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A heavy snow immediately changes the way pheasants behave, especially the years first snowfall. You may find the pheasants standing in the open during this time, leaving you wonder why this is; does he not know he is sticking out like a sore thumb? Actually, no he doesn’t. You see, up until the first snowfall, the ring neck pheasant has had more than enough cover and habitat to hide himself in. When the snow comes, these areas that once secured the pheasants for predators, have laid over or blown full of snow that fell overnight, thus leaving him somewhat dumbfounded for a period of time. However, as resilient as these birds are, it does not take but a small time for him and his friends to realize that they must adapt to this also.

Although pheasants tend to be spookier when snow covers the ground, they’re more concentrated and easier to find than they were in the early season. Pheasants congregate in areas where they can find food most easily. Sometimes a prime feeding are will attract pheasant from many miles and several sections of land.

Watch for groups of feeding birds as you drive the roads. Be sure to work any brushy cover, such as willow or cattail clumps, plum thickets and shelterbelts. You can track them by seeing a drag mark in the snow. A hen pheasant usually does not leave a drag mark behind.

Following rooster tracks can be a productive way of pheasant hunting in snow. This is best done directly after a fresh snowfall, when tracks are fresh. If you decide to track the pheasants in old or hardened snow, it becomes much tougher to distinguish old tracks from new tracks.

Many avid pheasant hunters make the mistake of dressing too warmly when hunting in snow. Too much clothing, or a heavy parka can produce too much warmth while hunting, and possibly cause your body to overheat while pheasant hunting. Most items should contain a breathable, lightweight material that keeps you warm and dry through-out the day, such as the Gore-Tex systems.

Late-season pheasant hunting in the snow may call for a longer than average shot or two. A 4 or 5 shot shell, coupled with a modified or full choke seems to work very well. When birds get spookier, later in the season, it's very difficult to pheasant hunt alone. If a partner approaches from the opposite direction, one of you will probably get into some great shooting action!