How's the season going so far?

shorthairs4life

shorthairs4life

New member
Wanted to see how things are going out there for MN die hards. My season started off fast and furious seeing alot of birds, but it's slowed down a little bit recently. I'm not seeing as many birds lately. In some places I have not seen a bird since opening weekend. Also has anyone else noticed less hunters out in the field this year?
I'm not complaining because it's been a fantastic season thus far, but concerned because usually November is the best month of season.



Anxiously awaiting optimism
 
Us diehards haven't really started yet. Work commitments limit my hunting until mid November so I haven't been out much yet. I'll start hitting it hard after the deer nimrods are finished. I think the late season could be a challenge this year. Less birds, early harvest, = educated birds. I hunt a farm locally not far from you & in 3 trips I've shot the only 3 birds I've seen so numbers are down there. Have not been out west yet, I am hearing encouraging reports.
 
Slow to get started here as well. Been out twice and that was locally near me in Wright county. Shot a grand total of 1 so far. Planning a 2-3 day trip starting the 17th out to Lake Benton area in SW Mn. A dusting of the white stuff would really be nice about now...
 
mnjimmer said:
I'll start hitting it hard after the deer nimrods are finished.
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Wow I never thought of my 8 year old daughter that wanted to deer hunt this year with me as a Nimrod.

Anyway: I have seen lots of birds this year but they seem to be pretty jumpy already. I have had no luck due to water on public land but it's been OK on private land so far. I due most of the Phez. hunting late Nov. till the end of the season.
 
We had a great opening weekend. I have not been out in MN Since. I went to SD for 10 days (5 waterfowl and 5 pheasant) Im headed out this weekend with a few freinds I hope it goes as good as opener did. I cant wait for some snow cover and freezing temps to bunch the birds up.
 
Hunted with my first UPH user last weekend "Shorthairs4life and the cookie monster" shorthair is a crack shot :laugh: When are we going again
shorthairs4life i got a few more spots i can bring ya to that u can maybe get a few easier shots :D
Just a good old razz shorthairs4life all in good fun if i got to shot on saturday u would be razzin me probably more let me know when you want to go again :thumbsup:
 
Bring on the White Stuff!!!

I agree with all the above!!! Let's end the 67 degree weather and bring out a few inches of snow. Then we can turn this seaon back into a shoot em up bang bang good time.

Apparently some of us on this forum only learned how to find birds thus far. I'm still working on bringing them home. I guess that's why Remington has me on their Christmas card list. :D

Best of luck to all in the remainder of the season.
 
We don't bring them home all the time. Tonight I ran River for a 2 mile run and had a hen and a Rooster flush, she stayed steady for me to fan. But it was windy and that sucker was gone in a flash. Then later a rooster volenteered way ahead of her but she ran the track right to where he took off so I was happy with that. I don't shoot if the dog is working a bird, many times it is a different bird and they can lose the track if sent out for a retrieve. Plus I like to give them the moving bird work to hone skills. So I went home empty handed. Man were they jumpy. It was public and has been hit hard by deer hunters. Close but no cigar:D So I should have had my limmit in an hr.
 
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Have been out a few times and have come away with 5 birds total. Haven't seen a lot of birds. Having the best luck working with the standing water in the lower spots in the CRP and pushing them against it.
 
I have some private land in Lonsdale I can hunt and have been out there about 12 times this year so far. The first couple weeks after opener were slow with very jumpy birds but after the hunters started to thin out I would 1-2 each time I went down there....

After we got that really heavy wet snow a buddy and I went down there and had 4 roosters in 45mins.... They were spread out but they held really tight to the point my dog nearly killed the one before it could get out of the clump of grass/shrubs.

After that I had 2 days of 2 roosters each day. Since we had this last snow fall I have not seen a single pheasant much less a pheasant track! Al I ever see now is solid cyoete tracks every where I would ever think a pheasant would be.

So its time to kill some cyoete's although I have never hunted them before... Anyone know anything about cyoete hunting?
 
as of today, to date my roomie (tbear) and I have got 151 roosters in the bag but this did include trips to south dakota where we shot 125 of those 151, but still 26 so far for mn isn't to bad in my opinion... and we have been taking wknds off to go duck and goose hunting....all in all it has been a great year so far, and our labs are loving it!!!
 
Just got back from hunting for 1 1/2 days in SW Minnesota (Canby area). There was 3 of us with 3 dogs and we hunted hard. Ended up with a total of 4 birds and this was all private land. We just didn't see many birds and in most of the fields very little sign in the fresh snow. The birds have to be someplace, they just weren't where we were. :(
 
I currently have 54 birds in the freezer and have taken 67 for the year.... all in Minnesota. If you add in Iowa and SD birds the total number goes to 119. Granted, I am not your average weekend warrior as my job allows me to hunt every morning and every evening should I choose to so my harvest numbers probably aren't entirely indicative of the season. I've hunted hard this year but I've had extra motivation: I got my first dog this summer and really wanted him to get on as many birds as possible in his first season. Success, I'd say :)
 
I don't know if the eyes of the law frequent this site but I would be hesitant to publish that I have 50+ birds in the freezer. Just a tad over the possession limit I'm guessing. :) Or that I've harvested 125 birds this year. You might be hearing a knock on your door. :eek:

Just my personal observation.
 
Thanks, Zeb lol... should clarify that I haven't tagged all of these birds by myself! I am a pastor at a country church and frequently have 2-3 youth with me while hunting as well as one of their fathers. When we get home from a hunt we divvy up the day's take and go on our way. The 54 frozen birds are at my house, my in-laws house, my parents' house and the house of both of my brothers. How do I know how many are currently frozen? I was in the Cities last week and did a count of how many birds had been eaten by my family and how many they had left so that I knew if there was need to find some more to share with the family. I appreciate your "concern" but might want to watch the finger-wagging a bit until you get the whole story.
 
Kal said:
Thanks, Zeb lol... should clarify that I haven't tagged all of these birds by myself! I am a pastor at a country church and frequently have 2-3 youth with me while hunting as well as one of their fathers. When we get home from a hunt we divvy up the day's take and go on our way. The 54 frozen birds are at my house, my in-laws house, my parents' house and the house of both of my brothers. How do I know how many are currently frozen? I was in the Cities last week and did a count of how many birds had been eaten by my family and how many they had left so that I knew if there was need to find some more to share with the family. I appreciate your "concern" but might want to watch the finger-wagging a bit until you get the whole story.
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If you re-read my post there certainly was no "finger waving". Just a friendly observation. If you re-read your post you can see how someone could come to the wrong conclusion.
 
I agree with Zeb Kal,LOL:D You ministers are all alike. Gota watch out for you guy's. (just kidding) Glad your having fun down there. A good friend we train with has a congrigation in Mankato. Hard to picture you guy's with weapons in your hands.:D Take care and may the Good Man bless you with more success. PS please pray for those poor souls in IA Coot and Blackcloud.:laugh:
 
FCSpringer said:
I agree with Zeb Kal,LOL:D You ministers are all alike. Gota watch out for you guy's. (just kidding) Glad your having fun down there. A good friend we train with has a congrigation in Mankato. Hard to picture you guy's with weapons in your hands.:D Take care and may the Good Man bless you with more success. PS please pray for those poor souls in IA Coot and Blackcloud.:laugh:
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Busted you FCS clear violation of forum policy wheres webguy:D Good luck hunting guys. Scare some back south for me.

You the man Kal keep up the good work:thumbsup:
 
Dakotazeb said:
If you re-read my post there certainly was no "finger waving". Just a friendly observation. If you re-read your post you can see how someone could come to the wrong conclusion.
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Touche. Didn't mean to come off sounding crass, just misread your post. I guess thats the #1 drawback of "talking" through text, intentions almost always have to be inferred and apparently I did a poor job of it. No hard feelings!

FCSpringer said:
I agree with Zeb Kal,LOL:D You ministers are all alike. Gota watch out for you guy's. (just kidding) Glad your having fun down there. A good friend we train with has a congrigation in Mankato. Hard to picture you guy's with weapons in your hands.:D Take care and may the Good Man bless you with more success. PS please pray for those poor souls in IA Coot and Blackcloud.:laugh:
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BAH! Some of my best hunting buddies are fellow clergymen! Now if only I could get my wife in the field. SIGH
 
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