2020/2021 Pheasant Phorcast

sig_mech

sig_mech

Member
Hello boys and girls, welcome to Uncle Sig_Mech’s pre-season Pheasant Phorcast for early 2020/2021.

I recently returned from my annual pre-season scouting trip to NE Colorado or as I like to call it: My Shaking Hands and Checking Lands World Tour 2020. Pay attention now ‘cause I’m gonna give you some 411.
Most all corn has been cut and harvested, this will help push birds into the surrounding cover. The rooster count is about the same or a little less than last year due to scarce rains and moisture in the NE Colorado area. You can expect to put in a lot of walking and burning a ton of shoe leather if you want to limit out. All those with private access should fare better than the WIA hunters but again, this will not be a banner year for roosters. Speaking of Walk In Access, there is no shortage of good properties enrolled in the program so get to your local sporting goods store and pick up the Late Season Walk In Atlas if you haven’t already done so. Be prepared to do some driving and visit as many areas as you can, you just might find yourself a little honey hole.
It is dry out there so MAKE SURE you bring plenty of water for your dog. Also, the goathead and burr crop is awesome this year so make sure you have booties for your pup as well. NOW is the time to get your pup acclimated to wearing those boots, so boot up your dog and take it for a short walk to get it comfortable with wearing footwear. Just 10 minutes a day between now and Saturday will go a long way towards your dog being ready to hunt or having it look like Smokey the Bear trying to stamp out fires with its feet.
I’m going to leave opening weekend to you all as I usually do, I can do without the land jumpers and untrained dogs. I think I’ll use opening weekend to try and fill my whitetail tag during stick and string season, its so much quieter and peaceful in the woods with a bow in your hand.
I think may wait a few weeks then make a run south for scalies then hit SW Kansas for longtails and work my way up to NW Kansas for bobwhites and roosters. It’ll be a great way to spend a week or so social distancing and putting meat in my freezer.
Good luck to y’all. Shoot straight and take care of your four legged family members.
 
Thanks for the heads up Sig-Mech.
Myself and my two dogs will forego opening day as it has become an absolute mess. Pray for some snow to cover up those dreaded Goat Heads!

Brute
 
Sig - thanks for your great information. I’ve hunted eastern CO and neighboring states for several decades. I’ll likely skip the entire season in CO this year. Despite the efforts of Pheasants Forever and Parks and Wildlife, pheasant hunting continues to decline in eastern CO. Its difficult to overcome the combined factors of frequent drought, loss of CRP acres, and farming practices that are destructive to habitat. We‘re not alone - neighboring states are experiencing the same decline....
 
sig_mech said:
Hello boys and girls, welcome to Uncle Sig_Mech’s pre-season Pheasant Phorcast for early 2020/2021.

I recently returned from my annual pre-season scouting trip to NE Colorado or as I like to call it: My Shaking Hands and Checking Lands World Tour 2020. Pay attention now ‘cause I’m gonna give you some 411.
Most all corn has been cut and harvested, this will help push birds into the surrounding cover. The rooster count is about the same or a little less than last year due to scarce rains and moisture in the NE Colorado area. You can expect to put in a lot of walking and burning a ton of shoe leather if you want to limit out. All those with private access should fare better than the WIA hunters but again, this will not be a banner year for roosters. Speaking of Walk In Access, there is no shortage of good properties enrolled in the program so get to your local sporting goods store and pick up the Late Season Walk In Atlas if you haven’t already done so. Be prepared to do some driving and visit as many areas as you can, you just might find yourself a little honey hole.
It is dry out there so MAKE SURE you bring plenty of water for your dog. Also, the goathead and burr crop is awesome this year so make sure you have booties for your pup as well. NOW is the time to get your pup acclimated to wearing those boots, so boot up your dog and take it for a short walk to get it comfortable with wearing footwear. Just 10 minutes a day between now and Saturday will go a long way towards your dog being ready to hunt or having it look like Smokey the Bear trying to stamp out fires with its feet.
I’m going to leave opening weekend to you all as I usually do, I can do without the land jumpers and untrained dogs. I think I’ll use opening weekend to try and fill my whitetail tag during stick and string season, its so much quieter and peaceful in the woods with a bow in your hand.
I think may wait a few weeks then make a run south for scalies then hit SW Kansas for longtails and work my way up to NW Kansas for bobwhites and roosters. It’ll be a great way to spend a week or so social distancing and putting meat in my freezer.
Good luck to y’all. Shoot straight and take care of your four legged family members.
Click to expand...
SW Kansas, drier than a popcorn fart!
 
double trigger said:
Sig - thanks for your great information. I’ve hunted eastern CO and neighboring states for several decades. I’ll likely skip the entire season in CO this year. Despite the efforts of Pheasants Forever and Parks and Wildlife, pheasant hunting continues to decline in eastern CO. Its difficult to overcome the combined factors of frequent drought, loss of CRP acres, and farming practices that are destructive to habitat. We‘re not alone - neighboring states are experiencing the same decline....
Click to expand...
It’s true, the drought and everything else makes not even worth it. Sucks... I don’t know what to say. 🤦‍♂️
 
We found plenty of birds but definitely down from past years. May not go back out again in hopes that numbers rebound.
 
It’s good to hear there are still some birds around. We just need to hope and pray this drought breaks and doesn’t go another year (or more). Also, hunters need to help advocate for an expanded/improved CRP. Due to poor rental rates for participating landowners the current CRP is not in good shape.

We need to support groups like Pheasants Forever and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership in this cause, and lean on our elected representatives to improve CRP. With a healthy CRP pheasant numbers will improve significantly (recall the late 1990’s and up to about 2010 for some great hunting), and CRP brings many other benefits.
 
I have really been impressed with the corners program. I know birds could use entire crp fields but the DOW has really done a good job with the habitat on the corners of the center pivot corn fields. I’m hoping they can expand this program.
 
I agree the corners program is great. I’m with a Pheasants Forever chapter and we’ve contributed toward funding for the program. I think the program will continue to expand as one of the intents was to help offset the loss of CRP.

If we’d be fortunate to see CRP expand again along with the corners in place that would be excellent 😉
 
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