Just returned from a 5 day hunt last night, glad I'm not traveling today...it's nasty out there now. Last Thursday & Friday were kinda warm and sunny. On Thursday I didn't get started right off the bat, had to set up camp. I hit the fields and saw birds, waited for some good shoots and went 3 for 3...boy this is awesome, I can't miss. On Friday I checked out some new areas and did a lot of walking. I was finding birds but on that day I couldn't hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle. Saturday was overcast all day and the birds were jumpy. I hit one field and as a flushed bird was flying away it would trigger more birds to fly away...birds were flushing 1/4 mile away. It started to snow that afternoon and the fog settled in, visibility was only a couple hundred yards. I manage to get a couple towards the end of the day. Sundays hunt was interesting with the 2-4" of new snow. I hit one tree row and put up a couple dozen, but I'm always on the wrong side for a shot at a rooster. Hit the weedy fields and found the birds were holding super tight, especially the hens. I think the dogs ran over quite a few by the amount tracks I was seeing. Once again I was able to go 3 for 3, as in the words of Jerry Reed "When your hot your hot when your not your not." Sunday I went back to the field I had the real far away flushes and went for a long walk. Circled down and around were I had seen the birds and started to make my way back to road. Went slow and kept the dogs close, zig-zagging may way to the road. Birds started to get up about half way back to the road, 16 hen flushes in a row before the first rooster got up with in range. It was about a 2 hour hunt and I did all my shooting in the last 10 minutes within 40 yards of the road, a great way to wrap up a hunt.
3rd Trip of the Season
- Thread starter mtnlab
- Start date
Miforester
Well-known member
Great report mtnlab, if you don't mind my asking where abouts in sd did you hunt and was it public or private land? Been on those hot and cold streaks amazing how humbling it can be when that big ol bird gets up at your feet and you miss.....
Guess I should have made it a little clearer...I hunt by myself with two female PL's, I hunt only on public land and I was west of Winner. When I'm pheasant hunting it's like I'm out stalking elk, quite as I can be and no talking/yelling at the dogs.
Good Luck to everyone and I hope you get a chance to make it back out before the season is over...October is a long way off.
Good Luck to everyone and I hope you get a chance to make it back out before the season is over...October is a long way off.
I'm the same style of hunter...I like going with people but enjoy myself even more when just my dogs and I. Missed too many shots to count but I could care less (well sorta, going to practice my shooting more in offseason) because i'm out there to enjoy myself. When I go it alone the best part of it to me is the views. Seeing a wave of pheasants bumping around a PUBLIC land spot was by far my favorite this season. Drove by it and almost didn't notice the birds because there were so many it looked like waves of grain blowing in the wind....that much action. They'd just fly up low to a new spot closeby...although i'm pretty sure they were also doing it to spot the hunters on the opposite side of the field. Went back next day and they all wild flushed 1/4 mile away. Anyways, beautiful sight to behold...wish I would've video'd it. Glad you could make it out to the Dakota's, cheers on a successful hunt!
Miforester
Well-known member
Thanks for the follow up, looking forward to the time I can make multiple hunts out there.