How did everyone do?

We had a group of 3-5 people from Saturday-Tuesday. We shot 6-10 Roosters/day. Never limited out, and had considerably less places to hunt with the crop up then we do most of the time. But was very happy with the amount of birds we saw. I would say from what I saw, ND numbers look a lot better than last year, and I thought last year was a decent year.
 
Very good news, I am heading out there at the end of the month. Hopefully most of the crops will be harvested. It is getting harder to find good habitat. Too much corn and beans are taking away some of the marginal fields. It is big business and making a profit is what keeps the farms going.
 
Great news, what part of ND were you in? Hunting private or just public/knocking on doors?

Heading out for our annual trip in a month, so I'm hoping the corn will be down by then.
 
Great news, what part of ND were you in? Hunting private or just public/knocking on doors?

Heading out for our annual trip in a month, so I'm hoping the corn will be down by then.

We were In central ND east of Bismarck. I had to Hunt Private land or federal land since I am out state (I live in Wisconsin). We have a little land so we hunted our land as well as some neighbors land and some guys I used to work for. All corn was up, so it was real tuff to get birds up.

Anything that was right next to corn, which looked great, we didn't see a rooster (couple hens). We hunted all day and walked a lot. But I was very happy with the numbers we saw. I think it will be a good year. Our best luck was walking ditches, with light to medium cover, and where there was corn near by, but not right next to it.

Also saw a lot of birds while driving, right in the first row of the corn, or flying into the corn.

Jim
 
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Both pheasants and grouse were up from last year. Only shot one full mature Rooster (good sign in my opinion). Kicked most of them out of brushy draws and 5 ft tall cattail / rushes. We saw more along the road than we have the last few years. That was the most grouse that I have seen since 2008!
 
Hey all, well for us it's be spotty, some good days, some not so good. The standing crops have not helped at all!! The weather also has been on the warm side as well, I like it a bit cooler. Have been seeing more than opener, but they're spooky. On the side, here's some bragging pictures of what I've done so far this season (in no order):

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Good luck to all!!

Greg
 
shotguns

that is a pretty neat bunch of side by sides, don't see much of them these days. enjoyed looking at them

cheers
 
Looks like an excellent start! Those huns are awesome! I have never shot any up there , but the locals say there are a few around.
 
Thanks guys. I shoot SxS's for everything to include ducks and geese. Just love these guns. Huns around here are a bonus bird, a few years ago the population was much higher and it was not uncommon to jump 3 or 4 coveys a day. Now it's not so easy, no one I know hunts just for them, like I said a bonus bird.

Anyway, went out today, weather was great and I was able to limit and get a grouse. The gun is a 12b Cogswell & Harrison Konor model:

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Best to all!

Greg
 
Looks like an excellent start! Those huns are awesome! I have never shot any up there , but the locals say there are a few around.

We flushed 3 coveys of Huns. I got a double we took 4 total (group of 30--actually biggest group of Huns I have ever seen). Never got shots at the other 2 coveys. just glad we saw a good amount.
 
I came across on I94 yesterday, windy and dry.
The combines are in the corn, big time.
The the harvest methods these days, it goes fast. :thumbsup:
 
will be in SW N. Dak for 4 days tomorrow, I hear bird numbers have improved over last year.

I have been told the hatch was "quite favorable" to use the exact words. Summer was wet and as of the middle of September they hadn't been able to get out in the field to get the wheat in. I'm sure things have dried out considerably since then though.

Good luck and give us the report when you get back.
 
Public plots, sw N. Dakota,

birds numbers are better than last year, it was windy, dry, last week, and they are Olympic grade sprinters.... finally working all day, got birds... every bird taken was a bird of the year. it got cold Sunday, as I was leaving, the tables now turn to the hunters favor in my opinion, if you and your pup can stand it!

However if you were there in 07,08,09,10 the bird numbers are no where close, with the critical loss of hedges, crp, clean farming!
 
Hit PLOTS first day, decent number of birds. Missed some golden opportunities. Private land for last 4 days, limits every day.
 
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