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Amen and agreed---the CRP drawdown, plus higher crop prices led to a tremendous decline of gamebird habitat in the Midwest. The 1985 Farm Bill was a real boon to bird populations; there'll need to be a similar plan to increase habitat before we see anything like the mid-90's-early 2000's again

I've hunted with my son, who is now 39, for over 30 years. He knows how I care for our dogs, knows how they behave in the field and how they act when they get birdy. I have in the past, and will again lend him my dog(s) for both ducks and pheasants. He well knows if anything happens to them that...

I used the A5 Sweet 16 often this year and almost exclusively the last 2 seasons. I have it in 26"--very light and responsive, you'd be hard put to find a better field gun--light to carry with enough punch to bring the birds down.

To some extent, I equate it to what I've learned in trout fishing in Wyoming, South Dakota and New Mexico--at first I wasn't used to "catch and release" but if you do much fishing on the quality streams out there, you soon learn that it is very often the rule. My Father in Law used to always...

I'll certainly be there, probably on the 12th, very interested to attend, this will be my 4th Pheasant Fest. I'm a Life Member but have yet to make the Banquet for Life members they hold , I think, on Friday or opening night.

In Indiana it's pretty much non-existent. Been that way since corn went to $5-6.00 several years ago and CRP went out. Not many ducks this year either; last year at this time I'd bagged 28--this year, 6. We did fine in Iowa and South Dakota but of course we can't get there nearly as often.

I used to hunt with my son a lot when he lived at home and I still do when we can, but he lives 200+ miles away now so it's harder. He and I both have a deal: we shoot our own birds. I find party hunting, frankly, loathsome. And in this state I'm not sure but I think it's illegal. Why would...

Here in North west central Indiana, we used to have several good private land places to hunt roosters. That was from the mid-80's to the mid-90's. Then much of the CRP went away, Pioneer Seed built a plant in Plymouth and contracted with local farmers to grow seed corn and many acres were...

That depends partially on how many places you have that you can hunt to begin with. I wish we had 6-8 farms to hunt; used to have, but now only 3 for sure. We hit those 3, or at least 2 of the 3, once a week; aside from a local Fish & Wildlife area about 13 miles away that gets the crap pounded...

Here are my honest thoughts on your post, Birdman--- You are on the right track in patterning different loads in your shotgun, they do NOT always pattern the same as barrel markings. I assume you are running into some late season savvy birds that are running/flushing wild on you. I don't know...

Having traveled to Iowa-South Dakota numerous times since 2003, here are my top choices, by town/city: South Dakota: 1. Minerva's- Sioux Falls-not a small town, but a fine salad bar and food selection 2. Cattlemen's Club--Pierre; a hunter's destination for beef, for sure; get there early on...

In 1990 I acquired a Golden Retriever--wonderful, biddable dog, would flush and retrieve roosters, quail, ducks, sharptails, Huns, etc. Beautiful dog and he lasted 11 years. Didn't think I'd ever find another like him, so--since then I've had Labs--black, chocolate and finally my 2 year old...

I have a new A5 Sweet 16 which weighs a bit less than 6 lbs, So far, I've shot 15 roosters with it this season, with about a month to go, I recently doubled down by purchasing the brand-new Benelli Super Black Eagle in 20 gauge. With a 28 gauge barrel it weighs about 5.8 lbs.

That incident pretty much illustrates the kind of misleading communication, confusion and outright misdirection a hunter can run into, even when he himself has tried to seek permission and do it right. Families are like anyone else, sometimes the left hand doesn't know (or doesn't agree with)...

Remy and McFarmer make good points. For example, two years ago I had been granted verbal rights--by the tenant, whom I thought I knew and trusted, to hunt a poorly drained farm that held both mallards and roosters. So, two days before Thanksgiving my son and I set out to jump some ducks on the...

I'm about to leave for my deer stand but will briefly address this excellent question with a follow-up later. Short answer: Ag leases are as varied, unique and complicated as the parties involved make them. Even in this day and age, many farmland leases are unwritten; a handshake between a...

Well, I'll probably catch some hell for this but here goes: My son and I took our yearly trip out West from 11/6 to 11/12. First "stop"--Scheels in Iowa City. Looking for 20 gauge target ammo and man did they have it! Stacks of CASES of Remington 7/8 ounce #8's in 20 gauge. I'd been looking for...

I've been drawn 5 times since 1990 (a 31 year span so that's not too good either) and two of those times, I really didn't get drawn, my son got drawn for the youth hunt and of course I had to take him. No complaints though; he still makes a fine hunting partner to take to Illinois, Iowa and...

...and then today I solved my 12 gauge needs for awhile--a chain store called Meijer (HQ'd in MIchigan) had two 100-packs of Winchester heavy target loads --1 1/8 ounce #7 1/2's--for $29.99 and I bought them both. Then my wife needed an item from Wal Mart and that store had several boxes of the...

Here in Indiana we have a sporting goods store called Dunham's and they have guns, knives, targets, sporting clothing, etc. and, after quite a seeming absence, more ammo. There I saw flats (10 boxes) of 20 gauge Federal Top Gun #8 -7/8 ounce target loads for sale last weekend---thought I had...