearing bow.
• Camouflage: These can blend with their surroundings because of their color combination. The dull colors help to get a camouflage color among the vegetation and their nest, in most cases on the ground. Therefore, it isn’t easy to find at closer range.
• Flush Behaviours:  When the pheasant is startled, or dogs and licensed hunters get closer, it tends to flush(take flight). As a result, their sudden change of motion requires more time to aim properly.

However, these are very wary creatures and can detect danger. As a result, it becomes more challenging to get them a closer range. That’s why it is harder to shoot than a big animal with your traditional equipment(bow).

Some Special Pheasant Hunting Tips

First of all, I suggest you use a dog as a partner of you. Not only will it be easier for you to find more upland birds, like pheasants, but it will also provide you with more chances to detect shot pheasants.

When you go for a hunt, right? As with the other hunt, you should do the pheasant hunt early in the morning and once again in the evening.

The pheasants are in the grasses at this time of day, searching for food sources, which is why you should do it in the morning. When you and your dog get there, the migratory game birds will most likely hide under thick cover until the situation calms down.

Understand The Pheasant Behaviour

The pheasant live on the ground and are best concealed in areas with lots of cover, like crop fields, shrubs, and long grasses. 

To blend in with their surroundings, they rely on their incredible camouflage. If you can conceal their habitats and be aware of all the breeding habitats, it will be easier to find them from hidden places. 

It’s also well known that pheasants are wary migratory birds with excellent vision and hearing. Hunting stealthily and patiently is essential since they can rapidly identify any strange movement or sound.

Using Decoys And Calls

These are the most compelling parts of pheasant hunting. Pheasants can be attracted out of hiding places by mimicking their natural sounds and utilizing visual clues.

But, how will you call these right? Let’s follow the tips for calls and decoys:

• To mimic pheasant noises, use a variety of calls, such as crowing calls or distress calls. I hope that this will stimulate them to go out from the hidden places.
• You can set up your decoys in an opera area to attract the pheasant.
• Try to make your decoys like a pheasant to encourage them towards the decoy.

Understands The Pheasant Habitats 

It is a crucial part of maximizing your successful rate of pheasant hunting. These like to favor some specific habitats. If you can understand these, it will improve your game hunting experience.

Here are some habitats of Peasants:

• Water Source: Every animal needs water. On hot days, you will find the pheasant easily near the water. So, look for a place where there remains water, such as a river, pond, ducks, beef, etc.
• Natural Agricultural Land: Pheasant is commonly found in natural grassy and agricultural land. They come to these places to search for their food. So, it is the place where there is a great possibility to find them easily.
• Find In The Edge Habitat: They are commonly found on the edge of fields. Look for places where various habitat types meet, such as the line between marshes from crops or fields from forests.

Choose The Right Bow & Arrow 

A correct bow and arrow is essential for making a successful hunt of pheasant. Don’t know how to choose the right bow and arrow? 

Choose a bow (compound, recurve, or longbow) poundage that is easy to maintain for you. I suggest to use a minimum of 45 lbs bow. In pheasant hunting, you have to change your shooting direction to the flight pattern of the pheasant.

So, choose a bow poundage that is easy to balance in any shooting condition. Try to use a blade-type arrow tip because it can penetrate the body quickly and ensure a successful hunt of the pheasant.

However, these are some tips to make a successful pheasant hunt. I have practiced this in my pheasant hunting journey and have got the best result.

Where Do You Aim When Hunting Pheasants?

It is crucial to know where you have to aim for a successful pheasant hunt. Your chances of having a successful pheasant hunt will improve significantly if you learn the sensitive and vital area of the pheasant.

You know that a pheasant can fly at the time of crushing 34 to 48 mph and at the time of chasing up to 60 mph. They fly quickly, so try to aim your shot slightly ahead of the pheasant’s flight path.

The body is covered with many feathers. As a result, an arrow can not penetrate effectively. So, to ensure an ethical kill of the animal, aim for the pheasant’s head and neck region.

Since it changes its flight pattern quickly, it isn’t easy to aim accurately at a shorter time. So, always practice to improve your shooting accuracy and reaction time.

Can You Hunt With A Regular Bow?

Yes, you can hunt pheasant with a regular bow. You know that a pheasant is very small compared to big game animals. Though it is enjoyable hunting, it requires a lot of experience to make a successful hunt.

If you hunt with your regular bow, it is crucial to choose the right type of arrow bow. For an effective hunt, you must use at least 40 lbs bow.  Squirrel hunting is possible with a 40 lbs bow. A 40 lb bow is good for hunting.

The 40-pound bow possesses more energy to ensure a quick kill, but choose a bow that you can maintain easily.

In general, A pheasant can fly at the crushing time of 34 to 48 mph and at the time of chasing up to 60 mph. They like to change their flight pattern rapidly.

So, you will require a closer range (minimum 20 to 30 yards) and high skill to shoot in a changing direction. To make sure it is an ethical kill, aim for the head and  ring-necked pheasants with your below.

Frequently Asked Questions( FAQs)

Final Thoughts

Can you hunt pheasant with a bow? Pheasant hunting is an enjoyable game but needs a lot of experience to make a successful hunt. These tend to fly more quickly, so you will require high skill to shoot accurately from different angles. 

Use a bow that is comfortable for you to balance and shoot consistently from different angles. Always follow the hunting regulations in your area to hunt pheasant.