Bird numbers?

T

TRazz63

New member
I know they are just going through the roadside counts, but does anyone have observations on how successful the birds were for the nesting season? Saw a lot of hens last year at the end of the season. I hunt mostly the north central/northwest part of the state.
 
Had a buddy in extreme north central IA who has a farm there that he took a drive to some public by his land & in about a 2 mile stretch he seen 30 chicks + there moms he was happy with birds he seen & cover & this guy is always negative negative type guy never has good reports... Said all farmers he talked with were happy with broods more then last 5+ years he say???

I been waiting for some activity here on the Iowa forum over a month & nothing posted I hope the hunters in Iowa hunt about as much as guys post on this forum we will have the public lands to ourself... Lol.

I hunted spring turkey in Iowa so i have a hunting license already gonna try IA pheasants this year... Hop the IA/MN border back & fourth I can shoot 5 birds per day 3 in IA 2 in MN... Plus can hunt till dark in MN...

Seen good numbers on the MN side of the border I assume the Iowa side will hold birds also this year...
 
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Good to hear! I hope you have good luck this year too. As far as the limit in the two states; from everything I've read it would be illegal to take a limit in both states on the same day. So I'd say don't do it until you've done some research to be on the safe side.
 
TRazz63 said:
Good to hear! I hope you have good luck this year too. As far as the limit in the two states; from everything I've read it would be illegal to take a limit in both states on the same day. So I'd say don't do it until you've done some research to be on the safe side.
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I've looked into the 2 state subject I've hunted SD & MN same day & border hop states come turkey season all over??? Are u worried about having over ur limit in 1 or the other states???

If u have a valid hunting license for MN & IA don't think you have a problem until u are over your daily or total possession limit for both states how does Iowa limit effect my MN
limit etc. ??? If I was over my possession limit in either or both states I'm in trouble but I will look into that but I still gonna hunt both states same day if I have valid license that sounds really odd to me...
 
Dang, wish I could be there to hear the conversation with IA or MN game warden when you pull out 5 fresh shot birds.
 
Gumboot said:
Dang, wish I could be there to hear the conversation with IA or MN game warden when you pull out 5 fresh shot birds.
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I'd would go like this... Why do u have 5 birds sir IA or MN limit is 2-3 birds? Then u pull out ur license for both states & Johnny green pants can't do or say a thing?

I've came home from SD with 15 birds stopped at a MN WMA shot 1 more on way home had 2 license & a SD 5 day limit plus 1 MN bird so if I got stopped I was gonna get in trouble no way...

If u guys are that scared of game wardens fine but you gotta know the laws... Basicly what u guys are saying the united states game wardens don't let u hunt 2 states at one time B/S

1st u throw ur IA limit in a bag mark it like day 1 limit etc then do same with MN birds have the daily harvest from each state in there own bags marked what state etc. If u do that I talk to any warden... U guys gotta admit u broke laws or be seen doing so by warden so if I get stopped I'm not worried if I'm all legal I'll never lie to the warden & say sir I shot all 5 in 1 state... Definitely not scared of a warden if I have 2+ states license...

Guys hop the border from SD/ND all the time what the difference in IA/MN I'm curious...
 
Pheasant Numbers in My Area of NC Iowa Appear Higher

It looks to me like an increase in numbers from last year. I have been seeing what looks like three different sizes of babies. The majority are just about the size where they begin to change color, then there are the birds about 2/3 grown and then to a lesser extent very young small birds that look to be hatch-lings . We had a lot of pheasants survive the 2015-2016 hunting season, plenty of snow last winter but not all at once and never enough to trap them under the snow. Spring rains were spread out so low lands in my area that normally flood didn't. I am optimistic about this season. Pheasant hunting is my passion and I missed out on last year's season due to a knee injury. It has taken a lot of time and work but I am back and ready to go. It has been hot the last few weeks but I have started conditioning and training the dogs in the early morning just after sunrise. It gets messy for me because of the dew but I don't have to worry about the dogs overheating. I can't wait for opening day....
 
There would be no violation in hunting two states in the same day. The problem would be if you got checked at the truck , you had a limit shot in MN that morning in there. You also had birds in your possession (in your game bag) or if the MN limit you had was the same number as IA limit. Birds were fresh shot , that day anyhow , you will be subjected to further investigation. I assure you , a IA officer is only concerned with what he finds in IA. The efforts to mark your birds as stated would help your case. A good officer will be able to tell at least the difference in how long the birds have been dead. Having both state licenses is certainly a must but to say the '' can't say or do anything '' is incorrect. Loved hunting Iowa in the early 2000's , shot my first wild pheasant there!!
 
I've done it alot, only been stopped once on the state line rd between sd/nd. It was uncommon 15 years ago and the warden did not bat an eye. Nd had a season long NR small game at the time though. My SD tags were resident at the time. Thought long and hard about getting a NE license and doing the same thing last year in KS, but it takes younger legs and more dog power than I currently possess. On really good years you can still be done in two states before noon. This is shaping up to maybe be one of those years.
 
esetter said:
There would be no violation in hunting two states in the same day. The problem would be if you got checked at the truck , you had a limit shot in MN that morning in there. You also had birds in your possession (in your game bag) or if the MN limit you had was the same number as IA limit. Birds were fresh shot , that day anyhow , you will be subjected to further investigation. I assure you , a IA officer is only concerned with what he finds in IA. The efforts to mark your birds as stated would help your case. A good officer will be able to tell at least the difference in how long the birds have been dead. Having both state licenses is certainly a must but to say the '' can't say or do anything '' is incorrect. Loved hunting Iowa in the early 2000's , shot my first wild pheasant there!!
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I agree should not say he can't do or won't do anything... I should of said any violation he trys to stick to u would not hold up if u had to go to court etc. I'd hope...

I agree having 5 birds in my vest would be bad in either state... Id plan to hunt Iowa in morning being u can only hunt Iowa till 4:00-5:00 p.m. then I'll head to MN after dumping my Iowa birds In cooler at my camp etc
 
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Im certainly envious of you guys that live in pheasant country. I wish I had the problem of what to do with all my pheasants I had killed in my home state and a bordering state. We hunted in KS last year and drove on a state line rd that was the NE border , this same conversation came up in the truck. Most Wardens are looking for good solid intentional violations. Most all will make an effort to see the hunters side of things if they can. Id LOVE to hunt IA again one of these days!!
 
esetter said:
Im certainly envious of you guys that live in pheasant country. I wish I had the problem of what to do with all my pheasants I had killed in my home state and a bordering state. We hunted in KS last year and drove on a state line rd that was the NE border , this same conversation came up in the truck. Most Wardens are looking for good solid intentional violations. Most all will make an effort to see the hunters side of things if they can. Id LOVE to hunt IA again one of these days!!
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You are correct very good problem to have... Any good warden worth a damn should understand what's going on etc. Some wardens may bust balls but most are smart ,& I hope know the laws lol... Had a Missouri warden try to catch me without a plug in my gun was waiting for me at car had a gobbler I just shot after I was OKed I was legal I asked warden to take my picture lol she did lol ...

I was in that KS/NE borderland country this spring seen & herd way more birds in NE I honestly have not seen many birds in KS I only been going down that way since 2012 been going all over NE for 10-11+ years seen birds all over Nebraska very scarce in my NC KS areas 10 miles north of KS border into NE like another world??? Happy to see KS now has a focus on pheasants program like NE has for sometime now it paid off in my opinion I'd buy a NE license over KS anyday...

I have seen Hun's in the area of Iowa I plan to hunt so that's my main reason for ggoing to Iowa this year plus it sucks paying over 200$ just for a turkey it took 1.5 days to bag... Herd birds all over NE IA driftless region this spring think I'll hunt that region a lil had some rude locals in my area I think I'll head back to that area & bag a few birds in view of that rude mans house next to WMA...
 
If I could hunt only one bird for the rest of my hunting career ,it would be huns! NC Kansas has been really tough for pheasants the last few years but the quail numbers have improved over the last couple. Nebraska is on my list of places to go , just haven't yet. We had a warden show us on a map where he had seen birds the past week or so once , we shot limits there.
 
esetter said:
If I could hunt only one bird for the rest of my hunting career ,it would be huns! NC Kansas has been really tough for pheasants the last few years but the quail numbers have improved over the last couple. Nebraska is on my list of places to go , just haven't yet. We had a warden show us on a map where he had seen birds the past week or so once , we shot limits there.
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If there were more Hungarian partridge around I'd agree 100% with u esetter but I don't see nearly enuff for me to hunt them the rest of my hunting career I'd go 3-5 years with out seeing a bird lol. That be hard on my dog lol

KS people very friendly & I like the state but just very very very spotty on the pheasants & quail ... Again bobwhite quail #s. In Nebraska trump KS in my opinion I've seen quail from NE/SD border border in north to KS/NE border in south quail numbers in NE on the raise in NE last few years & pheasant numbers every peace of public land I turkey hunted this spring in NE held quail pheasant & turkey stop at a rest stop quail whistling lol KS I did not see a rooster seen a few quail??? I have no clue why in KS I've not seen many birds but sound like birds are slowly on the comeback in KS that cool...

I really like the way Iowa & Nebraska run there private land opened up to hunters there not just barren grass they actually take care & make landowner improve there CRP stands & make the land better for upland birds & deer etc. VS MN & KS just enrolling any grass or crp a landowner wants to enroll in supposed pheasant country IA & NE have great walk in hunter grasslands for birds...
 
Yea , I have only shot at huns in Wyoming. Saw a covey in North Dakota. Tasty little birds for sure though. Id love to hit NE soon. I usually go to Ks late December / early January. I certainly respect and understand your slogan '' be a man and hunt public land'' . Im a public land die hard myself.
 
esetter said:
Yea , I have only shot at huns in Wyoming. Saw a covey in North Dakota. Tasty little birds for sure though. Id love to hit NE soon. I usually go to Ks late December / early January. I certainly respect and understand your slogan '' be a man and hunt public land'' . Im a public land die hard myself.
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I've shot at Hun's in MN only 3 times twice at same land once less then 1 mile away can't hunt that land now its all crops...
Traveled to have a chance at Hun's in ND & MT never seen a hun on either trip... Dieing to hunt WY blue grouse Hun's sharptail & sage grouse on same late sept early Oct type hunt some year in future...

I hunted Nebraska the last WK of January 2014 shot the latest rooster I've ever shot & got my 1st bobwhites all on a WMA I shot a doubled bearded gobbler on in may great state... The extra bird u can shoot in Kansas does not intrigue me lol seriously give Nebraska a look you sound like u have a clue on public land hunting & upland bird hunts u will love Nebraska... Nebraska gives u the bonus chance at sharptails & chickens KS only has chickens...

What does intrigue me about KS is the scaled quail aka cotton top or blue quail they have in SW KS along with Bobwhites & pheasants so I will hunt KS someday for upland birds...

Thanks can't beat a good public land hunt u have been planing out for months if not years ahead of time & dreamed of & saved $$$ for lol
 
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We did shoot Sage Grouse , Sharptails , Huns , and Blue grouse all on the same trip to Wyoming and all on public land. The 2nd time we went we just Sage and Blue hunted and were successful on both. Lots of work and tough country but it was worth the effort. WY has an insane amount of public land. When you get ready to go I will swap you some WY advice for some of your NE knowledge.
 
esetter said:
We did shoot Sage Grouse , Sharptails , Huns , and Blue grouse all on the same trip to Wyoming and all on public land. The 2nd time we went we just Sage and Blue hunted and were successful on both. Lots of work and tough country but it was worth the effort. WY has an insane amount of public land. When you get ready to go I will swap you some WY advice for some of your NE knowledge.
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I just need the blue grouse but want to shoot sage grouse again & mite as well hunt sharptails while I'm hunting for Hun's out in WY I figure... its like WY is to sage grouse like SD is to pheasants the king... Plan to head to big horn mtns area & along that WY/MT borderlands... That sage grouse sharptail sage flat terrain is hard on a dog I know... Got my sage grouse sharptail grouse hunt out of way in MT shot sage & sharptail from same waterholes...

Go any place in SW NE focus on pheasant areas u will be fine easier to locate birds in Nebraska then NO DAK or KS
 
We got into Blues just north of Ranchester / Dayton WY in the big horns. Don't just hunt aspens , hunt the sage around the aspen stands like you would for Sage. Late evening seemed to be best.
 
esetter said:
We got into Blues just north of Ranchester / Dayton WY in the big horns. Don't just hunt aspens , hunt the sage around the aspen stands like you would for Sage. Late evening seemed to be best.
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Nice they down low Early... That's wear they brood down in the sage foothills... That was why I wanted to do add the sage grouse in also same country as u work east towards TBNG more sharptail country hoping for Hun's mixed in... I thinking more SW of your area but will look into that... Wanted to speed goat hunt near there...

I'll tell ya wear I seen birds in NE u can pick my brain ... If u like KS u will like NE... I'll know more about SW NE come late January 2017...
 
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