1.5 Months Away from the Opener

chriswhite22

chriswhite22

Active member
We've been dead here guys... I haven't been able to do any scouting as I always like to do this year, so I don't have too much info. I have cattle on a 300 acre farm in St. Charles County and we're up to 3 sizable coveys this year. I'll be honest in the last 5 years we'd maybe see 1 covey. I'm hoping that's a sign for the season. I hunt that farm limited amount of times as I'm always in search of the mixed bag. Anyone have news north of 36? Missouri isn't included on PF's hunting forecast.... Naturally. If I make it up that way I'll let you know what I see, but this year I may be flying blind opening morning.
 
Ive been seeing birds. Saw pheasants in Macon during turkey season. Which is the farthest south Ive seen them in a while. The farms in the eastern river breaks will struggle depending on how much high ground there is. I think every small river in this area flooded several times this spring and summer. Did a quail count survey on 6 different Conservation areas around the state with 6th and 7th grade science classes. I was impressed with the ones to the north, south, and central areas. Ones to the east, not so good. Lot of flooding creeks and rivers. Pheasants crowed on both of the northern ones I went too. But never saw any. Was there more for quail. Found several covies but never put a pheasant in the air.
 
It's been me or you on here whisperer and that's about it. You hunt a lot of public? That's about all I do in MO. I go to Dakota and mix it between the two. If you're ever looking for a partner you let me know and we'll slay some birds. I'm 40 and hunt over a pretty good GSP.
 
I do about half and half. That way I always have a backup plan in case the public sucks. When I go outta state. Mostly private but I don't pay to play. Old school door knocker. I've always eventually had success so I've stuck with it. All they can do is say no! I do hunt public in Missouri some. I'll be out on the opener actually the youth opener with a little girl. I hunt over a gaggle of dogs! Vizslas and setters. Anytime u wanna go let me know. I can usually break free if I'm not broke!
 
I have always thought MO looked very birds. We have friends who live there. Also , driving to KS and ND , that stretch of I-70 across the state looks like there should be some quail on the crop edges. Missouri is on my list of places to try.
 
Was in NW MO from Bethany to MO river turkey hunting in may herd pheasant at most CA I hunted only enuff pheasant at 1 area I hunted that really I can say had a OK population crow count wise... they were thick there roosters crowing all over seen Bob white there also ... Close to MO river less pheasant bout same quail numbers I did stop at 1 area by a wildlife management area mostly crops along river herd lots of roosters as I listened for gobblers.

Was hunting areas I new had quail & pheasant was curious how MO compared to NE quail populations I've seen MO has some birds but NE has way more ... I do have a good vid of my dog pointing MO quail...

I was only there in NW MO 4.5-5 days b4 I got a bird & left was last days of season & birds were zip n there beak after fly down was last 6 days of turkey season when I was there time wise...
 
It should be pretty good for quail here, one spot I've run the dog on has three coveys instead of one. Every state around us has big quail numbers this year so we should be good maybe real good. It's been pretty nice to have the birds we did last 2 years. Me I travel alot to bird hunt.
 
For twenty years quail have been going downhill. The best cover, conservation areas, were their last bastion. Two years of favorable weather and the quail are not so fragmented. We haven't been hunting private because of low #s. This year, we will hunt private.

Probably a year behind Kansas' recovery but good enough to stay home more. Pheasants, I don't know.
 
I got in on the end of good quail hunting when I was a kid. Then it got tough. We used to hunt the bottoms alot. That all got flooded for duck clubs once they started throwing dollars out. Then the big farms started getting split up and cropped all the way to the fence. Trees got pushed in everywhere. I used to not hunt public at all. The habitat wasnt there. And in spots where it was there, it got pounded with hunters. I got lucky, when I went to college I got to hunt on some big farms with good habitat. Held alot of birds. The public land that was decent consisted of about 5 different areas with good habitat. And way over-hunted. Now the smaller parcels all around around the state all (most) have a little bit of upland cover too. I think this has helped spread out the hunters and make people work for it. The best hunt I had on public last year was not a quail emphasis area. It was a random one with good habitat but not really known for hosting quail. One of the conservation guys at this place asked what I was doing. When I said quail hunting, he laughed. Then I pulled 5 birds out of my pocket.
 
chris,

Do you ever hunt the st. charles river bottoms? There used to be a woodcock or two down there. Went twice a long time ago and wasnt really disappointed. They had a pheasant season in st. charles county too back when they didnt have a season for the rest of the state. Weldon Spring is where we went long ago.
 
I'm excited to try the northern counties, this year. Live in Springfield, so a bit of a trek. I'm going to SD the end of this month, but not going to be able to bring the dog.
 
There will be alot more hunters this year I have a feeling. I have three dogs now that Im training up for guys. Have been turning people away because I dont have the time to deal with them and my own dogs. Ive never had this many calls from guys with new dogs. I think the opener and the week after gun season will be insane around here.
 
youth season

Im taking my daughter up to the Northwest on sunday the 30th. Be just us. If anyone else has a kid they wanna take let me know. Maybe we can meet up. Trying to get her used to hunting with others. Adults cant carry a gun but we will have 4 or 5 dogs with us. She wants to deer hunt on saturday and bird hunt sunday. Couldnt talk her into 2 bird hunting days. Likes deer jerky too much.
 
Preferred Pet Products in Eagleville MO sells a 26/18 pork based dog food (Pzazz) that seems to help the joints of older bird dogs. Do they give hogs steroids? My nephew's lab had two hip surgeries. Switched him to Pzazz dog food and now he runs after their truck. My older britt seems to do well on it. Only 50 cents a pound.

Good luck next weekend.
 
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