2017 Hunting Reports
- Thread starter Flushedup
- Start date
Myself, and 2 others got out in Pope County (public land) and flushed 8 birds, shot 1 rooster. Lots of corn, lots of hunters..... nice cover but wet if you get too close to the lowbottoms
Talked to a group that pulled up in 3 trucks, had to have been 10 guys and they were hunting private land - said they were disapointed in the amount of birds they were seeing.
Good Luck!
Talked to a group that pulled up in 3 trucks, had to have been 10 guys and they were hunting private land - said they were disapointed in the amount of birds they were seeing.
Good Luck!
Hunted in Waseca and Steele County Saturday. There were some beans out but I would say at least 80% of the crops were still in the field. Hunted with one dog and one other guy. Mix of private and public land. We saw 4 roosters, 6 hens. Bagged one rooster. Should have had another but the guy I was with shot 3 times and no bird. With the amount of crops still to be harvested I was pretty pleased. This area usually isn't known for great pheasant hunting. It got pretty wet in the afternoon and I bailed before the golden hour as I was soaked. I think the numbers will show better once the crops are out. I am optimistic that it will be at least as good as last year if not better. Time will tell.
Thanks for getting the thread goin flushedup. I'll stick to this for reports throughout 2017. Not much to report on my end, however expectations were pretty tame, more of a rehearsal run for dog an I. opted out of heading SW this year as I had a remodel being finished on my home and have experienced the challenges of an opener previous years, along with this years expected rain, I figured id save the trip for a better weekend. Anyway, I did head out to a WMA close to home for a couple hours where I usually run the dog and have had luck jumping birds from time to time. 2 hens is all we flushed. I got there at 7:30am and waited, as I know others are aware of this place with it being so close to the metro, and I wanted to be first to take a crack at it. Sure enough a truck with 2 guys pulls up at 8:50, and another truck with 2 guys at 8:55. Now I'm aware I dont own the place and they have just as much right to be on it as anyone else however I just dont understand (and never will) the appeal of being stacked on top of other hunters in a field that is probably only big enough for a party of one or two guys, and most important its just not safe. Had i been in there shoes and pulled in seeing somebody already sitting at a spot, I would be moving on, I have no desire to hunt on top of anyone or smother anyone elses hunt for that matter. It's also the fact that I was sitting there for 1 1/2 hours before they pull up 5 minutes before and act as if im not even there and continue on with their business. No nod, no howdy, no "hey can we find a way to make this work", just a few stares and carry on. I'm sorry but thats just selfish, non-courteous, poor etiquette. It's really not worth it guys. Maybe wake up earlier next time, and if you dont, be prepared to keep driving on when you show up at 8:55 and someone is already there, unless its a big parcel that can handle multiple parties, thats different. Alright thats my one rant for the year, back to hunting...
I'll be looking forward to getting further into the season and action increasing, hopefully! Also will be excited to see reports from others! Happy Hunting!!!
I'll be looking forward to getting further into the season and action increasing, hopefully! Also will be excited to see reports from others! Happy Hunting!!!
You have me wondering...OCD?? Can you define this for those of us" not in the know"?
Thanks
Jonny, I think he means he wanted to start a thread specifically for 2017 reports and such, rather than users posting into various other threads that we probably wouldnt think to read to find guys reports. Being "OCD" he wants to know there is one specific thread set that he can go to for this topic.
Tbird, i dont get that either, most hunters would have the respect to hash out details where to go and give each other the courtesy and space. You out hunting any of those wma's in the hugo area? I grew up in centerville, and although my experience pheasant hunting around there have only really been on private land back when I was younger.
I hunted near Clinton with just me and my dog, plenty of crops up although i would have guessed 50% of the beans were out and more counting before the rain. never flushed anything up until after lunch, dog never got birdy on the first wpa's i tried; found a third wpa next to some harvested beans and flushed about 10 birds; missed my first perfect flush, but I made up for it for the other flush. Then after that walk, I drove further east and waited for the roost hunt and topped off the night with getting my 2nd rooty at sunset, hunting crp next to standing corn, after flushing 4 other birds prior
I hunted near Clinton with just me and my dog, plenty of crops up although i would have guessed 50% of the beans were out and more counting before the rain. never flushed anything up until after lunch, dog never got birdy on the first wpa's i tried; found a third wpa next to some harvested beans and flushed about 10 birds; missed my first perfect flush, but I made up for it for the other flush. Then after that walk, I drove further east and waited for the roost hunt and topped off the night with getting my 2nd rooty at sunset, hunting crp next to standing corn, after flushing 4 other birds prior
jmnhunter, yes thats where I was , 10 minutes from home in Centerville. Awesome thats where you are from originally. Youre probably familiar with those WMAs growing up so close. I really enjoy them being there for the sake of running the dog, hunting not so much, but you can get lucky. Have lived there for about 3 years now and we like it, Kellys Korner can be a good stop in for a beer or two :cheers:
Good job on the birds, way to keep at it throughout the day after a slow start! Glad you were able to bag a couple!
yeah there are a few pockets of birds here and there, and gaining private access was relatively easy, granted that was when we were younger, so maybe they threw us a bone
I havent been into kellys in awhile, but their beers are cold :thumbsup:
Smokyhillsguide
New member
Glad to see west-central living up to my preseason prediction. At least the few areas I've hunted so far that were good last year (with very good habitat) appear to have good numbers of birds. My lab Jack flushed about 25 on the opener in less than an hour! Shot a limit and was back at the truck by 9:10 am -- hate to complain, but way too short a hunt! Owed it to Jack to put in some more time, so since there were no other hunters nearby, I dropped off the gun and birds and took another swing though the cover. He put up about a dozen more. Lots of young (80% colored) roosters, and a few even smaller with very little color.
Sunday I started later, waiting for that soaked grass to dry a bit, and got to hunt a bit longer due to deciding to pass on the young birds. After passing on 2 smaller roosters (easier said than done) and dropping a large and fully colored yearling, I drove a few miles to explore a new area, and soon finished my limit with a gorgeous 2-3 year old long-spurred rooster with a 22" tail. All birds were killed with my old (1983) Citori Superlight 20 ga. O/U bought new as a freshman in college. And all birds were killed dead with 1 oz Kent Bismuth #5 loads at ranges of 20-35 yds. I love that gun and bismuth loads. Bismuth kills like lead, is safe for fine double guns with fixed chokes, is not nearly as expensive as heavi-shot or other tungsten alloys, and won't break your teeth when you bite into it. Just wish Kent would make it in 2 3/4" #4 shot, (which would make a better duck and late season pheasant load).
To top things off -- I even made to the local bar in time for the Vikes game...and they actually won...a perfect opener to say the least! Hunted the same area last year on the opener and I'd say the birds are slightly younger on average -- but numbers are definitely up a good bit. Can't wait to get back out there!
Sunday I started later, waiting for that soaked grass to dry a bit, and got to hunt a bit longer due to deciding to pass on the young birds. After passing on 2 smaller roosters (easier said than done) and dropping a large and fully colored yearling, I drove a few miles to explore a new area, and soon finished my limit with a gorgeous 2-3 year old long-spurred rooster with a 22" tail. All birds were killed with my old (1983) Citori Superlight 20 ga. O/U bought new as a freshman in college. And all birds were killed dead with 1 oz Kent Bismuth #5 loads at ranges of 20-35 yds. I love that gun and bismuth loads. Bismuth kills like lead, is safe for fine double guns with fixed chokes, is not nearly as expensive as heavi-shot or other tungsten alloys, and won't break your teeth when you bite into it. Just wish Kent would make it in 2 3/4" #4 shot, (which would make a better duck and late season pheasant load).
To top things off -- I even made to the local bar in time for the Vikes game...and they actually won...a perfect opener to say the least! Hunted the same area last year on the opener and I'd say the birds are slightly younger on average -- but numbers are definitely up a good bit. Can't wait to get back out there!
waterdog09
Active member
Got out in SW MN this weekend, our group got 4 on sat and 9 on sunday. We saw a lot of birds both days just at the wrong time, I swear they have clocks that tell them when it's 8:45 and time to head to the corn. We watched tons of birds on both mornings fly to the corn right before shooting time. Was great to see all the birds and I am looking forward to late season as this is going to be the type of year that late season will be better than early season. All in all I would call it a good opening weekend and a good warm up for the dogs and myself for our SD trip next week. I can honestly say though I can't remember the last time on opener the weather was actually nice for the dogs! and not 75-80 degrees!
It's looking like the weather in SD will be in the 70's till Friday, then drop off into the lower to mid 60's for the start of the season on Saturday, which is still too warm, but, better than 75-80. Don't work your dogs too hard and give them plenty of breaks and water. I was hoping for 45-50 degree weather but that never happens on opener.
Good Luck to Everyone heading to SD. I'll be there!!!!
Good Luck to Everyone heading to SD. I'll be there!!!!
Yeah, I was thinking the same. Very nice weather- not too hot, not too cold :10sign:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Just like to have things in their place bud.... I get twitchy when you throw lead shells in my steel shells pocket of my vest -haha
epagneulbrit
Member
Took the day off yesterday and headed West. Got a late start and did not make it out to the Marshall area until about 12. First couple places we went did not produce any points and the dog never even got birdy. Took a break and went to a new area for the last 2 hours of the day. Had my plan of attack through the WMA all planned out and of course things did not go according to plan, dog went on point about 20 minutes into our walk and 3 hens got up. After calling her back for water 2 roosters get up from the same place. I swear they wait for you to be doing something else and then flush, both were young birds could only tell they were roosters by the white ring on the neck and cackling. Can't blame the dog for missing the scent they got up downwind from us. Re-grouped and pressed on in the direction the roosters flew. We ran into one of them again, dog pointed and held perfectly I flushed the bird and missed an easy shot...twice! That was the only bird that presented me a shot.
Saw a few more as we continued that were flushing wild about 50-100 yards ahead of us. It was a good day but with the warmer weather and the wind it was tough on the dog, seemed to have a lot of trouble picking up the scent. All in all saw about 15 birds in those two hours and was presented only 1 shot, it is amazing how fast these birds learn. I'll be back out Saturday depending on the weather.
Saw a few more as we continued that were flushing wild about 50-100 yards ahead of us. It was a good day but with the warmer weather and the wind it was tough on the dog, seemed to have a lot of trouble picking up the scent. All in all saw about 15 birds in those two hours and was presented only 1 shot, it is amazing how fast these birds learn. I'll be back out Saturday depending on the weather.
Were you hunting large parcels of land? Perhaps these birds have been shot (at) before, hence their tenancy to fly...
epagneulbrit
Member
Not huge, I tend to hunt the quarter to half sections. I find it easier to manage and figure out where there birds are, if there any in the first place. I'm sure the birds were shot at during opening weekend, when I was out on Sunday it seemed people were at this spot all day.
Yellowdawg
New member
Any progress on getting the crops off? I was hoping that this warm weather would get the farmers going. Last Sunday it looked like 98% of the corn was still up.
epagneulbrit
Member
I would say there has been a little progress on the corn, maybe down to 95% still up, but still a long way to go. Pretty much all the bean fields I drove past were being harvested, with quite a few already done.