But good numbers of birds doesn't always result in success for hunters. Steve Kruse is an avid pheasant hunter who spends most of his fall out in western Minnesota working through the CRP and sloughs in an area where just a few years ago the pheasant numbers were down.

"There are only a few simple rules to successful pheasant hunting, but hunters fail to follow them," Kruse said. "These guys might get opportunities in early November, but by the end of the month, they only get to see those roosters flush way out ahead of them, too far out for a shot."

In Kruse's pheasant rulebook, the wind is a huge factor in achieving success.

"You always want to push into the wind," Kruse said. "This will keep the pheasants holding tighter, so they will more likely flush in range of a shot. When you have the wind at your back, they will flush out farther and be gone before you know it. Sometimes the field conditions have you moving with the wind at your back, but whenever possible, keep it in your face. And the dogs are certainly affected by the wind direction. It's going to be much easier for the dog to pick up the scent of a pheasant if the wind is blowing into them."

John Pesek is a long-time dog trainer and owner of Royalty British Kennels, where he breeds and trains British Labrador retrievers. He tends to agree -- to a certain extent -- with Kruse on the wind factor.

"You can't always get the wind working for you just because of the lay of the land," said Pesek, "but when you can, it helps.

"Always start out getting the bearings on the wind," Pesek continued. "Always get the bearings on the property. Check out the directions of the draws. Where are the fencelines? Where will those birds run? Where will they flush? Work the wind to your advantage. The objective is to corral the birds. Know where to push them, figure out where they'll hold, and then get the dogs and the birds together in that spot."

Kruse thinks hunters should blame themselves when they don't look closely at the land they hunt.

"Hunters fail to take into consideration all that a piece of hunting land is offering them," Kruse said. "Are there tall to short grass areas? This is where birds will often flush, if you pinch them into that zone. Is the grass buffered by trees? Pheasants love to hide in the heavy cover and then retreat to the trees when hunters come with dogs so they can see and move more freely. You have to block the pheasant's access to the timber whenever possible. Is there a sparse fenceline? This is an often overlooked spot when there is heavier cover nearby, but when pheasants have been hunted for a few weeks, they might leave the heavier cover for something not as thick where they can run or flush when they sense danger. Too often, hunters just get out of their car or truck and start pushing through the grass, not considering the wind or the layout of the land."

Holland, Kruse and Pesek are all well versed on the contrast between public- and private-property hunting opportunities. They all take advantage of both options, and Pesek also trains his dogs over birds on his hunting preserve.