Pheasant

 

Panorama Resort

My family has been hunting pheasants for decades. Today, we hunted with the Wright family at Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick, Michigan. Their red lab, Drake, was the most impressive hunting dog I have ever witnessed in the field. He also is one of the best-looking hunting dogs I have ever seen.

The male ring-necked pheasant is, from my perspective, the most beautiful game bird in Michigan. This colorful ring-neck tries to hide in the grass at Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick, Michigan. With the cornfield behind him plowed under and snow-covered; the colorful bird stands out despite staying motionless. F4.5 at 1/1000, ISO 1600, 500mm lens at 500mm

All I can think of is the Roadrunner cartoon character as this ring-necked pheasant speeds across a Northern Michigan cornfield. The colorful ring-neck is one of the many planted and naturally reproducing pheasants at the 800-acre Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick. Thundering Aspens has created one of the best habitats for pheasants in Michigan. F7.1 at 1/100, ISO 1600, 500mm lens at 500mm

Ring-necked pheasants are one of the most beautiful birds in the world. I was excited tonight to finally get a nice environmental portrait of these elusive birds. This guy was heading into a recently disked cornfield to eat some dinner. I photographed him at Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick, Michigan. F4 at 1/800, ISO 1600, 600mm lens at 600mm