2020 Season stats

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
These are as close to accurate as I can get. Some stats are tough to hammer down but I did my best to reflect the truth. I keep a detailed pheasant hunting journal to help me become a better rooster getter.

Days Hunted 28*
Roosters flushed (in range and also out of range) 58
Hens flushed 161

Misses 21
Bagged birds 10
Lost 3**

*This is more like to reflect individual trips, a few of which were only an hour long. For the most part I hunt as much of the day as possible, but I'd rather get out for a short trip rather than no trip at all.
** All 3 of these lost birds were hit hard and dropped but not recovered. In each case the bird dropped not very far away but either had legs and ran, was stone dead and left no scent, or survived and burrowed under thick grass. There was a different good dog with in each case but the rooster was never found.

I didn't keep as accurate of a journal last year but I shot at 7 roosters and didn't hit a one, so things went in the right direction this year. I learned a lot through a combination of experience and self-education by reading(this website and several good books on the subject). Although my game shooting is still sub-par, it got a lot better, and I ended the season with a sniff, flush, 1 shot, and perfect retrieve by the dog. I got a lot better at reading the dog, and although it seems pretty simple to do, the more times you see it in person the better you get at picking up on it. I got better at reading cover and analyzing seasonal patterns. I'm looking forward to next year and hopefully seeing things trend in a positive direction.
 
Appears that you had a busy season. Your progress on your learning curve is very high - congratulations !
 
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When I was in my 20s I thought I shot well, but in reality I just had a lot of chances - especially waterfowl. I started shooting skeet and that worked its way to sporting clays. Shoot trap occassionally because my son was on a team, but that is my least favorite.

The more I shot clays the more proficient I have become in hitting birds in the fall. Many times my shot is after the person who is with me shoots first - so range for many of my shots is 30 - 45 yards. I would say right now my shooting percentage is close to 90% and possibly higher.

I have lost very few birds in the past five years. I have learned to let the dogs do their thing first ... many will be surprised how quickly and how far a wounded bird can move. After a minute or so I bring them back to me and keep them hunting / circling the area I believe the bird went down at. Usually try give that 3 - 5 minutes (that is longer time than most think it is - time it some time). I then let the dog go back through the broader area again. Finally if I am on a "path" that I know I will return to ... I spend extra time searching again when we return (10 min to an hour or so later). I have found both grouse and pheasants that way.

It is definitely tougher to find downed birds ... especially if they drop dead ... when the grasses are still green.
 
Those are pretty good numbers if your solely hunting in Minnesota Bob.

I went 8 times between mid November 19 and Jan 2.

Bagged 15 roosters, lost 2 cripples. I mostly hunt by myself, but three times I either took my Father or a trusted friend. I usually hunt for 3-4 hours max.

I don’t know how many roosters, hens, or total birds I saw or flushed. The lowest amount I encountered was probably 15 and the most a couple times was easily 40+.

I definitely missed a few and I know my partners did too, but I still feel like I shot quite well. My old man misses way more than he hits.

Last year (2019) I bagged 19 roosters and in 2018 my tally was 29. In 2017 my total was 26. So my pace was a little off this season compared to years past.

Carry on
 
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Ooofta....... counting the hens flushed????? That's dedication. Got a hard enough time remember to throw the gun in the car in the morning.

Hunted 10 days in s.d. roughly 40 in minnesota. South dakota all public. Minnesota all public except for 3 days ...

115 rooster bagged
3 birds not found

Did see alotta hens 😁😁
 
If you write in a journal after every hunt it's not that tough to count the number of hens flushed. A few times when you get those areas where birds are popping like popcorn it's difficult to get an accurate count so then I just go with an approximation. But I cut a very large geographical swath on where I hunted. I know it's nice to get a "home range" so to speak, but my hunting hasn't worked out that way. This is where a journal comes in handy, because it'll jog your memory and help you remember things you otherwise never would. And you can see areas that had high hen counts and hopefully a good number of broods the following year.

On the shooting I have been doing a lot of clay shooting in the off season. It's not the same, but it still definitely helps. I have a problem of shooting too far in front of live birds. But I realized it this year and will work on it during the offseason. One last note I made, I need to trust myself to just bring up the gun and shoot on longer birds. I as a general rule don't take shots that I feel are unethical(out of range). That being said there were two birds this year I saw plainly as roosters and both were crossing longer but makeable shots. I should have taken a shot. I'm sure with experience things like this will become more natural.
 
I realize how blessed I am to live where I do when reading about number of flushes, hens or misses. I also am understanding just how hard my neighbors to the north have to work for their rewards. No sympathy for my western neighbors, they have things good! MN, I hope your bird population increase as with your football team's wins....draft well my friends.
 
gimruis said:
At least we have a pro football team. And lakes.

Move along Betty
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I hope they pick some stud DBs and maybe even burn a pick on a kicker, if there is a stud in the draft this year. The draft could be slimmer due to COVID and players not having to count this past season against their eligibility.
 
Pretty easy to keep count in Indiana! LOL! You don’t see that many! Walk all day and maybe get 8 flushes and 1 marginal shot at a bird. But I quit keeping stats years ago. I used to keep them and it was fun to go back and compare seasons.
It pretty much averages a bird a trip with a limit on some trips and zero on others here.
 
20super90 said:
Ooofta....... counting the hens flushed????? That's dedication. Got a hard enough time remember to throw the gun in the car in the morning.

Hunted 10 days in s.d. roughly 40 in minnesota. South dakota all public. Minnesota all public except for 3 days ...

115 rooster bagged
3 birds not found

Did see alotta hens 😁😁
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That’s about 12-15 years of hunting in Indiana! Blessed you are my friend! That’s awesome!
 
RedLion said:
Pretty easy to keep count in Indiana! LOL! You don’t see that many! Walk all day and maybe get 8 flushes and 1 marginal shot at a bird. But I quit keeping stats years ago. I used to keep them and it was fun to go back and compare seasons.
It pretty much averages a bird a trip with a limit on some trips and zero on others here.
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Does Indiana have wild pheasant?
 
Nugent said:
Does Indiana have wild pheasant?
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Yes, there are pockets of wild birds mainly near the Illinois and Michigan borders. We have a 2 bird limit per day with a short season. Wild Pheasant in Indiana actually do well with areas of good habitat. The DNR bought some properties and they are managed for food plots, shelter, and nesting covert. Wild birds thrive there. It is a limited lottery draw to hunt those areas. I’ve been successful twice in 23 years.
I have permission on some private ground near Illinois. That is my Mecca during the season.
 
RedLion said:
Yes, there are pockets of wild birds mainly near the Illinois and Michigan borders. We have a 2 bird limit per day with a short season. Wild Pheasant in Indiana actually do well with areas of good habitat. The DNR bought some properties and they are managed for food plots, shelter, and nesting covert. Wild birds thrive there. It is a limited lottery draw to hunt those areas. I’ve been successful twice in 23 years.
I have permission on some private ground near Illinois. That is my Mecca during the season.
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I assume indiana has corn.I can't remember seeing wheat when I drove through.
 
Nugent said:
I assume indiana has corn.I can't remember seeing wheat when I drove through.
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There’s more than corn in Indiana....there’s beans too!
Covert near corn stubble is always your best bet here.
 
remy3424 said:
I realize how blessed I am to live where I do when reading about number of flushes, hens or misses. I also am understanding just how hard my neighbors to the north have to work for their rewards. No sympathy for my western neighbors, they have things good! MN, I hope your bird population increase as with your football team's wins....draft well my friends.
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This post was intended to show my progress as a hunter and not as a general status of pheasant numbers in MN as a whole. Didn't you see the post by 20super90? He listed over 100 birds for the season in MN and was another guy who gave me hell for keeping records. I got into shotgun shooting and hunting late in life, and as with anything there's a learning curve for me and for the dog. In terms of serious upland hunting, this was my 2nd year. The first year I was all on my own, learning things the hard way, and I never even got a bird. It woulda been easy to sell the shotgun and buy some golf clubs but I didn't quit. When my dog flushed a rooster for me and I dropped him in heavy grass and she disappeared for a couple minutes and then came back to me with her tail wagging and a plump bird held softly in her mouth I felt like the 4th of July landed on Christmas and it was my birthday to boot. I can't imagine any of the guys leaning on tailgates stacked with birds had more joy and excitement in their heart than I did that day. I will never forget that rooster as long as I live. I don't live in a rural area. I didn't grow up hunting. I don't own any private land. From reading your Iowa reports (which I enjoy) you've been hunting about as long as I've been alive and have a pile of private spots and an old dog who knows what to do. I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just wanted to put things in proper perspective.
 
Hey Bob....
No need for you to defend yourself to anyone. By all accounts from what you have shared here, I think you have figured out already what many never will.
I applaud your efforts....starting from scratch w/o a mentor or example is something to be rightly proud of..
There is a good chance that you will find that this pursuit of upland birds blossoms into a much larger piece of your life and provides the impetus to travel, explore and go places you might not have otherwise.
I have spent a goodly amount of time from the Brooks range in AK to the Mexican border. And from the coastal forests of Oregon to the prairies of the midwest....all in the pursuit of "bird" hunting. It has been a great ride.
If you like hunting by yourself, get an older 4x4 truck with a smaller camper and get ready to test those wings !! There is still a ton of opportunity out there...
Cheers...
 
Well 20super90...not to steal Bob's thread....but there was the time I got to my destination (2 hours) and went to saddle up...no gun in the back, hmmmm, must be up front somewhere...and then there was the trip last year, okay, gonna put on the boots (10" snow) ......not up front, hmmmm, gotta be in the back.
Probably only going to get worse...
 
Haretrigger said:
Well 20super90...not to steal Bob's thread....but there was the time I got to my destination (2 hours) and went to saddle up...no gun in the back, hmmmm, must be up front somewhere...and then there was the trip last year, okay, gonna put on the boots (10" snow) ......not up front, hmmmm, gotta be in the back.
Probably only going to get worse...
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The gun thing wouldnt be good...... pry head to the bar at that point lol.

As for no boots. ..... I think the hey dudes or crocs I wear for the car ride I could make work. Maybe go buy a couple loads of bread quick for the bags...
 
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