Thought I'd give the group and myself's recap for the year. Opening weekend we did great. A limit each day for the three of us. I didn't make it out again (working weekends) until mid November for our SD trip. Three of us took 41 birds in five days. Had a great time. We seen over a thousand birds. With a little better shooting we should of had 60. I know that's to many but earlier limits during the day anyway. My next two trips out to Ortonville I got skunked. Only the second and third time that has ever happened to me. I ended the season yesterday. Weather was 25 degrees with around 10 mph winds when arrived. I had two birds down by 10:15. Then came the wind and the temps were dropping fast. I got my third bird at 12:45 and got the hell out of there. When I left it was 5 degrees. The wind was gusting to 41 mph and the windchill was -25. I was lucky enough to get every rooster I seen. Only getting out five times sux. It may have been the last season for my yellow lab that has been by far the best of eight dogs I have owned. I hate it when that day comes.
2014 Recap
- Thread starter Byrdoglvr
- Start date
jackrabbit
Active member
This was basically my first season pheasant hunting in MN, I moved here from central South Dakota in the middle of last season so I really didn't get out much last year. With a realistic change of expectations from what I was used to in SD, this season really wasn't too bad. I knew 2-3 birds per hunt just wasn't realistic, especially with living in the metro and limited free time. Opening weekend hunted near Hutch, and winged one that neither dog ended up finding. Due to the heat we had to quit early that day. 2nd weekend, I got back to back days of an easy limit on public land just south of the city. Didn't even know that was possible at the time. Spent lots of days hunting within 60 miles of the city, and could pick up a bird here or there, and almost always count on a couple hen flushes per trip at the very least. So, it was enough to keep me motivated! Took one weekend trip to Western Minnesota that wasn't very productive, I think 2 birds for 2 guys over 2 days. One very short trip to Eastern SD that was okay. And 1 trip to some private land in the Golden Triangle of SD that was a great time!
Funny, thinking back through the season right now, it's not really the birds shot that I am remembering, but it's the time spent in the field and pick-up with friends and family, the places we ate at and stayed at, and the afternoons of just me and my dog in the field.
Funny, thinking back through the season right now, it's not really the birds shot that I am remembering, but it's the time spent in the field and pick-up with friends and family, the places we ate at and stayed at, and the afternoons of just me and my dog in the field.
MNSpaniels
New member
I've never hunted in SD, but, if it's anything like Western ND, I don't think I want to. I went out to Western ND once. The pheasants were like chickens. Hanging around in peoples' yards and groves, walking around in field stubble. Getting a limit was easy and I ended up just sitting around the rest of the day. I left and never went back. I lived in Fargo at the time and preferred to hunt South of Fargo. The cover and bird numbers were similar to Minnesota.
I was raised hunting Southern Minnesota pheasants and much prefer the cover type and bird numbers. There are enough birds for a good chance at success, but you've got to know what you're doing, work hard and have a good dog.
I'm glad you enjoyed your experience in Minnesota. It's an often overlooked hunting state, which is fine with me. Though I'd never put it down just to keep someone from coming.
3car
Active member
ND is still recovering from a few years ago of bad winters. Their bird numbers are not that great anymore. Same for SD. We are just starting to get our numbers back. If we can squeak through with another easy winter next year will be tremendous. And western ND is like western SD. Same type of habitat. Large drainages and big pastures with small grains scattered throughout the landscape. Eastern SD is similar to south of Fargo with a lot more habitat. Especially if your talking about the Teawokon area.
jackrabbit
Active member
While days like that exist in SD, they are definitely not the norm. Has maybe happened to me a couple times out of every hundred days in the field. I too, much rather prefer working all day. The biggest difference between here and there, is a full day in the field in SD will produce at a minimum the chance to knock 2-3 birds even with average shooting and lots of hen flushes. In MN a full day may produce a limit, but there's a better chance it will produce just 1 or 2 birds to shoot at, and if you factor in a miss, you may come home empty handed. Which to me, is just enough to stay motivated and keep going.
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I agree with this ^^^ .
People who think the birds in South Dakota are hiding behind every bush and all you have to do is go get the mail with a shotgun in hand are mistaken. I enjoy the fact that you can reasonably expect to see birds in a few locations on every piece that you hunt in SD. That's why I go there. Here in MN, you need to scour each and every square foot of a piece of land to find the one spot where the 3 birds are on that piece.
Yes, Minnesota has areas that are better than that but that is the expectation that I have hunting here. Will it change the fact that I won't chase those 3 birds? NO.
People who think the birds in South Dakota are hiding behind every bush and all you have to do is go get the mail with a shotgun in hand are mistaken. I enjoy the fact that you can reasonably expect to see birds in a few locations on every piece that you hunt in SD. That's why I go there. Here in MN, you need to scour each and every square foot of a piece of land to find the one spot where the 3 birds are on that piece.
Yes, Minnesota has areas that are better than that but that is the expectation that I have hunting here. Will it change the fact that I won't chase those 3 birds? NO.