Birds be Gone!!

M

meridiannursery

New member
I am sorry to report the bad news. I have been helping Grandpa harvest beans for the last 3 days, just West of Pierre. We have seen one hen and one rooster. This season is going to be horrible. I do not know what else to say. I wish I could report better news. This is boots on the ground reporting. Not I called my friend who called the ranchers hired mans friend. I have never seen it this dry. Corn crop is worthless. Hoping to get 15 bushel an acre. We have spoken to all the hunting groups booked this season. 2/3 have made the correct decision to stay home. We are going to keep their deposit and push it forward to next year. Hoping many people stay home and let these birds rebound. The last thing they need is hunting pressure.
 
meridiannursery said:
I am sorry to report the bad news. I have been helping Grandpa harvest beans for the last 3 days, just West of Pierre. We have seen one hen and one rooster. This season is going to be horrible. I do not know what else to say. I wish I could report better news. This is boots on the ground reporting. Not I called my friend who called the ranchers hired mans friend. I have never seen it this dry. Corn crop is worthless. Hoping to get 15 bushel an acre. We have spoken to all the hunting groups booked this season. 2/3 have made the correct decision to stay home. We are going to keep their deposit and push it forward to next year. Hoping many people stay home and let these birds rebound. The last thing they need is hunting pressure.
Click to expand...

I am sure there will be places where birds have been hard hit. However, 2 years ago one of my outfitters that farms a ton of acres was having the same concern. "We are harvesting the beans and not seeing any birds". I said pheasant don't hang out much in the beans especially when there are nice standing cornfields they would prefer to hang out in. They had a great season and"had enough" birds.

Another person stated an update that "they were not seeing birds driving around". Heck, I almost never see any birds driving around.
 
Put whatever spin on the bird numbers you like. For most of the state this year the bird numbers will be awful.
 
Hockeybob said:
Put whatever spin on the bird numbers you like. For most of the state this year the bird numbers will be awful.
Click to expand...

I think for the most part you are right. As everyone knows and alot of people have said it takes habitat. Where people work at it there will be birds where it is wall to wall corn and beans they will be few and far between. I sleep next to an open window and every morning I wake up to roosters calling me. If the state is down I probably am too as it was terrible conditions here during nesting but I might still have the best wild bird hunting in the county.
 
Thanks for your words, Dennis. I hope you have a successful season and your hunting friends enjoy your farm as much as I have!
 
I have another story for you. I have another outfitter. Brand new in the business. He gets a 30" snowfall on Oct 4th. Dead cows laying all over the place. Did we think his season was toast? U Bet. Was it? Not by a long shot. Hunters all season long and plenty of pheasants, huns and sharptail.

When you are talking weather and fair chase there should be no forecast and no speculation.

Remember the year when birds were down 65%? How was the hunting? Pretty darn good! Did many stay home because of the speculation? U Bet!
 
UGUIDE said:
I have another story for you. I have another outfitter. Brand new in the business. He gets a 30" snowfall on Oct 4th. Dead cows laying all over the place. Did we think his season was toast? U Bet. Was it? Not by a long shot. Hunters all season long and plenty of pheasants, huns and sharptail.

When you are talking weather and fair chase there should be no forecast and no speculation.

Remember the year when birds were down 65%? How was the hunting? Pretty darn good! Did many stay home because of the speculation? U Bet!
Click to expand...

a 30" snow on october 4th? I remember that...just a few years ago. that snow probably melts substantially in a matter of days, or weeks at the longest...unlike a snow of that size in december or january. and crops are still standing, more than likely. food is available. that is no way "apples to apples" in my mind to this years drought...chicks don't survive in a year like this...yes, some do, of course...this is totally different than a heavy snowfall in early october...apples to strippers...not apples to apples...or strippers to strippers...but this is just one guy's perspective...true, Chris, driving around doesn't always produce bird sightings...but when guys are out there at the right time of day, and not hearing crowing, we can assume bird#'s are down a lot...in many areas....BLINDING FLASH OF THE OBVIOUS! IT HAS BEEN DECLARED AS SUCH BY MANY BIOLOGISTS IN SEVERAL STATES...MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA....But you are correct, with habitat, and water, birds did much better in those areas than areas without...no doubt about it.

Did some research...the answer about the cattle was entered by me incorrectly in the PHEASANT HUNTING thread at the top of the page, if you care...bottom line, they had summer coats, it had been in the 80's, they were in summer pastures, not protected winter pastures, and they went to low ground and got stuck, and the rain fell first, then snow and 70 mph winds...they froze to death...sure some pheasants died, but pheasants don't weigh half a ton or more...and, they CAN FLY!!!!!! And the chicks hadn't died back in the peak hatch due to HOT, DRY DROUGHT CONDITIONS!!!!! Yes, some chicks lived...especially in areas where there was habitat and water...hats off to UGUIDE for promoting and providing habitat.
 
Last edited:
UGUIDE said:
I am sure there will be places where birds have been hard hit. However, 2 years ago one of my outfitters that farms a ton of acres was having the same concern. "We are harvesting the beans and not seeing any birds". I said pheasant don't hang out much in the beans especially when there are nice standing cornfields they would prefer to hang out in. They had a great season and"had enough" birds.

Another person stated an update that "they were not seeing birds driving around". Heck, I almost never see any birds driving around.
Click to expand...

As recently seen on SDPB:

"The Pete's are noble road hunting savages from a bygone age; as much at home in the bottom of a ditch as they are atop their trusty iron steeds. The modern day hunter with their WIAs and private lands have lost the keen eye site necessary to pick out running greenbacks at speeds upwards of 30mph. Legends claim the youngest Pete hunters can even hear them in the ditch with the window down but this may be a myth since randomly jumping into any SD ditch will produce a bird enough times to reinforce this suspect claim. They live in harmony and peace with their local tribal landowner brethren, preferring the nomadic hunting lifestyle so as not to disturb the delicate balance between hunters from far off lands coming the next week, paying to walk prime hunting grounds, and instead taking the spare bedroom in the farmhouse on opening weekend. The dust may lay thick upon the windows this season and prevent hunting success, but the proud Petes will forever drive on and head to winter hunter grounds, stepping down off their high seats and taking to the ground after deer when mounted chase is frowned upon."
 
Uncle Buck said:
Good luck Dennis! Will report on Leola area.
Click to expand...

Thanks Buck, I was out cutting stuff to bale today and kicked up two broods of little pheasants, one was about a dozen chicks and I would estimate they were three weeks old and another brood maybe a week older. I hope we don't have an early winter but at least there are some more birds around.
 
haymaker said:
Thanks Buck, I was out cutting stuff to bale today and kicked up two broods of little pheasants, one was about a dozen chicks and I would estimate they were three weeks old and another brood maybe a week older. I hope we don't have an early winter but at least there are some more birds around.
Click to expand...

Haymaker, that is good to hear. That would indicate birds on the nest in August incubating and laying the last two weeks of July. Would have missed any counts including the hens. Years we have late hatches winter tends to delay too.
 
I get so sick of Uguide denying what most local people see. If your land is managed with Pheasants in mind and the dollars they bring, yes there are birds on your Private land. But I drive the back roads in my 4 county area almost every day. Very few hunt-able coveys of Pheasants. Dont even get me started on the Mismanagement of Public land. You want a real SD Survey? I can give you a raptor count! By the way I am a wildlife photographer and writing a book on the seasons of the Real Wild Ringneck. Of course I have to include truth about SD Pheasant Hunting in a non commercial mans eyes.
 
moedogee said:
I get so sick of Uguide denying what most local people see. Of course I have to include truth about SD Pheasant Hunting in a non commercial mans eyes.
Click to expand...

Ahh yes, if we could just rid the state of the evil commercial empire and if we had many more non commercial types then all would be good and the world of ringneck as we used to know it would return to us.
 
UGUIDE said:
Ahh yes, if we could just rid the state of the evil commercial empire and if we had many more non commercial types then all would be good and the world of ringneck as we used to know it would return to us.
Click to expand...


Lets all be clear Uguide is leading people on this year. The states numbers are crumbling.
 
Hey Thin ....skin. Uguide.....Reread what I wrote. I never said to eliminate the commercial Pheasant hunting interests in South Dakota. You said that. Obviously commercial Pheasant farming serves a excellent alternative to Ditch Piggin or Public land, DIY. hunts. It is not a cheap experience alot of people can afford. Especially during years like this where I have to be extra smart to put very many birds under my young labs noses. Im only advocating the fair reporting of existing pheasant condition's in most areas of South Dakota. So people who cant afford your type of services which by the way, are serving your commercial interests, can make sound decisions on their hunts. Especially if they live out of state or even like me. I live in Hutchinson county SD but Dont hesitate to travel up into Spink or Brown county if I can have a quality hunt. Im Even considering traveling to Kansas this year based on Better conditions. So I am only reporting honestly what I see and am experiencing.
 
By the way I have been reading this Forum for years and really appreciate the knowledge that is exchanged. I properly introduced myself in that section before I jumped in and called out comments such as this I read earlier. Quote: You have no clue what you are talking about. For one thing there are no hunters on this forum going to fancy lodges. "Greedy Farmers"? C' Mon man. Get a new rant someplace else. This was Straight from the mouth of Uguides speaking to Guyndog. Then followed up by like comments from his peeps. No I have no money in this discussion so commenting on this Forum is about my selfish passions. Some of which are love of the Pheasant, Whitetail Bucks, land and honesty. By the way I dont think most farmers are greedy. But there is a definite line between good land stewardship which benefits all of Gods creatures and the Moonscape that SD becomes every winter after hard snows.
 
moedogee said:
By the way I have been reading this Forum for years and really appreciate the knowledge that is exchanged. I properly introduced myself in that section before I jumped in and called out comments such as this I read earlier. Quote: You have no clue what you are talking about. For one thing there are no hunters on this forum going to fancy lodges. "Greedy Farmers"? C' Mon man. Get a new rant someplace else. This was Straight from the mouth of Uguides speaking to Guyndog. Then followed up by like comments from his peeps. No I have no money in this discussion so commenting on this Forum is about my selfish passions. Some of which are love of the Pheasant, Whitetail Bucks, land and honesty. By the way I dont think most farmers are greedy. But there is a definite line between good land stewardship which benefits all of Gods creatures and the Moonscape that SD becomes every winter after hard snows.
Click to expand...

I did not start this thread to have people called thin skin. I started this to bring a boots on the ground live reporting of the bird numbers. Which are insanely low. I feel that at some point Uguide should acknowledge his commercial interest when reporting. Similar to CNN business or Fox New business channel reporting on a companies stock. They must disclose upon their review if they have a vested interest in the numbers or analysis of a certain company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top