Halloween Hunt

KBell

KBell

New member
Took off at noon for a public lands hunt about 12 miles north of Storm Lake. Many combines in the fields today and saw several groups of hunters on the way north.

Wind was not as extreme as predicted but did throw on the "shooting gloves" for the afternoon hunt.

First public piece is smaller but a group of eight are working it with no dogs. Turns out they are "locals" trying to get some action prior to the weekend. Nice group of guys. I press on. Bigger piece now and I am another two miles north and a mile west of town. No one in sight--off we go!:)

First two points are hens. Sophie is getting them to hold today I thought to myself. First rooster of day off of next point. He is close to big blue cover. Up and down quickly. I notice this is a early hatch youngster. Bird two flushes after a relocation point from the big blue. I believe him to be a brood-mate as he also is an early hatch but fully colored and this years bird. Both have full crops of corn and greens.

We work two hen points and move towards a patch of cattails when Sophie stops and turns slightly to the wind. As I walk in I notice the open "mouthing" as the scent is strong. I have learned from this action that usually several birds are in her vicinity. A double flush of roosters that appear identical and only one falls to the flush. Another early hatch and crop full of corn. It is 2:13 p.m.

Two days with two different hatches of birds. Yesterday's were young, not fully plumed and full of grasshoppers and caterpillars. Today's birds are early hatch, fully plumed and crop full of corn and greens. Double hatches like this make for sharp rises in bird numbers. I heard several shots while out today and this area should be fantastic once more of the corn is out. I would still say 40 to 50% of the corn was still standing as of today.
 
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Agree regarding your mention of the hatches. I'm seeing the same thing this year. Nearly all birds harvested have been first year birds, and many late hatches.
 
Thanks for the crop content info. Below is some info that most probably already know, but what the heck:D

Those matured "first year" birds have corn/weed seeds/greens in their crops because they're now at a point where they're building up weight/fat for the coming winter. Molting is over with so a protein rich diet is no longer necessary.

The "immature roosters" you shot the day before had crops full of insects because they're still molting. To molt, a protein rich diet (found in insects) is required. Once they've molted it's onto corn and other grains to maintain energy and put on weight before the coming winter.

Regarding adult roosters (older birds), they usually molt around July, so their diet will consist mostly of grain, weed seeds, with some insects. Once molting is over, it's back to the grain/seeds. So by this time they've long been on a grain diet.

As for the hen who nested and raised her brood; She has to regain weight lost during the nesting and raising of her brood process. Her diet will include many insects before switching over to grain.:)
 
Thanks much guys for the kind words. I never really intend to "educate" others here but can readily see that I and others on this forum do just that by re-living our hunts.

It has taken me my "lifetime" to learn and study the pheasant and I guess that is why I note, record and recollect so much of what I do each time pheasant hunting. I have learned my success is usually due to great dog work, acceptable shooting and most importantly being observant to wind, crops, feeding patterns, and the approach to pheasant hunting appropriate for the weather, time of the season etc.

I share the just picked corn approach because I have journal entry after journal entry of hunting success over 38 plus years of early season expeditions on those freshly picked corn fields. I have had more than one farmer scratching their head and asking you want to walk what? when asking to cover a freshly picked field.

I share what they are "feeding on" because that is where you will find them at certain times of the day. I share the several hatches because I do believe variables cause hens to nest or re-nest at different points in the spring. I have yet to see extremely young birds--grey heads or 3/4 pound bodies this year but have noticed two contrasting groups of "hatch birds" in the same area twice this season.

The hatch variables create better early season success but can be a detriment if severe weather arrives early. I refer to my journals each year and specifically pay attention to regional data from year to year when arranging and hunting those regions each week.:)
 
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Hello friend

Hello John,

You can be sure that I check your posts as well!:) I still need to send you some of that Iowa venison you were wanting. If you are still interested I am sure we can work something out. Have sausage and sticks in the freezer.

Ken
 
Kevin-

Nice hunt, I bet we just missed each other on some of that ground as I was also hunting the same neighborhood. I was surprised there were as many people out as there were or what was technically still a work day. I was working alone with my setter and not as successful, however i believe that was more due to the size of the cover I worked. I could practically hear the birds running laps around me in the tall stuff. Did crack one rooster but he hit the ground running and we reflushed and kept pursuing for a good 500 yards before being lost compeltely. A couple other brush obstructed shots.

I think merely picking the corn isn't enough to drive the birds into cover in nice weather like this. Discing always ups the odds for me considerably, and the areas I hunted were consistent in this theory.

Saturday switched to private ground in Boone and Greene counties and got a couple nice limits with the brother in law....

If you're out again and need a partner give me a call- I have Fridays off and am usually alone, and have found having another person to "pivot" off of in the big cover helps get more birds for everybody.....

Have a good season.
 
I returned home to Wisconsin last eve after my trip to Iowa. We hunt on farms owned by my buddy's in-laws north of Webster City.

15 birds, 5 guys, over 2 days. Sunday was some of the toughest wind I've hunted in. A lot of running birds and my setter pointing birds from 50 yards away.

My setter is 3-1/2 and he performed really well. He's at home today, still not moving around much, as he's stiff and sore. He swam for one rooster I knocked down into a river. Some of the work he did on relocating running birds, using the wind, etc., was awesome. He's developing into a great dog.

Over half the birds we shot had long, sharp spurs. 5-6 had full coloration, but rounded spurs. 2 birds were a late hatch with short tails and barely colored at all. We also didn't see that many hens. I look at the age distribution of our kill and the lack of hens and figure the population isn't quite as good as the road surveys suggest.

Almost all of the corn was down in the areas we hunted, from Woolstock to Eagle Grove to Clarion.
 
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