My son and I just returned from the Eureka area after a dove hunt. My approach for the trip was three fold....shoot doves, scout deer and pheasants. We had two great dove shoots, filling limits easily. We saw plenty of deer as well.
Now the real bad news. I have hunted the 7,000 acre family farm for 22 years and have had such wonderful times hunting plentiful pheasants and deer over the years. In 3 days of dove hunting and driving the normal country roads including 2 tracks, we saw 7 pheasants. Yes, 7. We drove these roads scouting during all hours of the day including dawn, dusk and everything in between.
Now I understand that all of the crops are still standing and the birds have plenty of places to hide but to only see 7 in 3 days is unbelievable. We typically see and hear hundreds, if not thousands of pheasants as we mill around the abandoned farm but on this hunt it was completely silent. We heard nothing and saw nothing.
It is extremely wet in Eureka. Many of the normal farm roads are impassable due to the water. The harvest will be late this year, as the crops were planted late.
I am interested to see the results of the SD Game & Fish brood counts. The report is quite late in being published this year. I in no way am trying to dissuade anyone from going to Eureka to hunt pheasants this season. I applaud those who are willing to spend their money, time and effort doing what we love to do.
Just an honest first hand report.
Now the real bad news. I have hunted the 7,000 acre family farm for 22 years and have had such wonderful times hunting plentiful pheasants and deer over the years. In 3 days of dove hunting and driving the normal country roads including 2 tracks, we saw 7 pheasants. Yes, 7. We drove these roads scouting during all hours of the day including dawn, dusk and everything in between.
Now I understand that all of the crops are still standing and the birds have plenty of places to hide but to only see 7 in 3 days is unbelievable. We typically see and hear hundreds, if not thousands of pheasants as we mill around the abandoned farm but on this hunt it was completely silent. We heard nothing and saw nothing.
It is extremely wet in Eureka. Many of the normal farm roads are impassable due to the water. The harvest will be late this year, as the crops were planted late.
I am interested to see the results of the SD Game & Fish brood counts. The report is quite late in being published this year. I in no way am trying to dissuade anyone from going to Eureka to hunt pheasants this season. I applaud those who are willing to spend their money, time and effort doing what we love to do.
Just an honest first hand report.