Wild Wings

The Ring-necked Pheasant is its common name. Originally brought to this country in 1881 from Asia. Since then an entire hunting industry has exploded. Shot guns, clothing, dogs, podcasts, books, ammunition, clubs, and even conservation organizations have been dedicated to this bird. Families have created generations of memories at camps devoted to hunting this beautiful species. So, what makes this bird so special? If you've ever had the chance to walk through a frost dusted field in October with a dear friend or family member while watching a loyal bird dog with his nose to the air you would understand why. The bond between hunters, hunting dogs and the great outdoors is really a beautiful thing. The laughter, comradery and excitement is truly a conduit to an era gone by but not forgotten. Walking in the same sacred places a grandfather or great grandfather walked years ago creates a connection between the past and the present. However today these hunting spaces are getting smaller and smaller. As habitat for these birds diminishes so does the opportunity to hunt them. I read stories of hunting pheasants in the midwest and I hope to get there someday but that would be a once in a lifetime trip. In New York the DEC has a pheasant release program that gives New Yorkers a chance to go afield in search of these wonderful birds. Right here in the North Country we have Wilson Hill where every year the DEC releases birds to give hunters the opportunity to hunt them. But what if I told you there was another option here in the North Country, a place that has over 300 acres of prime hunting habitat? Where you can hire a guide with a dog or you can wander the property alone in search of birds? Where the season is legally longer and you and your group are the only ones there? A place to introduce your daughter, grandson or wife to the world of pheasant hunting. A place to train your new gun dog or hone in your ol’ girl's nose before a big trip. Yesterday I had the chance to hunt this place.

Welcome to Wild Wings Hunt and Train Upland Preserve in Ogdensburg, New York.

We pulled into the grass covered road around 10:30am. The small wooden shack sat in an opening about the size of half a football field. The trees in the distance were covered in reds, oranges and yellows as the cool autumn sun shone upon them.

As we entered the shack an older gentleman sat there waiting to greet us. A gentle soul with years of wisdom and hunting stories in his eyes, he greeted us like old friends. This wasn’t our first time here so we skipped the general rules and started talking about hunting. He was quick to show us a picture of a nice buck his son had recently shot, as he shared with us the story of that evening's hunt. We finished our chat, gave him our money and he wished us luck as we began to prepare ourselves for our own hunt. With shotguns ready, it was time to get Max out of his kennel.

Max excitedly shook as the hatchback opened, he was ready to get to work. With his GPS collar on it was time to go. Down the freshly mowed trail we went. Max’s nose in the air trying to pick up the recognizable scent of a bird as he darted back and forth.

We made our way along the trail to a large stand of hardwoods.

The sound of the fallen leaves crunched under our boots as we walked along. A familiar North Country sign that hunting season is here.

We made our way out of the woods and into a small field dotted with apple trees. Max came to a distinct halt as we rounded the field's edge. 30 yards ahead stood a ruffed grouse in the middle of the trail. It noticed us as quickly as we noticed him. With a drum of his wings he flew into the woods to never be seen again. We thanked Max for a good point and continued walking. We hunted our way towards a small sorghum field that was lined with small trees and brush.

Cautiously we watched Max as he zipped around. With a slight quiver to his body and a laser focus in his eyes Max got birdie. He slowly took one step at a time until he went on a statue-like point. Frozen in his step we quietly got into position. I worked my way up to initiate a flush. With lighting like speed and a thunderous flap to his wings, the rooster took flight. Shotguns erupted and the bird dropped to the ground. Max took off and retrieved his trophy. I brushed the bird's feathers as I prepared to slide it into my vest. We congratulated Max on a perfect set up, picked up our empty casings and started hunting again. Around a small corn field and through a small meadow we strolled until Max picked up the scent of another bird.

Yet again he stood frozen waiting for us to make our move. As the hen lifted off a poorly aimed shot was taken. We watched her fly away as Max stared at us in disappointment. We thanked him again and promised to do better next time. We followed Max and his nose for another 45 minutes through thick brush and trees. We popped out of the brush and onto a wide trail surrounded by fields of high growth.

After walking another 50 yards Max’s tell began to show. As softly as he could he picked his way through the tall weeds. We could tell he was locked on a point. I entered the thick grass and got into positions as my hunting partner stayed on the trail. One more step and almost out from under my boots the rooster shot straight into the air and banked to the right. I had no shot but my buddy was quick with his aim and his trusty side by side erupted. The bird crashed to the ground. With two birds in the vest we decided to head back to the shack and take a little break. Max got a big drink of water while we sat at the picnic table and talked about how well our four legged hunting partner was doing today.

We joked about how far he's come since his first trip out in the woods. With tired legs we decided to give it another hour before we headed home. Max, who looked like he wasn’t tired at all, took off full of energy. We decided to back track to where we missed the hen in hopes he may pick up on her scent. Thirty minutes later he was back on point. We got ourselves into position and made a flush. The rooster flew straight out over the field. I had a long but straight flying away shot. With the pull of the trigger on my Remington 870 the bird dropped to the ground. We admired the browns, greens, and shimmering black feathers this beautiful bird had. With three birds in the vest we decided to call it a day.

We packed our stuff up, got Max situated in his kennel and headed to McDonalds, our favorite post hunt meal. Before we even drove two miles we were discussing our options for our next hunt. With so much public land in our area there is an endless supply of Northern NY Adventures.

About this location:

Wild Wings Hunt & Train is located at 324 Tallman Rd. in Ogdensburg, New York. This is a privately owned upland preserve with over 300 acres of perfectly maintained habitat.

They are DEC licensed so you don’t even need a New York State hunting license to hunt this property. With the preserve hunting season running from September 1 through April 15 it’s the perfect place to hunt around the big game season. The owners of this property raise all of their own birds and they have a variety of birds to choose from. This is a pay to play location so you get to decide how many they release. You can also choose what time they are released so you can make it as challenging as you would like. We ask them to release the birds early in the morning so they have a chance to move around and find cover before we get there several hours later. If you want to introduce someone to this for the first time they will release them when you get there so you have a better opportunity to at least see some birds. The owners take great pride in the habitat on this property.

It has everything from apple trees, corn fields, sorghum fields, and large hardwoods. Even though this is a large piece of property they have it maintained so it's easy to move around and you always know where you are. They offer a wide variety of services from self guided hunts to fully guided hunts with their dogs. They also offer shotgun rentals and ammo for anyone who wants to try it out before they decide to make the investment into all the supplies needed. There is controversy over locations like this. I've heard the argument that it’s not real hunting, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I think this is a great opportunity to test your and your dogs skills. Plus I have to say they are great eating birds.

From pheasant poppers on the grill to pheasant, biscuits, and gravy they make a wonderful meal. I can also use their feathers to tie flies for fly fishing.

So if you are looking for a different kind of Northern NY Adventure check this place out, you won’t be disappointed.

Wild Wings Hunt & Train

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

“Make Life an Adventure”