Dec Trip Day#1.....

BeirlSetters

BeirlSetters

Member
Well after traveling snow, rain, sleet, and glare ice roads to get here we had a pretty good 1st day filling our three man limit. We seen a lot birds and I am still surprised at the high percentage of roosters we are seeing. Depending on the situation birds are either holding extremely tight or are very wild. We hunted mostly public ground and a few ditches at the end yesterday to fill up. The weather was absolutely amazing only having to wear a sweatshirt and vest. But in true SD fashion by Saturday I hear that will change. Still a week in SD is better than the office....

Dog work as always was exceptional. Looking forward to Day# 2 and what it will bring.

Merry Christmas to everyone!
 
If a 3 man limit in december on public ground is just pretty good, I cant wait to hear your day 2 report! I hope its a great day!! Merry Christmas!
 


Mike,

Years of boots on the ground in December I have a short list of pretty good areas.... They still seem to pay off year after year. Of course none of it would be possible without good dogs! I am hoping for more of the same today with some areas I haven't touched yet. Absolutely no pressure around at all. Never seen any other hunters anywhere, but it is xmas I have to remember that.
 
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Kismet said:
Looks and sounds to be a great trip!

Be safe, have fun, and give the dogs a "just because" treat for me. :)
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Ditto :cheers:
 
Dakotazeb said:
Chad, why do you always bring bad weather with you?:)
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George,

I am wondering the same thing. Thanksgiving trip drove through the eye of the snow storm to get here and dealt with 12" once here. This trip left Wisconsin and drove through another snow storm for 250 miles then dealt with an iced over interstate driving 15 mph and cars in the ditch all over. I guess mother nature is trying to tell me something. But we are here and hunting and that's all that matters.

Just checked this morning and there is 7" on the ground from the front that went through last night. It's all good nothing beats hunting pheasants in the snow in Dec.:)
 
Looks like the possibility of another system coming through late Monday and Tuesday. Could produce up to a foot of snow. Good luck.

We had planned to leave for Arizona yesterday but put that on hold. Hope to get out of here tomorrow and go to my daughter's in Presho then head south on Monday. It looks like we will have a window of okay weather Monday and Tuesday between here and Arizona.
 
Dakotazeb said:
Looks like the possibility of another system coming through late Monday and Tuesday. Could produce up to a foot of snow. Good luck.

We had planned to leave for Arizona yesterday but put that on hold. Hope to get out of here tomorrow and go to my daughter's in Presho then head south on Monday. It looks like we will have a window of okay weather Monday and Tuesday between here and Arizona.
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western and central Kansas, even Oklahoma might be treacherous.
 
Last few days....

Well the last few days have been a reality check. Conditions have been okay with the snow on the ground. Expecting another 3-6" with the new system coming in today.

Birds we have seen for the most part have held very tight with the occasional wild bird getting up out ahead. Going to try to pound more cattails today where the birds seem to be. Hopefully today will be a good day before the snow/wind starts this afternoon...
 
Son in law and I hunted Saturday and Sunday. Large conifers seemed to be what was holding the numbers of birds. (did not try cattails, but I would assume they'd be good also) . Its hard hunting under those conditions, and it was even harder trying to herd them out to the grasslands so we could get the pointers to work.. Birds held extremely tight, Not uncommon to walk the same strip and do just as well the second time thru it.. Didn't seem like the birds wanted the grass till after sunset, and left it early. We had some incredible dog work out of our 8 month old pups. They can really learn a lot under those types of conditions where the birds hold tight.
 
reddog said:
Son in law and I hunted Saturday and Sunday. Large conifers seemed to be what was holding the numbers of birds. (did not try cattails, but I would assume they'd be good also) . Its hard hunting under those conditions, and it was even harder trying to herd them out to the grasslands so we could get the pointers to work.. Birds held extremely tight, Not uncommon to walk the same strip and do just as well the second time thru it.. Didn't seem like the birds wanted the grass till after sunset, and left it early. We had some incredible dog work out of our 8 month old pups. They can really learn a lot under those types of conditions where the birds hold tight.
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sounds like fun, enjoy.
 
reddog said:
Son in law and I hunted Saturday and Sunday. Large conifers seemed to be what was holding the numbers of birds. (did not try cattails, but I would assume they'd be good also) . Its hard hunting under those conditions, and it was even harder trying to herd them out to the grasslands so we could get the pointers to work.. Birds held extremely tight, Not uncommon to walk the same strip and do just as well the second time thru it.. Didn't seem like the birds wanted the grass till after sunset, and left it early. We had some incredible dog work out of our 8 month old pups. They can really learn a lot under those types of conditions where the birds hold tight.
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Reddog,

You are exactly right on the birds moving out of the grass early. Ran across a ton of fresh roosting areas the last couple days and no birds to be found. Now the big question is where do they go? I assume into the open fields to feed...
 
thinking about coming out there this weekend....how much snow on the ground and is it crusted over ..any drifting ?
 
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