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$20 a box shells are kind of "cheap" these days unfortunately. At 12 bucks a box, that has to be trap loads. The cheapest trap loads for my 12, 16 and 20 gauge I can find are about 8.99 on sale. Normally around 11 or 12 bucks. I'd never use a trap load on a pheasant. A ruffed grouse maybe.

The power is the same yes but when Goose says he loses a lot of birds with a 28 but claims he doesn't with a 20 and up, my guess (sorry Goose) is that he isn't a proficient enough shot to use the 28 considering there is quite a few less shot. I'm probably not either. Main point I'm making is...

Personally, a 28 gauge is not enough gun for a rooster. You often mention "honor" in your other posts. The most honor you can do when hunting is a quick, clean kill and to retrieve the game you're hunting. Shoot a gun you can dispatch the birds with and find them because they haven't gimped off...

Good luck to everyone this weekend. I'll be up by Grand Rapids chasing ruffies for 4 days, home for 2, and then out on the prairie chasing the opening weekend leftovers for 4 more days.

You'll definitely want to get to public spots early. When I go on opener, I try to get to my preferred morning spot between 7 and 730. Sometimes I'm still too late. Other times I've held it down until 8:55 when a group comes and hunts it anyway. Openers a zoo sometimes haha

Research the Pittman-Robertson Act. Many of the provisions of that bill that helped create the "American" hunting experience that we know today. One in particular is that hunting/fishing license funds cannot be diverted away from being spent on anything but administering state wildlife...

Public land costs money already. Unless you're one of those rubes that doesn't think you should need a license to hunt in the US.

That trainer that breeds once every year is still a breeder haha just because they don't have 6 dogs and are constantly raising pups doesn't make them any less of one. A good, quality breeder is important. A puppy mill breeder should be avoided. My breed club has a rule that females must skip a...

And some folks like to wear orange

It's pretty well known that birds can see in color and have great vision. But I agree that pheasants don't spook at the sight of color. Maybe in some high pressure areas would they take note of an orange covered guy walking around because they've seen the game before.

Good advice from Bob here. It's not uncommon to have a bunch of snow that time of year. Also not uncommon to have no snow either lately. I'd have a backup area in mind just in case so it doesn't ruin your whole trip.

Between those states you mentioned, I'd suggest SD. That late in the season, mixed bag is unlikely due to prairie birds being tougher to hunt as the season goes on but pheasants won't be as big of an issue to find. If I could guarantee you a mixed bag hunt like I had in southern Nebraska about...

I think it was 2, maybe 3 years ago I was sitting in my deer stand on opening day wearing nothing but a long sleeve and pants in the afternoon. Think temps were in the 70s that weekend.

We'll be wearing shorts in your deer stand if it keeps up

To your original question, 60s for pheasant opener is sort of cool to me. Years past it seemes opener is always in the 70s, few times it's been in the low 80s. So 60s will seem "cool" compared to other years.

Hottest and dryest September on record for MN.

In that case I think you'd be fine with the Black Clouds if that's what you have on hand already. I used them for a couple years (I shot # 3s) awhile back and shot really well with them. But have since gravitated back to lead or bismuth when I need a non toxic option.

I personally use 5s and 6s but I know people use 4s. I'll occasionally go with 4s during later season when birds are jumpier and I'm taking longer shots. Unless you're hunting where non toxic is required, I would skip the steel and just use lead or bismuth as it's a more lethal load.

There's really nothing like silently hunting with your dog. You and them both on the same page and communicating in complete silence. It's a real zen moment to me haha

I got out on a couple short walks last weekend up at my place in northern MN. Couple flushes but no birds bagged. Way to damn hot to be busting brush for long.