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- Thread starter Nasty-G
- Start date
Hunting the wrong cover? Have good dogs? This is a very different year than last: Crops are almost entirely out, just got 8-10" snow up there, temps are lower... Need to adjust to the different conditions.
We just got back from that way and did very well (and have heard similar reports from others). All public land. Have not seen birds like that in 5 years or so. See them crawling all over the roads as well - like years ago.
I will say this past week would have been difficult without good dog work. Birds were holding extremely tight - you could step on them. Rarely flushed wild - needed to be kicked or pounced on by a dog. A few live birds were caught as well. Without dogs, you would likely walk right past them. But with good dogs it was a hoot - lots of close flushes and shots, and no runners in the snow.
We just got back from that way and did very well (and have heard similar reports from others). All public land. Have not seen birds like that in 5 years or so. See them crawling all over the roads as well - like years ago.
I will say this past week would have been difficult without good dog work. Birds were holding extremely tight - you could step on them. Rarely flushed wild - needed to be kicked or pounced on by a dog. A few live birds were caught as well. Without dogs, you would likely walk right past them. But with good dogs it was a hoot - lots of close flushes and shots, and no runners in the snow.
My farmer buddy closer to Roscoe said they only saw 2 roosters over 2 weeks of harvesting corn and beans. They are very upset the birds appear to have completely disappeared. They told me not to come out, but I’ll be there anyway. If for no other reason than to say hi and walk the land.
I live near Roscoe and we are having a much better year than last year, We obviously work at it as it is a business.
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
Is a bunch of the crp baled up there ? I couldn't tell what was what with the snow cover. I couldn't find the birds for sure. I didn't work it that hard , there was a bunch of snow!
No I don't. It was a perfect year until we got dry in August. Hunting here is the best it has been in several years. The biggest problem with pheasant production is industrial ag.
BrownDogsCan2
Well-known member
I didn't figure there was. I just saw some bales next to some walkin so was curious what it looked like without 10 inches of snow on it.
I haven't hunted that area in several years. Hated to see all the bails of rotten hay from the past years of bailing still piled along buildings and roads. Each year they rot and get smaller is size. Its a drought!....We need more hay they say! Bailing and grazing was even allowed on some of the state ground. Sad deal. Birds still haven't recovered it sounds.
The group we hunted with this past week hunted Hosmer, SD about 25 minutes away from Eureka, SD opening weekend.
They killed 3 total birds. These guys are very experienced with good dogs. No birds up that way. We hunted with them and limited out in Central, SD 13 hunters / 39 Birds.
They killed 3 total birds. These guys are very experienced with good dogs. No birds up that way. We hunted with them and limited out in Central, SD 13 hunters / 39 Birds.
Golden Hour
Well-known member
That hurts to see populations take a hit like that. A few years back, there was hail west of me a ways and it decimated the population. Slowly, things returned, but it takes time.
I was a junior in high school during the winter/spring of 1996/1997. Saw pheasants come up to eat out of the barnyard, which was like seeing a unicorn, and the next couple years I didn't hunt them as there literally was almost nothing for pheasants. 2004 I was with my cousin and a friend and flushed no less than 200 pheasants on a piece of public ground a few miles from my high school home. With the right habitat, they'll return.
I was a junior in high school during the winter/spring of 1996/1997. Saw pheasants come up to eat out of the barnyard, which was like seeing a unicorn, and the next couple years I didn't hunt them as there literally was almost nothing for pheasants. 2004 I was with my cousin and a friend and flushed no less than 200 pheasants on a piece of public ground a few miles from my high school home. With the right habitat, they'll return.
