Pheasant Hunting 1946
Honoring a generation, re-creating an era
Words By Casey Sill ∙ Photos By Daniel Sill
An original box of Federal Hi Power shells, manufactured in 1945, was used for the hunt.
The basic principles of upland hunting are timeless. Boots in the dirt. Dog on the ground. Bird in the air.
But the minutia — the accoutrements, if you will — is ever-changing. Strip away our Gore-Tex, GPS, Vibram-soled comforts and you're left with a completely different experience.
That's precisely my kind of hunt.
I've spent the better part of my life trying to understand and appreciate those who came before us. It's my obsession, and I've found it's best accomplished by literally putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
Surplus military equipment was common among hunters in the post war years. For this hunt I included an original WWII canteen and lightweight gas mask bag, and reproduction WWII paratrooper jump boots.
Not for a costume party, or as an excuse to drink lukewarm beer out of a wooden cup at the renaissance festival. But to truly dive in and experience a small part of a different era.
Last fall I set out to recreate a Wisconsin pheasant hunt from October 1946 through the lens of what is called a "historical impression."
Historical impressions are a step beyond dressing up in old-timey clothes. The goal is to re-create something to the detail. Everything you wear, carry and use must be period-correct to that specific timeframe, right down to your socks.
What you can't see
This experience would've fallen flat if I had an iPhone tucked in my hip pocket. All of the details of the hunt were accurate to the time period, including a reproduction hunting license and an original 1946 Wisconsin Hunting Regulations pamphlet.
I chose October 1946 for a number of reasons, such as availability of clothing and equipment, and period-correct items I already owned. But more than anything, I chose that year because my historical interests lie almost entirely with The Greatest Generation.
Countless WWII GIs found solace in wild places after returning from Europe and the South Pacific in 1945 and '46. These citizen soldiers turned to the fields, streams and timber of their homeland — both to remember and forget what they'd experienced overseas.
I was lucky enough to grow up close to several members of this generation. I cannot quantify the impact they had on my life. Their resiliency and determination still astounds me, and I'll spend the rest of my life in awe of everything they accomplished.
That admiration led me to Wisconsin public land last November — paper shells in my pocket, e-collar stowed in the truck — to try and see what it might have been like to chase wild roosters nearly 80 years ago.
Modern-day Casey Sill serves as the Senior Public Relations Specialist at Pheasants Forever. Old-time Casey Sill finds many creative ways to celebrate the real him. Danny Sill, brother to author Casey, trades gun or rod for camera when he isn't waterfowl hunting, grouse hunting or flyfishing with his dogs Gunner, Cedar and Neptune.
This story originally appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of Pheasant Forever Journal