| Ever since their first introduction in Europe in the | | | | modern cookery generally uses moist roasting or |
| 10th century, pheasants have become a popular | | | | farm-raised female birds. |
| game bird attracting hunters to engage in hunting | | | | Pheasant hunting is one of those sports in which |
| them for centuries. Although many have changed | | | | the aid of a hound is invaluable, and without which |
| through the ages, the way we live, the way wee | | | | it would be almost impossible to make a hunt. A |
| see life, and so on, our delight of pheasant hunting | | | | well trained upland dog can be an important tool |
| has stayed untouched. We could say that it is a | | | | for the pheasant enthusiast, but it requires just |
| timeless practice for the modern hunter and it | | | | the right training to be done. Unlike waterfowl |
| would seem fair to suppose it will continue to be | | | | hunters, a pheasant hunter doesn't have to start |
| for many years to come. | | | | an intensive training program but rather to focus |
| Pheasants are native to the Asian continent but | | | | on the crucial aspects such as obedience, testing |
| have been widely introduced elsewhere, where | | | | his natural instincts towards bird hunting or building |
| they are bred to be hunted and are shot in huge | | | | up a proper physical shape. Managing to stay |
| numbers. The bird was brought to Britain around | | | | away from useless, ineffective methods and |
| the 10th century but became extinct in the early | | | | centering your attention only on these facets of |
| 17th century; it was reintroduced in the 1830s and | | | | training will prove very important down the road. |
| is now widely spread. Chronic reintroduction has | | | | Pheasant hunting is also a sport that sometimes |
| made the pheasant an exceptionally variable | | | | makes better sense if done alongside friends or |
| species in regard to size and plumage. Pheasants | | | | simply other hunters like you. Pheasants are well |
| were introduced in North America in 1913, and | | | | known for their ability to run swiftly and one |
| they've become more popular for hunting, rather | | | | generally good strategy is to use "blockers", |
| than for food, although many hunting based | | | | hunters stationed at the end of the field who |
| restaurants serve pheasant meat. | | | | shoot as birds break from cover. Besides this, |
| Because pheasant hunting has proved to be an | | | | when hunting besides fellow hunters, it is |
| increasingly popular practice in the last decades, | | | | imperative that you wear an orange hunting vest |
| pheasants are now raised intensively in farms all | | | | because it may become dangerous and safety |
| over the United States and the United Kingdom, | | | | should always be put first. |
| mostly. Pheasant farms meet about 10 million | | | | To cut a long story short, pheasant hunting may |
| birds in the U.S. and 35 million in the U.K., which is | | | | have its roots back in medieval times but it's now |
| very impressing bearing in mind that the number | | | | more popular than ever before. Although similar to |
| increases with each passing year. Birds are | | | | other game bird hunts, it has features that |
| supplied both to hunting preserves/estates and | | | | differentiate it from the others in the group, and |
| restaurants, with smaller numbers being available | | | | that is why it appeals to so many people |
| for individual cooks. But eating pheasant meat can | | | | worldwide. |
| be unpleasant for some, as it is tough and dry; | | | | |