Proper gear can make pheasant hunt pleasant

LITTLE ROCK — When I first started hunting pheasants about 10 years ago, my lack of proper, high-quality equipment limited my enjoyment.

I hunted in blue jeans and tennis shoes, so my feet stayed wet and muddy while briars, thorns and brush shredded my pants and skin.

For this hunt, I used a pair of Mucks Field Blazer boots. They fit like gloves, and they are very comfortable. They also have good arch supports, so I can walk in them all day without excessive fatigue.

I still wear jeans, but over them I wear a pair of waxed canvas Filson chaps. They are impervious to moisture and puncture, so you can stay dry in wet, waist-deep grass without getting poked or scratched.

A good vest is essential to bird hunting. Greg Kassaw and I wear identical Browning vests. They have plenty of pockets for gear, as well as shell holders in the lower two pockets to hold an entire box of cartridges. The game pouch is large and very roomy, with front vents so you can stuff birds into your pouch from the front. They have large panels of fluorescent orange for high visibility and safety.

My 16-gauge CZ Ringneck side-byside has quickly become my favorite allaround upland game gun. The 16 is ideal for pheasants, combining the punch of a light 12 gauge with the light weight of a 20-gauge double. Even in close quarters, it swings fluidly and knocks tough pheasants down with authority, even at long ranges.

The bores are fixed modified and improved cylinder. For ammo, I used two loads simultaneously. I loaded the improved cylinder barrel with Remington Sportsman shells containing 1 ounce of No. 6 lead. I loaded the modified barrel with Remington Long Range Express filled with 1 1/8 ounces of No. 6 lead. It was an effective combination.

Scott Hunter uses a 20-ga. BSA sideby-side, and he made some incredible long-range kills with it. Watts used a 12-ga. Tristar over/under, and Kassaw used a 12-gauge Browning A-500 semiautomatic. Demanette used a 12-ga. Tristar automatic the first day and a 12-ga. Beretta 390 the second day.

To hunt pheasants in Kansas, all you need is a nonresident hunting license. The cost is a very reasonable $72.50. With that license you can also hunt quail and prairie chickens.