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Wetlands often provide the heaviest, most secure cover available to pheasants. The twisted cattails, brush clumps and marsh grasses make it almost impossible for a predator to approach unnoticed, much less a pheasant hunting party.

Pheasants congregate in wetlands to escape hunters when the pressure is great. The impenetrable cover can be a true test for even the avid hunter and experienced dog.

The most productive wetland areas are adjacent to row crop fields. The combination of an easy food source and great cover makes for ideal pheasant habitat.

The techniques for hunting a wetland area are to work the high spots, or outside edges in the cattails where the water meets dry land. Trails through these areas will allow for somewhat easier maneuverability when pheasant hunting in a slough area.

Don't be afraid to venture into the water. A few inches of water, can and sometimes does hold many ring neck rooster pheasants. These pheasants have an ability to sit tight on top of fallen cattails and slough grasses, making them virtually invisible to the pheasant hunter.

Close working flushing dogs such as the Labrador retriever or Chesapeake is a must when hunting locations like these. These dogs are not afraid to get wet, and will go directly into the thick, dense areas and root out the wily ring neck roosters. When a bird is downed, these retrievers do not hesitate to go in on retrieve.

Lightweight hip boots or knee high waders are strongly recommended for wetland areas. Even if you're hunting high ground around the edges, you may want to reach lightly hunted islands or retrieve a pheasant that has fallen into the water.

A prime time to locate pheasants in these areas is during a stormy weather condition, or midday. Also, do not forget to hunt these areas if the hunting pressure is high in the surrounding fields. More and more neighboring pheasants will move into these wetlands daily, as hunting pressure continues to rise in other fields adjacent to the low areas. As the crops are harvested, and plowed under, these areas may be some of the only habitat left.