2016-2017 Hunting Reports and Photos

I finally got out for a bit the last few days. I have one spot a few minutes from my house that continually produces, but I am trying to take the time to find some new public land spots within about a 30 minute drive.

Friday afternoon - Field #1, one flush that put up about 15 hens and 1 rooster in a 5 second time span. It was a little too chaotic, by the time I singled out the rooster it was too late for a shot on it. That seemed to kickstart my Lab though, I think he remembered what he was out there to do and was on his A game the rest of the day.

Field #2- Put up 4 roosters... only shot one... My dog is now into mid season form, while my lack of target practice in the offseason is showing, and frustrating me. 2 of the shots I missed were incredibly easy, birds were holding in swampy grass on the edge of cattails until I stepped on them, they flew straight out away and I missed.

Field #3 - Small field along a lake, corn field that was being harvested on the other side. Put up one rooster, missed it. Pretty easy shot. By now I am 1 for 5 on roosters and getting pretty upset with my self. Not too often you get a shot at 5 public land roosters in South Central Minnesota.

Field # 4, 5, 6- All were WMA's that were just a giant slough/swamp that looked impossible to walk. But since I was out trying to find new hunting spots, that's okay! I learned to skip them on the map, maybe give them a shot in December.

Field #7 - Ended on my trusty spot near home. Put up 1 rooster, got it. Great way to end the day. Also put up about 6 hens.

Sunday after the Vikings game:mad:

Field #1, 2, 3, 4 - All were new to me, either too swampy or had some good timber on guys that I think were bowhunting on them. Walked a few of the swamps but got tired of walking in ankle to knee deep muck and 7 foot tall grass/cattails. A few of them I may try in December once they freeze. They'll be tough walking but I think they will produce late season.

Field #5- Ended on my trusty spot near home. Put up 1 rooster, got it. Called it a day after that one because I hunt this spot way too much, and it's public, I'm sure others do to. Also put up about a dozen hens.

All in all, I would say maybe 25% of corn is out and 95% of beans of are out. If it stays dry this week, which it may not, the corn should be coming out really fast everywhere. There are birds to be had on public land in Minnesota. My mindset when hunting it is, 1) My dog is better than yours, I don't care if it just got hunted. 2) Hunt where other people are too lazy to go, even if it means wearing waders and going through some muck to get to a good spot. 3) Don't miss, you may just get a shot at one bird for every hour or two in the field, so make the most of it.
 
Nice report jackrabbit, you worked hard and I like your strategy of trying new spots. I tell myself that I will do that every year, but am lucky to try more than two spots each fall.
 
Opener was a dandy for me. Went out solo with the lab and hunted a mix of private and public land. Should have had my first bird in the bag at 9:02, but my shooting was less the than sub-par. Moved a couples miles east and walked a field ditch next to standing corn, flushed 2 hens and a rooster and knocked him down in 1 shot. Moved over to some public land, walked about a hundred yards in and nearly stepped on a rooster. Knocked him down in 1 shot. Good finish to the day and shooting vastly improved.

Yesterday after Vikes debacle, walked ditch again flushed 2 roosters and crapped the bed on both shots. Kicked up a 3rd on a WPA missed him as well. Confidence is much lower now.

At least the dog is now in mid season form!
 
Went out Friday and Saturday with my cousin SW MN. Expectations weren't the highest with the reports some had on the opener. Lot of corn up, but excited for the season to progress. We manged only 3 roosters in two days. I know this purely because of corn still standing and not an indication of bird numbers. Was great to be out in the field, but Looking forward to my November/December hunts. Public land still pretty green and thick. Got a picture of our 2 Friday birds. Gus was a little more focused on the birds than picture, cant complain ;)
 
Nice.

Tuesday after opener there were mosquitos and other flying bugs buzzing around us that afternoon. Agree that many places were too green for my liking.

A good 25 F night or two would be great !
 
I assume you mean for pheasants.... Last year I shot my deer opening weekend and decided to stay south and go pheasant hunting on the second week of deer. Wasn't too bad, there was a group across the road in private land, in one area that was pushing for deer and shot slugs around. The other spots were quiet and no trucks.

I would do it again - but you never know your luck so I may be needing another weekend to try for Mr. Big instead of birds :)
 
Yes, for pheasants, I should have been more specific. I know it's legal but was wondering how safe it is to hunt pheasants on public land during deer season.
 
I usually hunt during deer and have had little to no problems I let the deer hunters have a spot and move on if its not open. They get a few weeks only we get months, enough land for us all. :cheers:
 
I've done it quite a bit in recent years with no issues. Usually second weekend every year, since I'm occupied with deer myself up north during opener. Usually you know the deer hunters from pheasant hunters. Deer hunters are an army of guys pushing an entire parcel or section, sometimes with guys sitting on buckets posting. Could work to a pheasant hunters advantage getting birds stirred up a bit without being shot at. I think someone made a good point last year that many deer hunters have called it quits for the morning by 9-10am anyway. Great time of year to be pheasant hunting with majority of crop recently picked and birds now forced to find other grounds. All signs point to go!:cheers:
 
T-Bird, I believe I made that point. And yes I hunt pheasants during deer season. And I tend to hunt spots that deer hunters avoid.
 
I have hunted pheasants during deer season in western MN.

I do avoid opening weekend. I have also noticed that most single and small groups of deer hunters are out by 9AM - especially after the time change.

Remember that muzzle loader season is a few weeks later and I have seen them out in the early AM too.

A little more orange on me and orange jacket on dog.

Just like some of the discussions about MN opener ... same will apply here.

If you see a WMA with multiple trucks parked and a drive started or being planned ... move on or if you can get out of the fire zone ... park and watch how many birds are moved ...

Most deer hunting injuries are self inflicted (shot self or falls) and same party injuries where some one gets mistaken for a deer or caught in the crossfire (sad).
 
I hunted all day Saturday, Sunday and until noon on Monday with 2 friends. We shot 6 birds 3 Sat, 1 Sun and 2 Monday. We started hunting on our way to Ortonville on Saturday and spent all day in Ortonville on Sunday. All I can say about Ortonville is holy hens... Scared up at least 40 hens and only 2 roosters. Was really surprised that we didn't see more roosters. Decided to skip hunting Ortonville on Monday and hit the same spot we had shot a rooster on Saturday and we got 2 and should have probably had 4 or 5. Need less to say, I will not be headed out to Ortonville again for a while and if I decide to take another long drive it will South west. Dog made a couple awesome retrieves on cripples that made the trip completely worth it. Plus getting out of town with friends is always a good time.
 
Just me and my main girl (Brittany) today. Woke up rather early and got going west. Got to my intended area about 8:15. Favorite spot - surrounded in corn, couple more nearby spots ... more corn. I will be back later this season.

Pulled out and headed an hour away.:eek:

Walked four spots (lotta walking) and saw three roosters and one hen pheasant. Again this is a prime MN area and I was surprised I did not see more birds. Especially with my dog absolutely working it. She is covering ample ground and finding birds like a pro.

All three roosters pointed, pinned and flushed at my feet or darn close. Hen also pointed and moved at my feet.

Since I was done by 3:30 ... I hit another area to scout spots. Saw quite a bit of bird movement for MN and try get back there too.

Will try add a photo in a bit.
 
I have been a bit disappointed so far this year, given all of the great forecasts.

Opening weekend I hunted a piece of private land outside of Waseca. Granted, the area around it was surrounded by corn and we didn't start until 11am, but we didn't see even a single bird.

The following weekend I hunted a favorite WMA near Hutchison. Got there at 8am, parked, and saw about 5 cars roll by from 8:45-8:55. Went out onto the land and made it over a ridge and saw two guys and a dog from one of the trucks I had seen...they just drove to the other side of the WMA and parked there, instead. That's fine but you would think they would of pulled up and let us know they were going to be on the other side, for safety sake? Either way, hunted for about 90 min until I kicked up a rooster right by the car.

Last weekend I took Friday off and drove off down to Brown County, where I had decent success last year. Hunted 3 hours and didn't see a single bird. Brutal.

I am planning on taking this weekend (deer opener) and will be heading out on Veterans Day and maybe one day that weekend. Thinking about heading down towards Jackson?
 
We are camping in Fulda at this moment. Just my wife,and me plus 4 dogs. Tuesday we got our four. Wendsday got skunked no wind at all every roster left early. Today we got two,and we are leaving tomorrow at noon. I was hoping for better numbers, but it also is so warm I'm sure there is a lot of birds sitting out in fields/line fences. It was nice camping weather. :thumbsup:
 
Have to note that 2 of the 4 spots were new to me.

I am managing to successfully force myself to try to spots when I am by myself.

That way, when I am with one of my kids or a friend, I already know the general layout of the land.

I would say harvest is about 60% - 70% done. Bet it hits 90% by early next week. Combines were rolling in the dark as I was driving home and the weather the next week is pretty conducive to drying out wet fields (there is still that) and corn on the stalk.
 
Seve said:
Opening weekend I hunted a piece of private land outside of Waseca. Granted, the area around it was surrounded by corn and we didn't start until 11am, but we didn't see even a single bird.

The following weekend I hunted a favorite WMA near Hutchison. Got there at 8am, parked, and saw about 5 cars roll by from 8:45-8:55. Went out onto the land and made it over a ridge and saw two guys and a dog from one of the trucks I had seen...they just drove to the other side of the WMA and parked there, instead. That's fine but you would think they would of pulled up and let us know they were going to be on the other side, for safety sake? Either way, hunted for about 90 min until I kicked up a rooster right by the car.
Click to expand...

It can vary so much from section to section, mile to mile, or even day to day. I have hunted within 1-20 miles of Waseca on public land this year, and had my chances to get a fair amount of roosters.

Each of the last 2 years I've spent one day hunting public land near Hutchinson, because it is a meet in the middle spot for a friend that lives up north a few hours. Lots of public land in the area, and it all looks like good habitat. But in the last 2 years we've seen a combined 3 hens and 1 rooster that flushed wild. My guess is that Hutch gets hit hard early in the year because it is a pretty easy drive for people in the metro looking to get in a quick day hunt and keep the drive around an hour or so.
 
Hunted from west of Marshall to Milan yesterday. I would venture to say about %40 of the corn was still in the field. We shot a couple of birds and saw more b irds in Mn in one day than I saw in SD in three days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top