How far West

C

CT20

Member
How far west do I need to look at at going to be able to knock on some doors and be able to hunt some private land along with public land? Talking about a small group of 3-4 with 2-3 dogs. Looking at going toward the first of Nov. also is this a good time traffic wise? Thanks for any help.
 
From my experience in ND much of the state was easy going when it came to door knocking. The problem I'm hearing about western ND is finding a room/lodging due to the oil boom.
 
Actually the oil boom has changed a lot of attitudes in ND.
The Eastern part would be the best bet for gaining permission on private land.
South West ND is commercialized.
I think you will do OK, good luck.
 
CT20 said:
So door knocking is successful in most of the state?
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I think MnMthunting hit it in his post. With that said, last time I was up there (ND) it was fairly easy to gain access to land. There's plenty of public areas up there too. Some were very large, in the middle of nowhere so they didn't see too much pressure, though public areas around the western part of the state saw there fair share of hunters.

Good luck.:cheers:
 
North

Go north up along the Canada Border. More west than central. Alot of WPA and the farmers up there are great people. Oil Boom is in Western ND, you will see some drilling up north, but not as much as you would in the Watford City and Williston area.
 
If I were you I would get all the public land maps. Don't depend on getting on privatee land. Although you should still give that a go, access on private for courteous hunters is still VERY much a reality, don't give up on that.
LOTS of public land, work at it, you have the pups, go get em!:cheers:
 
North Central or North West

I started hunting ND two years ago and the north central and northwest are, by far, the best for pheasants and ducks. The closer to Bismarck you get, the worse you are. Jamestown is alright, but north of Minot and west is unreal. Good luck!

1pheas4 said:
From my experience in ND much of the state was easy going when it came to door knocking. The problem I'm hearing about western ND is finding a room/lodging due to the oil boom.
Click to expand...

CT20 said:
How far west do I need to look at at going to be able to knock on some doors and be able to hunt some private land along with public land? Talking about a small group of 3-4 with 2-3 dogs. Looking at going toward the first of Nov. also is this a good time traffic wise? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
 
CT20 said:
How far west do I need to look at at going to be able to knock on some doors and be able to hunt some private land along with public land? Talking about a small group of 3-4 with 2-3 dogs. Looking at going toward the first of Nov. also is this a good time traffic wise? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

One thing you need to take into consideration, is that ND Deer Gun season runs from November 7 - 23. Depending on where you go, and when, you could knock on some doors and hear, "come back after deer season and you can hunt pheasants all you want." I've been hunting in ND for years and have heard this response on many occassions.
 
For sure you guys, if you have places, like private stuff East River and know of public with the right habitat. Just for example the James River, Sheyenne, Maple, Pipestem and lots of other drainages East River with all that habitat year around food and LOTS of woody cover.
There are Pheasants, trust me. :cheers:
I know lots of land owners out there, the hatch is good. :thumbsup:
 
i wouldnt even know wear to start looking for private lands coming from out of state its so much more difficult to get on private posted land then it is to just pick a public land area or core area and hunt saves time and gas $ when coming from 7-10+ hours also no need to obtain a plat book or drive around asking or bugging complete strangers to hunt there landthey may say yes cool but they may not also its still only 1 hunting area why limit ur self to that nd has ample public lands to choose from no need to ask or bug people i hate when people come to my door trying to sell sonething i therfor hate knocking on door after door looking for hand outs thats just me??? i will stop and chat with locals and see wear that may lead im not that anti social but i hate door knocking...

like wayne says plan on public lands but dont limit ur self to it asking may get u on some great lands just by asking... worse case u still have the great public lands to fall back on...

and also i guess avoid bismarck it gets hammered i sure as heck would... even though it gets hit nothing like sd its still popular for guys looking for ez hunting near town..

bstark28 has great info hes shareing as well thanks much man...
 
One of the great things with ND is they have to post the land in order to keep people off of it, when in doubt knock but there is plenty of land private and public. MT is different all land is posted and they don't need to put signs out. Also I have found that if you tell them your a very small group and you don't plan to kill every bird on the section I have had a lot gates opened. I like to cover country(road scout) gas is expensive but I like to see birds sometimes before I grind my dog on huge walks, pheasants are bouncing all over, what was great last year may suck this year. There are a lot of WPA's in ND, my buddy used to say there is a pheasant in everyone of em some years I think he was right Good Luck,
 
Havnt had too much trouble over the years getting private land access. I certainly think your odds decrease during deer gun season. I also have made more land owner contacts at the bar at night than I have actually knocking on doors. Those people work constantly and dont spend much time in the house.
 
In my 40 some years of pheasant hunting ND I have connections almost all over, including life time welcomes on private property. And there are always Pheasants.
So many opportunities and Fall is waaaaay to short.
ND license set up for NR's doesn't fit my style however. MT does. :cheers:
 
im not against private lands or hunting them by any means... i have turkey hunted and camped and trout fished the same area in se mn my hol e life started when i was 5 so about 25+ yrs it the only private land i hunt turkey on it has provided great memories for me and my family over the yrs... we trout fish public access...

that being said i find it more satisfying to hit the road and find productive public lands wear ever i hunt and lands that will be there for my lifetime and the habitat on them same lands will be there as long as i hunt them... i get bord hunting the exact same spot day in and day out i have a wonder lust i guess so im always trying new public areas when i can...??? i very rarely hunt any private lands opened up to hunting like walk ins and or bma or plots etc. i find the state ares farm for the wildlife and many times have better habitat hands down then the private lands that surround them maybe its just me??? many wias in mn i have hunted mainly held just crp type grasses or most of it was crp... not to mention private lands just leased each yr 4 hunting can be taken away any time the land owner want to un enroll ... un like most every wma i hunt has grasses crops woody type cover even some kind of water source they try to provide all that wildlife would need to survive they most times are desinged to help wildlife like food plots close to cattails and or windbreaks and tree rows etc. at least wear i hunt...

most private lands opened to hunters are managed for the landowner to make $$$ not produce wildlife thats i guess my main reason for mostly well 99% of my hunting is on public lands i dont have to hunt for land to hunt i cam just pick a spot scout it b4 hand in some shape or form and then just get out and hunt no need to locate any body to ask can i or may i hunt...

the hole not needing to ask to hunt private lands in nd just seems so so wrong coming from a state wear people are supposed to know wear they are hunting and whos land it is at all times... i thought in nd its a little more complicated then just if its not posted u can hunt it??? like if theres crops or stubble or a fence or even grasses planted like crp etc. we cant just hunt it ??? or im i dead wrong??? i highly doubt i will be ramboing out onto anybodys private lands even if legal in nd just not my style??? but im sure my dad uncles and cousin have no shame in there game and will go after a rooster on unposted private lands they already mention it as a major plus when hunting nd... i have buddys who duck hunt on nothing but unposted private lands they dont even order or get a plots map each yr???

i have to addmit if all the wildlifes needs are met private grounds will be better most the time then public lands just the fact people can control the hunter pressure and amount of people on the lands daily helps ten fold... i often try to get to a 1 way in and out public tract of land and if i think people jusy hammered it ill just take a nap and let things settle down again it useually works but on opening day some guy will just pull up next to ya and race out
into the fields to beat u to the punch... lol most other times of the yr guys see a vehicle and go elsewear if there is 2 parking areas many times they just pull down to next park n area but what can u do thats public land for you...


each to there own hunt wear u please if u guys only hunt private thats better for me lol with 2-3 bird limits like mentioned b4 i should be able to get the job done with 7-14 days of hunting public lands??? . for u guys boycoting nd due to only being able to hunt 7-14 days at a time all i can say is its enough time for alot of guys many cant make multi trips out west so they/we got to make due... it would suck to have hunted nd back when the license was for all season like it should be then have the state say lets make more $$$ of guys make n more the 2 trips to nd in a season it would rub me wrong as well...
 
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My style is to take lots of trips but short, like 3-4 days. Say it's tues evening, the weather West is forecasted to be pleasant for a few days. Pack the pups in the camper and I'm gone. :) Hunt hard for a few days then get back home work like crazy for a week or so, next nice weather spell, I'm off again.
I did that for many years in ND and SD worked out very well. Not so in ND now days.
I've been self employed since age 24, that helped, no boss. Understanding Wife helps to. :cheers:
 
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