2023 Season Pictures of Birds, Guns And Dogs

We bailed the snow zone and I hunted closer to where I grew up. SE ND has far, far fewer birds based on this one-day outing and my past hunting in that area over many decades (not every year through).

We walked a couple of areas (private and PLOTS) where the corn had been cut recently. Based on the rain and no tire tracks ... we were the first on the property since the corn came off. Dog birdy a couple of times, but we should have seen a dozen or more birds on each property. One property was simply my dream farm. Cut corn, cattail patches, weedy areas with sweet clover ... unreal.

We moved 30 miles or so. We ran into a group of roosters that were moving from cut corn to PLOTS (sometimes you get lucky). We got lucky. Took home four birds. The dog worked the field and small sloughs perfectly. Great points. Never saw another bird while walking, driving, scouting, etc... Granted today was cloudy and breezy ... not the weather where they hang out in the open.

Quite a few PLOTS and even private CRP areas had been hayed in this area also.

Saw lots of NR waterfowl hunters scrambling on next to nothing. Never saw another pheasant hunter in the field. Spoke with two groups in a small SE ND town. Neither group had seen a rooster in 2-3 days of hunting.
 
We bailed the snow zone and I hunted closer to where I grew up. SE ND has far, far fewer birds based on this one-day outing and my past hunting in that area over many decades (not every year through).

We walked a couple of areas (private and PLOTS) where the corn had been cut recently. Based on the rain and no tire tracks ... we were the first on the property since the corn came off. Dog birdy a couple of times, but we should have seen a dozen or more birds on each property. One property was simply my dream farm. Cut corn, cattail patches, weedy areas with sweet clover ... unreal.

We moved 30 miles or so. We ran into a group of roosters that were moving from cut corn to PLOTS (sometimes you get lucky). We got lucky. Took home four birds. The dog worked the field and small sloughs perfectly. Great points. Never saw another bird while walking, driving, scouting, etc... Granted today was cloudy and breezy ... not the weather where they hang out in the open.

Quite a few PLOTS and even private CRP areas had been hayed in this area also.

Saw lots of NR waterfowl hunters scrambling on next to nothing. Never saw another pheasant hunter in the field. Spoke with two groups in a small SE ND town. Neither group had seen a rooster in 2-3 days of hunting.
I’ve now hunted three afternoons in the last four days, walking 3 or 4 WPA’s and 2 or 3 PLOTS sections, all which had cover and water on the section and food bordering at least one side of the section. Today I had three roosters come out of one small corner of cover, one right after the other, (I had a gun malfunction and botched the opportunity), on one of the WPA’s. I moved zero birds on all the other sections. Demoralizing.
 
PTM...Outstanding pics! Keep them coming! I need to take a photography lesson from whoever is taking those...used a cell phone I assume. The last pic makes like it has cooled down in ND. I need to try harder on mine.
 
PTM...Outstanding pics! Keep them coming! I need to take a photography lesson from whoever is taking those...used a cell phone I assume. The last pic makes like it has cooled down in ND. I need to try harder on mine.
Yup I take them with an old IPhone, some turn out some don’t, these dogs don’t live long enough so when we have a good day try and take one that’ll help me remember that specific day. I’d like to get a real camera and hope to soon.
 
Most of my photos are the same PTM. Dogs in action and dogs with birds.

I also take a few selfies with me on the ground and my dogs at my side. I would share, but then the site would be down for too long with irreparable damage.;)
 
First day back in no dak. Good day for the French Brittany, her first rooster, point, hold to shot , mark and find the crip! She is 3’and it’s been a long road from the beginning ,the breeder to sold her as a started dog, didn’t tell me she was gun shy!
 

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