Don't give up just yet!

[nstric]

I'll go against the current trend and suggest that we've still birds to be found here in Iowa.

I live near DSM, and have limited 20 minutes from my place, limited west on I-80, and limited 45 minutes north of home. Public ground, with some private sprinkled in.

My buddy and I have shot over 20 roosters so far this season, and we're very purposely leaving the fields with plenty of birds still within. We do not rape the ground.

Nearly all birds have been young, this year's hatch for sure, some likely hatching as late as July. I suspect this contributed to the DNR's low roadside counts.

Opening Day (6 roosters taken despite only 4 photo'ed)

Tuesday

This Morning (21 roosters pointed, pulled the trigger 8 times . . . so 2 misses)

Want the key? Find winter cover and hunt the grass nearby. Sure, this won't always lead to success, but I'll offer it's helped me and Gunner out tremendously this year. I hope the same for you!

 

[KBell]

Hello Nate,

Believe me when I want to believe that nearly all of your birds are young. I would venture from the photos you supplied that 1/2 are young as far as I can tell. The three on the fence are definitely this year's birds and probably are all from the same hatch. I am curious if you flushed them all in the same vicinity or all at once?

I am not trying to rain on your parade. I know there will be pockets here and there with some hatchlings that occurred. You self-professed that you have hunted in an area of approximately 150 square miles. According to our IDNR counts--you should see 14-20 birds in that large of an area. Isn't that what you have just reported?

I applaude your early efforts and recent successes. For most of us in this state that I love (life-long Iowan-48 years), reality rests with winter weather, habitat, recent farming practices and the increased use and rate of application of very toxic herbicides. I see very little discussion on that last topic, but I personally believe it is a "new" major factor in our pheasant populations. Young chicks in May-June cannot escape 80 feet of spraying applicators traveling 8+mph at a time when they are most vulnerable.

Keep up your great work and you appear to be the type of hunter that I would enjoy spending a day in the field with.

 

[nstric]

Hello Nate,

Believe me when I want to believe that nearly all of your birds are young. I would venture from the photos you supplied that 1/2 are young as far as I can tell. The three on the fence are definitely this year's birds and probably are all from the same hatch. I am curious if you flushed them all in the same vicinity or all at once?

I am not trying to rain on your parade. I know there will be pockets here and there with some hatchlings that occurred. You self-professed that you have hunted in an area of approximately 150 square miles. According to our IDNR counts--you should see 14-20 birds in that large of an area. Isn't that what you have just reported?

I've only taken two roosters this season that have been second year birds. The majority have been early season brood, with some late hatchlings. I base this off of nothing more than experience: spur length and color, breast size, fat amounts, tail feather, and so on.

Re: the birds within all three pictures above . . . they were taken from different fields, some quite a distance apart, so with confidence I can share they came from different stock.

Re: bird counts . . . I journal everything. On Saturday I saw 26 roosters and 19 hens. On Tuesday I saw 11 roosters and 12 hens. Today I recorded 21 roosters and 31 hens. That, I imagine, is better than the IDNR reports would suggest. This is a good thing!

BTW, Saturday was a full day's hunt (with 3 hours of scouting mixed in), and Tuesday and today were half day hunts.

 

[shorthairs4life]

Nice work

You mentioned scouting in your previous post. Would you mind describing more detail. I've scouted preseaon but never during season. Do you bring dogs?

 

[niceshot]

This Morning (21 roosters pointed, pulled the trigger 8 times . . . so 2 misses)

You shot 6 birds in one day?!?

 

[nstric]

This Morning (21 roosters pointed, pulled the trigger 8 times . . . so 2 misses)

You shot 6 birds in one day?!?

Cameraman. We each missed once.

 

[KBell]

Hello Nate

My son and I are planning on "hitting the weeds" again tomorrow. I'll post and hopefully pics of how we do.

I agree with your "aging" techniques but will share the best for young of the year birds is to hold the lower beak portion only and give a little shake. If you do this to a present year hatchling the beak will always give. I share this because birds feeding solely on beans will often be smaller in weight and their color phases can be altered as well. We all know those corn-fed rascals are yellow in fat and quite heavy. I have also harvested birds that have lost their tail for one reason or another and have regrown their tail to a point that is deceiving considering their age.

My other aging technique is to look at the lower chest feathers of the bird. If they are bluish to black this bird has seen a season or two. As you know, current season birds will be developing these lower chest feathers and they are always pale in color. They can even be "pinny" early in the season.

I consistenly use the primary feathers of the wings as my key determinent of age. It's a little complicated, but if you look it up online one can quickly learn the primary feather development of fowl.

I raised birds for years on our farm(guesstimate-16,000) and found these the most reliable ways to age a bird. I don't rely on long spurs--even though they are awesome to acquire, because I raised birds which would grow inch long spurs in their first year. I also had several birds over the years that would have two and even one with three spurs on each leg!

I'll never forget the bird I harvested by Cresco that had been shot the previous season and his one foot had healed backwards on the bird. Dangdest thing you ever saw and he flushed perfectly.

 

[Dcup]

Hello Nate,

Believe me when I want to believe that nearly all of your birds are young. I would venture from the photos you supplied that 1/2 are young as far as I can tell. The three on the fence are definitely this year's birds and probably are all from the same hatch. I am curious if you flushed them all in the same vicinity or all at once?

I am not trying to rain on your parade. I know there will be pockets here and there with some hatchlings that occurred. You self-professed that you have hunted in an area of approximately 150 square miles. According to our IDNR counts--you should see 14-20 birds in that large of an area. Isn't that what you have just reported?

I applaude your early efforts and recent successes. For most of us in this state that I love (life-long Iowan-48 years), reality rests with winter weather, habitat, recent farming practices and the increased use and rate of application of very toxic herbicides. I see very little discussion on that last topic, but I personally believe it is a "new" major factor in our pheasant populations. Young chicks in May-June cannot escape 80 feet of spraying applicators traveling 8+mph at a time when they are most vulnerable.

Keep up your great work and you appear to be the type of hunter that I would enjoy spending a day in the field with.

Not to mention the distance that a sprayer covers, but also the contents of the pest control. I have talked to a few farmers who agree that many of the herbicides/pesticides will result in the membrane of eggs not fully hardening, thus killing the fetus before it becomes a bird.

I'll go against the current trend and suggest that we've still birds to be found here in Iowa.

I live near DSM, and have limited 20 minutes from my place, limited west on I-80, and limited 45 minutes north of home. Public ground, with some private sprinkled in.

My buddy and I have shot over 20 roosters so far this season, and we're very purposely leaving the fields with plenty of birds still within. We do not rape the ground.

Nearly all birds have been young, this year's hatch for sure, some likely hatching as late as July. I suspect this contributed to the DNR's low roadside counts.

Opening Day (6 roosters taken despite only 4 photo'ed)

Tuesday

This Morning (21 roosters pointed, pulled the trigger 8 times . . . so 2 misses)

Want the key? Find winter cover and hunt the grass nearby. Sure, this won't always lead to success, but I'll offer it's helped me and Gunner out tremendously this year. I hope the same for you!

Did you shoot your birds on public or private ground? Reason I ask, I'm from Ankeny and only have public land to hunt and have had zero luck thus far. 1 hen in about 8 hours of walking.

 

[only a pointer]

he told you on public if you read his thread and a little private my question is where is dsm iowa ?

 

[nstric]

You mentioned scouting in your previous post. Would you mind describing more detail. I've scouted preseaon but never during season. Do you bring dogs?

Sorry for the delay in responding. I just returned this morning from a day and a half hunt in NW Iowa.

I "scout" every time I'm out in the truck. And if in the truck, Gunner is with me. This only means I drive backroads, searching out cover, trying to locate birds. This usually results in acquiring more access for future hunts.

 

[nstric]

he told you on public if you read his thread and a little private my question is where is dsm iowa ?

DSM = Des Moines

 

[nstric]

FYI - I headed up to Rock Rapids this past weekend, stopping to hunt public while driving north on Friday afternoon. I managed a limit and was utterly shocked by the number of birds seen.

On Saturday, I guided one local and a guy from Wisconsin. Numbers were definitely down in the area, but birds could be found when willing to put in the work. And boy did we work; put in the miles.

The wind was terribly bad -- 52 mph gusts with steady 40s -- and conditions unbelievably dry. Far, far from ideal. Nonetheless, we gave it a go up until lunch and I put the guys in position for 20 shots at roosters. Two were bagged, both off of point, and both wounded but retrieved.

I walked one draw on my own after the others retired and managed to shoot a double in about 20 minutes time. Unfortunately, while doing so, Gunner and I both got sprayed by a skunk. I was so in tune with the 12+ birds erupting off of point that I didn't notice I must have stepped right on the dang skunk. Still managed to connect on my shots though! That was a first for me!

I walked one more long draw but finally succumb to burning eyes and dry mouth. I'd had enough and returned to bath Gunner and clean myself up. A memorable hunt indeed.

 

[kansasbrittany]

FYI - I headed up to Rock Rapids this past weekend, stopping to hunt public while driving north on Friday afternoon. I managed a limit and was utterly shocked by the number of birds seen.

On Saturday, I guided one local and a guy from Wisconsin. Numbers were definitely down in the area, but birds could be found when willing to put in the work. And boy did we work; put in the miles.

The wind was terribly bad -- 52 mph gusts with steady 40s -- and conditions unbelievably dry. Far, far from ideal. Nonetheless, we gave it a go up until lunch and I put the guys in position for 20 shots at roosters. Two were bagged, both off of point, and both wounded but retrieved.

I walked one draw on my own after the others retired and managed to shoot a double in about 20 minutes time. Unfortunately, while doing so, Gunner and I both got sprayed by a skunk. I was so in tune with the 12+ birds erupting off of point that I didn't notice I must have stepped right on the dang skunk. Still managed to connect on my shots though! That was a first for me!

I walked one more long draw but finally succumb to burning eyes and dry mouth. I'd had enough and returned to bath Gunner and clean myself up. A memorable hunt indeed.

I think I like you. No seriously, I enjoy your posts very much! I also appreciate your positive attitude in a state that others have nearly given up on. My hope is that Iowa's bird population will rebound and we can hear reports like yours from many other IA residents.

About the skunk....that was good for a laugh. I could smell the damn thing while reading your post, and all while hitting a double. GREAT STORY:10sign:

 

[nstric]

Glad I could provide a laugh!

Gunner and I hit two fields this morning. Saw 2 roosters, 10 hens, 5 deer, and 1 coyote . . . and it took over 6 miles of walking to see that. Bagged both roosters off of Gunner's points. Both appear to be second year birds - very pretty.

My legs are fried. I shouldn't have done P90X's "Legs and Back" before heading out! Never again . . .

 

[KBell]

Hello Nate,

I am heading to a 200+ acre public parcel tomorrow morning. I will be solo as my son has to coach his sixth grade basketball team tomorrow morning. Sounds like the wind will play havoc with all of us this weekend. My scouting report was that they finished picking the surrounding corn late today. I will report tomorrow and hopefully have a picture or two to share.

Nice birds that you harvested today and you and Gunner did not get into a skunk again

Your experience today is more like what I have been doing. Lots of miles but a bird or two is the reward. I had pheasant for dinner last night and must admit that the taste was even more rewarding than usual. I thought about those 2 miles while chewing and appreciated the efforts!

I am a huge Duke bluedevils fan so I must go to watch their game. Take care!

 

[nstric]

I am heading to a 200+ acre public parcel tomorrow morning. I will be solo as my son has to coach his sixth grade basketball team tomorrow morning. Sounds like the wind will play havoc with all of us this weekend. My scouting report was that they finished picking the surrounding corn late today. I will report tomorrow and hopefully have a picture or two to share.

Sounds promising, with the corn coming out so late. It seems the wind is nearly always something we have to contend with here in Iowa. Good luck!

I'm resting today, then taking a friend out tomorrow morning. Plan is to head to some of my fields a bit further north, and less west, to see how that goes.

I too will provide report upon return.

 

[captaincoot]

Well duck huntings kinda slow So I decide to finally see what chicken chasings like First day hunted 45 mins. Browndog pointed two nice roosters and I managed to miss both All I seen that day. Today neice wanted to hunt so hunted again for maybe an hour 10+ hens and no roosters. Not great but not bad neither. Seems like you got to hunt by water. I hoping for a nice winter for the birds. Thanks guys for posting all them:coolpics: of IOWA pheasant:thumbsup:

 

[blackcloud27]

hey coot the way you shot you should try to MISS the birds. then maybe you will actually HIT one.

 

[moellermd]

FYI - I headed up to Rock Rapids this past weekend, stopping to hunt public while driving north on Friday afternoon. I managed a limit and was utterly shocked by the number of birds seen.

Great, you managed to shoot all the pheasants in NW Iowa.

 

[Lazlo]

Come 0n Nate!!!!

You need to fess-up now. Tell the guys it's the Vizsla :thumbsup: that's getting it done for you.....:cheers:

Lazlo