Mott area for late season phesants

MN guy

Member
How hard is it for a non-local to get on decent land after deee season for pheasants in the Elgin-Mott area of ND? Doesn’t look like a lot of WPA’s in the area, but some PLOTS.
 
Hunter94 is spot on that Mott area is predominantly pay to hunt because most of land is leased by outfitters. That area did get some timely moisture compared to rest of SW ND so the bird numbers around Mott should be in line with last year. So the PLOTS around there may still produce for you. I would say to go late October or very early November before deer rifle season opens. Typically by third week of season it has quieted down enough that you won’t have tons of competition in the field.
 
I've hunted there during deer season. Relatively no problem, we tell the deer hunters where we saw deer and they tell us where they saw birds. Private land to hunt is almost all pay. The later in the season the better, plots is good , but public, be expected to put in the miles and hunt smart birds.
 
How hard is it for a non-local to get on decent land after deee season for pheasants in the Elgin-Mott area of ND? Doesn’t look like a lot of WPA’s in the area, but some PLOTS.
Local or not, private land in the Mott/Elgin/Regent area runs about $250 per gun per day and you may well not be the first or even second on it that day. On PLOTS you may not be the first on it that day, but at least it's free...

Personally, I will not pay a trespass fee to hunt even if I have to walk twice as much public land to find birds...
 
Last edited:
Dustin - it has been my experience most outfitters in this area pay landowners based upon the number of birds their clients harvest on the land each season to incentivize them to have habitat and birds. So not sure how many landowners will let you in to hunt for free given this structure as each bird taken is one less outfitter clients can shoot.
 
If you will go after thanksgiving. Many outfitted land may be free if you ask in
I'm not paying these pay to hunt places a dime. Thumbs down.
b And b is absolutely correct. Most dudes are done prior to the thanksgiving holiday. So have had some landowners open late to non paying , non resident hunting. That is an experience several years ago. It may have changed too?
 
If you will go after thanksgiving. Many outfitted land may be free if you ask in

b And b is absolutely correct. Most dudes are done prior to the thanksgiving holiday. So have had some landowners open late to non paying , non resident hunting. That is an experience several years ago. It may have changed too?
I think you can likely find a willing landowner. Just need to make a fair amount of contacts and have some luck. I have generally stayed away from the outfitter controlled areas in ND and still had decent hunting over the years. We hunt combo of Corp of engineer lands, PLOTS and private. In a dry year the birds will be near water source so a lot of the reservoirs in western ND are surrounded by Corp of engineer land that is open to hunting. Many of these lands have tree rows and cattail sloughs along with grasslands. If you get up by lake sakakawea in Mercer or McLean counties you have tons of options and good bird numbers.
 
Back
Top