How long do birds stay in the grasses with standing crops around?

[cyclonenation10]

Here's a question I figured I'd throw out there for discussion.. On average, how long do birds stick around in the grasses/huntable cover before moving into standing corn (if it is nearby). I've had pretty hit or miss luck, some of my best fields have still had standing corn around but the first hour or two of hunting can be great still. However, the next day a very similar piece of cover may have only a small fraction of the birds still in the grasses (same time, weather, etc.).

I know there are alot of other variables, but was just curious to get everyone else's opinions? My own personal opinion is that given the choice, I would prefer to hunt cover with standing corn nearby in the late afternoon vs. early morning. It seems to be less hit or miss and much more consistent.

Summary:

Do birds always/almost always roost in the grasses, or will they roost in standing corn from time to time?

If you had the choice, would you hunt a field with standing corn around in the early morning, or late afternoon, all else equal?

Do you hunt a field any differently when there are standing crops around? Work faster? Hunt the edges first?

 

[Rogue Hunter]

A couple areas I've seen birds get up and fly into the corn at about 8:40. That's even before I've put the dog on the ground or slammed the truck doors, LOL

 

[remy3424]

I have a permanent tower blind built in the corner of a quarter section of CRP. The activity I see (while deer hunting) is that the birds begin to leave the grass and fly into standing corn, right around sunrise and in the evenings, the same (or opposite) can be seen around sunset, the birds gliding back into the grass. I am guessing they mostly don't roost in the standing corn. With the activity I have seen, I would not hunt standing corn either of the time options you gave. As for the feeding cycles, I don't believe all birds eat first thing in the day...you often harvest birds mid morning or during day that have an empty crop. I am not even sure if they all feed every day...can a bird digest a full crop in 24 hours? I think the timing of feeding is not at the same time for all the birds and there will always be some birds in the grass roosting areas.

 

[McFarmer]

We always get a few with the combine when doing corn at night.

 

[benelli-banger]

When windy, they move in and out of corn all day, it seems..clean corn isn’t safe if they can’t hear. But even calm days, birds routinely are loafing in adjacent cover next to corn. Not all pheasants do the same thing at all times.

 

[Munster927]

Do birds always/almost always roost in the grasses, or will they roost in standing corn from time to time?

If you had the choice, would you hunt a field with standing corn around in the early morning, or late afternoon, all else equal?

Do you hunt a field any differently when there are standing crops around? Work faster? Hunt the edges first?

To your first question, for roosting my experience is they spend that time in grasses more than corn. But they will roost in corn too.

I'll hunt a field with standing corn at both morning and evening. But if I HAD to pick just one, I'd pick evening. In the mornings it seems like they filter out of the grasses early but there are stragglers which you kick up. But come evening you can watch them fly in as most want to roost in the grass.

As for how to hunt it, I don't do anything special other than have someone on the edge. Or if it's just me hunting alone, I'll walk the edge.

 

[goldenboy]

I was told by a farmer who also managed his fields for pheasants that if it is warmer than 25 degrees overnight that birds can stay in the corn and not need to roost in grasses or cattails around the field. I have seen them run into corn or sunflowers ahead of me and never fly. Once they get in a row they can really make up ground fast and be a long way from my dogs before they even smell them.

 

[benelli-banger]

Back when there were lots of birds we’d drink beer and watch the birds come out of the corn at dusk and fly into my land..not uncommon to see hundreds. Point being, it was virtually a daily ritual for the birds. My hunting experiences back that up as well. Some may roost in corn, sure some do, especially dirty corn.