Crops will be up!!!

meridiannursery

New member
I just spoke with the private land we hunt on this fall. Both of the farmers...6000 acres total, Both said NOT to come out for opening weekend. Harvest will not begin until late October. Looking at the USDA Harvest data, it concurred the farmers report. Last year with the numbers way down, we waited until the harvest was done. Hit SD the last weekend of November and limited out 5 days in a row with 150 birds. All of us agree and are going to wait this year as well. Do not waste ur money and time for the opener. Sorry guys!!
 
I saw a guy combining beans near Aberdeen yesterday. There will be corn standing here for the opener but if you have a place to hunt that weekend I would still come. There is only one South Dakota opener a year. I believe there will be a lot of pheasants harvested that weekend. I do think the hunting will get better as the harvest progresses.
 
Just returned from N central SD. There was a heavy frost two nights ago starting about 15 miles north of Sioux Falls up to at least Brookings and then an hour west. Leaves are curling up already.
 
We went out for the opener last year hunting public land and had no trouble finding birds. Corn was still standing so we focused on different food sources like wheat and sunflowers and did just fine... Even shot a few next to standing corn in the background of the picture.
 
Same here most of the crops were up. Hunted the 2nd weekend. We found birds. Im sure it would have been ever better if they were down but we still found them.
 
Same here most of the crops were up. Hunted the 2nd weekend. We found birds. Im sure it would have been ever better if they were down but we still found them.

nice labfest! with that many noses, you can alternate them and keep fresh feet on the ground all day long.
 
nice labfest! with that many noses, you can alternate them and keep fresh feet on the ground all day long.

Those are some happy dogs!!! I don't care about whether the corn is in or cut I'm there opening weekend. I will return in late November though :). Last year I got 14 birds in 5 days and that's with bad dogs and bad shooting! I love watching that dog work even if he's not best dog.

32 days 00 hours 14 minutes 18 seconds before I leave my office and head to God's country!
 


Last year second weekend. 90% of crops up ( as per usual) stay home if you want, but there are going to be more birds this year than last and last year was very good

Ps tbear, nice gagle of labs
 
Last edited:
I'm going every day I can make it out. One luxury of living in the state of South Dakota I guess. First day to last day and any I get in between. I have found that if you are willing to put the effort in the results are there to be had. Crops up or crops down.
 
Tom, Great photo of your two boy's. Really enjoyed being with them last year! Hope to see them again...
 
BigRand I agree with you man...go when and as often as you can! Every day in the field is a privilege - just look across the water at our European cousins to see that. Crops us or not - who cares. Just enjoy the wonders that God has created and leave it at that.
 
Don't worry too much about crops in/out. I've done okay out there whether the crops are in or out:). 1 guy or 8. 1 dog, 3 dogs, no dogs. Warm weather or blowing snow/freezing rain.

Remember if you can't find them during the day they will still come into roost each evening:)
 


Last year second weekend. 90% of crops up ( as per usual) stay home if you want, but there are going to be more birds this year than last and last year was very good

Ps tbear, nice gagle of labs

that's why i go early, cant beat hunting in a tee shirt! :thumbsup: plus there are walleyes to be had in the morning..surf and turf!
 
I must have missed the note about the crops not being harvested by opening day in the SD Tourism Pheasant Survey report.....Oh well, my bad.
 
Talked to one of my farmers North of Mitchell and he said equal amounts of rain besides a drought period made for good crops by him ! Was seeing more birds this year than last which is great to here since last year was a good year for our crew! He figures his crops will be out way before season so it must depend on areas of the state. They had a good frost there the other night . Crops up or down don't matter just changes the way you change your techniques for getting your birds! Crops up and you find a chunk of land adjacent to standing corn to hunt that has roosting trees the last 20 minutes of hunting is explosive.
 
Took a little road trip today for the day off from work. Drove from Sioux Falls to just west of Mitchell taking back roads. Would guess that most of the crops are gonna be standing when the season gets under way. Besides silage being cut nothing looks ready to be coming out and still has a lot of green left in it. Gonna be a lot of fields left for birds to hide. But that being said finding a roosting place next to those fields will be the ticket. As mentioned before.
 
Back
Top