[photo courtesy Mill's Pheasant Hunt, Armour, North Dakota]
Pheasant hunting can definitely be downright addictive. The explosive flush followed by the unmistakable cackle. Hunting with your favorite dog surrounded by miles of golden prairie. The prize? Strikingly beautiful birds (and some of the tastiest) you'll ever find.
My grandmother's house was filled with extravagant displays of pheasant feathers in unexpected arrangements in her living room, dining room, and guest rooms. That was because my grandfather was a die-hard pheasant hunter who religiously traveled to Colorado for a yearly pheasant hunt. Sure, he was a deer and turkey hunter, too, but listening to him tell the tale of hunting pheasants was something special.
These beautiful birds are wily in the wild and much sought after by game hunters.
The Ultimate Male
Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly decorated with bright colors and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails. [1]
Males (also known as "cocks") establish harems of hens—as many as a dozen female birds. Each Spring a male defends his territory and his harem from aggressive rivals. Such encounters can lead to vicious battles.
Behavior
Preferring fields and farmlands with brushy cover, these birds also inhabit woodland undergrowth and some wetlands. Females nest in fields or in border habitat and lay a dozen or more eggs, which they incubate with no help from the cock. Young pheasants grow up quickly and can fly within two weeks. They will remain with their mother for six or seven weeks. Many pheasant eggs are destroyed by predators or by humans (particularly in farm country), and young birds also have a high mortality rate.
In autumn, ring-necked pheasants form flocks in which they will live until the following spring.
These birds are most comfortable on the ground, where they forage for grains, seeds, berries, insects, and, occasionally, small animals. They can fly and launch themselves airborne with an abrupt, noisy takeoff, but typically run from trouble. Pheasant flights are merely short-distance dashes for cover. [2]
Pheasant Under Glass - Recipe
Simply mention Pheasant Under Glass and associations of opulence and sophistication leap to mind. Then follows a growing uncertainty. "Who has ever had it? What exactly is it?"
Nearly all dictionaries agree, "Pheasant Under Glass is a dish of roast pheasant served in a manner characteristic of expensive restaurants." (What's not to like?)
Enjoy this recipe for Pheasant Under Glass [3] with a heady sauce of mushrooms, wine, cognac, and cream in the French style. If you can find morel mushrooms, even better!
Resources:
[1] Wikipedia
