Even when hunting in a big block-and-drive group setting, this principle of thinking ahead can still apply. "Keep the birds guessing a bit, but be real conscious of where your buddies are at all times," Young said.

BE FLEXIBLE
One reason for empty game vests in Young's mind is that too many pheasant hunters allow themselves to get stuck in a rut, so to speak.

"In general, people get locked in when hunting either public or private ground," Young said. "They have an area that has been productive in the past, so they keep going back to the well."

Not that there's anything wrong with such a strategy -- as long as it keeps working. But year in and year out, the variations of pheasant population dynamics, the weather, hunting pressure, and changing agricultural practices can turn what was a "Can't Miss" hotspot last year into a cricket-chirping dud this year.

"Don't get locked into the same-old, same-old every year," Young said. "Keep your options open more than that."

To do that, it is often necessary for hunters to seek out new hunting grounds, be they public or private.

How can a hunter do that?

"I think a big mistake that hunters make is not knocking on a farmer's door and simply asking permission," St. Pierre said. "Be polite, offer to share your take with the farmer, and you might get an invite. A lot of people get intimidated and never consider asking permission."

Another way to find new ground is to broaden your horizons. "Listen to where the bird numbers are good, where the numbers are better, and trust your ability to find birds," Young said.

To do this, Young suggests hunters keep rough tabs on weather conditions and pheasant prospects in various states across pheasant country.

"When the fall reports come out, it's pretty easy to make a phone call and talk to a state's pheasant biologist," Young said. "They'll give you the straight skinny on what it's going to be like this year. After that, you can decide to go back to your same old haunts or to try a new area where there are a lot of birds."

LESS IS MORE
Keep in mind that at times, less is more when it comes to pheasant hunting.

"A lot of people that go to different states want to go to the absolute best spot with the most birds," Young said. "I like to go to areas with medium numbers of birds. They have less hunting pressure, enough birds, and sometimes, more opportunity to get on private land."

While Young may have to work harder to fill his limit, because there are fewer pheasants to begin with, to him, the tradeoff in high-quality, hard-earned hunting success is well worth it.

"I'm confident I can find birds," he said. "I know they're out there, so it's just a matter of hard work and keeping after it."

STAYING SAFE AND SOUND
The bottom line in pheasant hunting -- any hunting, for that matter -- is that safety is of paramount importance.

"There is no bird in the world that is worth anybody getting hurt over," Young said. "I've literally passed up 100 birds that I could have shot, and, in hindsight, there was no problem. But at the moment I didn't know, and I'm not willing to take any chances at all."

Wonder why there's so much of this fuss for pheasant hunting and its "Sizzling Seven" hunting techniques?

"It's a great game," Young said. "It's the greatest show on earth."

For those of us who have witnessed the cackle of a long-tailed rooster as it erupts from cover and claws for altitude, there's no doubt about that.