Drought

BRITTMAN

BRITTMAN

Well-known member
http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Heitkamp-speaks-in-Bowman-about-drought-conditions-433014203.html

BOWMAN, N.D. - Farmers and ranchers in the southwestern part of the state are feeling the effects of the drought perhaps more than others. Andrew Horn tells us how the federal government and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., are trying to help.


The dry crunching of your crop is never a sound a farmer wants to hear.

Wendy Bartholomay with the USDA office in Bowman walked around area farms describing what the drought has done to Bowman and Slope County land the past two years.

"What we have here is the remnants of a fire that ignited while haying the area," said Bartholomay.

The state's drought has killed or stunted the vast majority of crops in the southwestern part of the state. When Senator Heidi Heitkamp came to town, farmers and ranchers packed the Bowman Livestock Auction to hear how the government plans to help those most affected.

"The concern I have is that they are going to sit on their hind hands for two weeks thinking it doesn't matter when those two weeks can be critical to a rancher," sadi Heitkamp.
 
BRITTMAN said:
http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Heitkamp-speaks-in-Bowman-about-drought-conditions-433014203.html

BOWMAN, N.D. - Farmers and ranchers in the southwestern part of the state are feeling the effects of the drought perhaps more than others. Andrew Horn tells us how the federal government and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., are trying to help.


The dry crunching of your crop is never a sound a farmer wants to hear.

Wendy Bartholomay with the USDA office in Bowman walked around area farms describing what the drought has done to Bowman and Slope County land the past two years.

"What we have here is the remnants of a fire that ignited while haying the area," said Bartholomay.

The state's drought has killed or stunted the vast majority of crops in the southwestern part of the state. When Senator Heidi Heitkamp came to town, farmers and ranchers packed the Bowman Livestock Auction to hear how the government plans to help those most affected.

"The concern I have is that they are going to sit on their hind hands for two weeks thinking it doesn't matter when those two weeks can be critical to a rancher," sadi Heitkamp.
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supposed to be in the high 90's this week.......feel bad for you guys, loss of CRP and now drought.....
 
Hey all, don't know how much they got, but I don't think much and I doubt if it really helped much. What we need is that soaking kind of rain, not a 5 min downpour. But none really in sight. Sunday morning, we got a heck of a thunderstorm, thunder, lightening, but not one drop of rain! Really odd.

100's are expected by the end of this week and into the 90's next. As far as our crops go, there done. I doubt if they would make a rebound even with lots of rain. Folks around here can't remember a year this bad in recent memory.

On another note. The Bismarck Tribune came out that the USDA has now authorized haying of CRP. Some farmers will take advantage of this, but, a lot of the CRP is not good for feed or anything other than bedding. Guess time will tell on this deal.

Best,

Greg

P.S. Some info from G&F

http://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/...ct-wildlife-habitats-across-ND-432739983.html
 
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The feedlots can grind the CRP hay and make pretty decent feed out of it. That and corn silage ( if they get any) can keep a cow very well.

I'm a retired cattle producer and I have been in that situation once in my life. I'm telling you few things are as stressful as having hungry mouths to feed and the prospect of nothing being there.

I know folks don't like to see the CRP ground harvested, but it is a reserve, and now they need that reserve. It will be better nesting habitat next year for it.
 
Thanks McFarmer on that CRP info, really didn't know that. Good fact too know. I know a lot of the ranchers around here don't use feedlots, but heck if they can grind CRP why not. Most the folks down here are ranchers and I know where they are coming from, lots of talk after Church on this drought and what they think is going to happen, not many are optimistic. If I was a rancher, I'd be haying also. I'd try and save as much as my herd as possible and try and keep my head above water. They've suffered plenty in this drought, I only pray for rain.

Thanks again!

Greg
 
I hate to make this about pheasants but does anyone think it's time to change our plans? This was to be our first trip out to Hettinger. North Dakota for that matter.

Thanks
 
Byrdoglvr said:
I hate to make this about pheasants but does anyone think it's time to change our plans? This was to be our first trip out to Hettinger. North Dakota for that matter.

Thanks
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Hi, well to be honest, I think it might be too early to tell. The birds are down, no doubt about that, but with this drought and loss of CRP it may be a tough year. The brood counts will be out in mid to late August and they are a good indicator on how the season will go. There will be pockets of good populations, but finding them this year might be difficult. This year is a wait and see one. The area where you plan on going is the pheasant belt for this state, so your chances will be better than other regions. Sorry that there is no real yes or no answer to your question.

Best,

Greg
 
Brood count data might be misleading - one way or the other.

Pheasants will be much more visible because of the lack of cover.

Pheasants will not be on the roads as much if the grass is not tall and WET.
 
Byrdoglvr said:
I hate to make this about pheasants but does anyone think it's time to change our plans? This was to be our first trip out to Hettinger. North Dakota for that matter.

Thanks
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no I don't think you need to go that far yet they got some rain yesterday and if they keep getting some it will save the season I think (or I hope ) there should still be some good pockets of birds around.

any one know what the corn looks like over there by bowman ?
 
PTH said:
These thunderstorms have got to be helping the pheasants out, particularly in the southwest.
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ya I know where I hunt they have gotten about an inch in the last 3 days that's going to help things from getting worse for now. we just need them to keep getting rain once a week to get some cover on the ground and get the bugs number up for the chicks.
 
https://dakotaedge.com/2017/07/26/dakota-uplander-drought-takes-its-toll-on-sw-nd-pheasants/

"As drought conditions continue to grip the heart of North Dakota’s pheasant region, agents of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, employees of Pheasants Forever and area hunters report that the dry weather has been having a negative impact on the number of young birds they have been seeing.

“Anecdotally, I’ve talked to a couple of guys and they’re not seeing what they normally see this time of year,” said Rachel Bush, Pheasants Forever State Coordinator for North Dakota, based out of Dickinson, “one has about a 30-mile drive to his farm each day, and he usually sees a lot of broods; he’s seen about two birds that look like chicks,” she concluded................................."
 
Rain may be too little too late.

“Habitat conditions are poor as of now,” says Gross. “Most of the state is in a severe drought. Pheasant chicks need insects to survive, especially in the first 10 days of life, and without much moisture there will be little to no insect hatch. Outlook on the pheasant hatch is poor. It’s very dry in much of the state. Production will more than likely be below average.”

I suppose if the hen loses her entire brood she may renest, but if she has a chick or two in tow ... probably settle for that.
 
Some crops do OK because the sub soil moisture remains adequate from all the winter snow melt. If the crop roots can get to the subsoil moisture layer ... it does OK .... Reports are the subsoil moisture level is moving deeper down in most parts of ND.

Failed crop fields may not be worked right away ... if crop insurance program allows grazing ... these fields may stay around for some time provide margin cover to birds where most hunters will not be allowed (especially if cattle are present).
 
if NDGF were smart, they would cancel the season......but it's all about the money. it will be some time before a recovery is present.
 
Absolutely no reason to eliminate the season. Lower success rates will limit the number of trips most hunters make. You really cannot bank pheasants (especially roosters). If a tough winter comes along ... most will die from that anyways.

Dry conditions will make hunting ND a little sketchy regarding fire danger. Hunters will be limited to main and gravel roads ... the grassy areas and two track roads maybe off limits.

Cattail sloughs will be tilled (burned if allowed) at a high rate.
 
i am surely not suggesting the old term, "banking pheasants." the term is so often incorrectly used. carry over is critical in poor years of recruitment. look around, i am sure you all have seen or know someone who posts their land and allow no hunting...these are the core areas that breed, carryover and provide winter cover. the birds quickly learn they are safe here and they conserve energy and sustain a much higher survival rate than birds on public ground. during years, such as this one, if the season were annulled, the recovery rate (when conditions return to normal) would be much higher, everywhere. the GF will tell you it would make no difference, i have yet to see a biologist that was worth a damn, text book jocks, talking heads, they are never wrong, they are the the so experts. i will take my 50 years of hunting experience and match them any day...
 
hunter94 said:
i am surely not suggesting the old term, "banking pheasants." the term is so often incorrectly used. carry over is critical in poor years of recruitment. look around, i am sure you all have seen or know someone who posts their land and allow no hunting...these are the core areas that breed, carryover and provide winter cover. the birds quickly learn they are safe here and they conserve energy and sustain a much higher survival rate than birds on public ground. during years, such as this one, if the season were annulled, the recovery rate (when conditions return to normal) would be much higher, everywhere. the GF will tell you it would make no difference, i have yet to see a biologist that was worth a damn, text book jocks, talking heads, they are never wrong, they are the the so experts. i will take my 50 years of hunting experience and match them any day...
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Painting with a mighty broad brush young man.
 
I agree with BRITTMAN, no reason to cancel the season. While things are not all rosey and bright, there not that horrible either. We've been thru worse winters and even droughts like this in the past and still had seasons were folks did ok, not great, but they did find birds. I think the big concern this fall will be wildfires as BRITTMAN stated. It's only going to take one spark and that will do it. It will be interesting to see what Game & Fish does in this situation. We still have August and September, and the rains may appear. Of course Murphy's Law will come into effect this fall and it rains every day! This is just going to be one of these wait and see and play it by ear seasons. Just hope for the best

Stay well!

Greg
 
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