best time
- Thread starter alan
- Start date
henhenROOSTER!!!
New member
Best time to hunt is whenever you can! 
Learn when they are where & why - and you can do decent just about any time of day! :thumbsup:
Learn when they are where & why - and you can do decent just about any time of day! :thumbsup:
Both early morning and late evening are the best. However, in Minnesota and SD the birds will have moved out of their roosting areas by the time it's legal to hunt. In ND you can hunt 1/2 hr before sunrise and catch them in their roosting areas. That leaves you with the evening hunt. I usually sit in my truck and watch the birds fly into their roosting grass. Keep in mind not all birds will fly to the roosting grass and will walk, so work the edges of the grass next to the corn or beans. The birds are very reluctant to leave their roosting grass, so if you get wild flushes keep your eye on them becuase they won't go very far. This time of the year you either want to have hunters walking toward each other or push the birds up against water, roads, harvested fields, etc. Most of the birds will get away, but there are always a few who hang around. This time of the year the birds are starting to group up, so it may be feast or famine. Last week in SD we saw groups of 200 birds on several occasions. And of course got zero shots. Good luck
mnmthunting
Banned
I think Unless your in an area with lots of birds, plan on hunting the whole day.
You can find birds anytime. Late in the season or in areas with low populations, may take all day to get your birds, even on the opener. Good hunting.
Unless your in an area with lots of birds, plan on hunting the whole day.You can find birds anytime. Late in the season or in areas with low populations, may take all day to get your birds, even on the opener. Good hunting.
I think
You can find birds anytime. Late in the season or in areas with low populations, may take all day to get your birds, even on the opener. Good hunting.
i usuailly am out most the day when i go and usuailly end up with 0 birds i dont even hear any nor see any..i usuailly listen to see if i can atleast hear one
FCSpringer
Moderator
Try getting out in some small corn fields not plowed during the day. It will surprise you how they will hold tight thinking there hiding under corn stubble. But do this in areas that have good cover close and that has birds. IA birds spend all day out in the stubble often. There will in allot of fields be a small low area with some weeds or grass left out in the middle for water shed or whatever. Those can be dynamite as well.
1pheas4
Moderator
Alan, morning tends to hold birds longer. They've been roosting all night and have a warm comfortable "pot" to lay in. The colder the morning the longer and tighter they'll sit for you.
Also, considering the fact that you've been hunting without a dog I would look forward to the snow flying. I've had very good success hunting pheasants with fresh snow on the ground and NO dog. Pick out a set of rooster tracks (they'll be bigger than hen tracks and if the snows deep enough you can see were they're spurs hit the snow) and follow them. Often you can catch up to the bird and get a good flush.
Hang in there. Finding birds without a dog can take some time. You get 'em
--1pheas4
Also, considering the fact that you've been hunting without a dog I would look forward to the snow flying. I've had very good success hunting pheasants with fresh snow on the ground and NO dog. Pick out a set of rooster tracks (they'll be bigger than hen tracks and if the snows deep enough you can see were they're spurs hit the snow) and follow them. Often you can catch up to the bird and get a good flush.
Hang in there. Finding birds without a dog can take some time. You get 'em
--1pheas4