I don't mean to be a broken record, but another weather question

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
So I just checked the regional weather for southern MN and northern Iowa. It looks like most temps will be 33 degrees or less for a few days. Will this change the birds location a lot? It seems like birds have been sleeping in heavy cover but leaving early in the morning and seem to be scattered for most of the day. I'll be really curious to see what happens but not sure if I'll be able to get out😥
 
I think their activities are governed more by predators than weather…roosting cover is probably chosen based on safety…cattails or heavy vegetation are almost always the choice for roosting, then they’ll feed and loaf throughout the day.
 
Weather extremes will play a part but near average conditions will not matter much. Pheasants like most animals are creatures of habit, heavy cover for roosting, and fields for feeding during the day. I don't know if this true but it seems logical that they would head to the fields earlier when it gets colder as they need more food and it requires more effort to scratch up the food.
Heavy snow, extreme cold i.e. well below zero, tend to make them hold tight as the effort to feed burns more calories than just laying low. Super strong winds make them damn unpredictable, some flush wild other hold tight?? I guess I don't know what extreme heat does as 90 degree plus days don't happen where I hunt in October.
 
From my experience hunting late season, the only weather (outside of extremes such as high wind, heavy snow, etc) that pushes them to different cover is when it's really cold. Single digits type cold. They'll gravitate to being in cattails basically full time then as it provides some thermal cover.
 
I don’t think I’ve worn much more than a long sleeve shirt over a t shirt this year in Minnesota. With the majority of the time in just a t shirt.
 
Glock said:
I never knew this. How does warm weather make them run any crazier than cool weather?
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In snowy conditions they will run, yes. They also are more likely to borrow in and hold tight. Warm conditions more likely to run. I'm puzzled I am the only one who thinks this.
 
I sometimes think really windy weather makes them run. Then I jumpstart my thoughts in that if you are working into the wind, a pointing dog may lock up pretty far from that bird. Are they running or just the dog has them pinned - yet the bird is 20 yards away.

I have watched pheasants run behind hunters, leave a cattail slough, and cross a gravel road. I have watched pheasants running out of cover and scurry across a black, plowed corn field ... when they get the bug to run ... run they do.
 
BRITTMAN said:
I sometimes think really windy weather makes them run. Then I jumpstart my thoughts in that if you are working into the wind, a pointing dog may lock up pretty far from that bird. Are they running or just the dog has them pinned - yet the bird is 20 yards away.

I have watched pheasants run behind hunters, leave a cattail slough, and cross a gravel road. I have watched pheasants running out of cover and scurry across a black, plowed corn field ... when they get the bug to run ... run they do.
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Windy weather makes them more skittish for sure. A pheasant will double back, zig zag etc. Anything you can imagine. I've trailed a dog over 200 yards trailing a rooster.
 
You walk by many also.

I have told the story on here before. Small dry cattail slough on public land. Not too far from the road. A fresh inch of snow. I walked that slough there and back twice ... so four passes. Can't remember, but I know we put up birds on more than one of the passes. Kept seeing fresher tracks. Sometimes tracks on tracks. So on the third time (fifth pass) ... dog is thinking more dead or wounded bird and hunting close by. Locks on point. Flush, bang, and we get a rooster ...
 
The incident where they crossed the road behind the hunters. We watched two guys see birds on the road. They ran and flew into a little cattail slough on unposted land. I am sure they thought easy-peasy. Two guys, two labs. We watched from about 1/2 mile away with without binos. They were in about 25 yards or so when the birds started running out of the slough over the gravel road and into a harvested small grain field. They then hightailed it well out into that field and cover. It was a bunch ... both roosters and hens. Not one bird flushed, not one shot. If I would have known the hunters I would have pulled up and told them what happened.
 
gimruis said:
A drop to "seasonal" temps will not affect their daily routine. Natural predation and hunting pressure does.

We'll need extreme cold or measurable snow to change that.

I welcome the temps in the 30's. When I went last week it was about 45 and even that was still too warm.
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I agree,it's been very warm this fall.I prefer colder weather,but below zero is starting to bother me.
 
Birds are creatures of habit. They will want to sleep in the same places and go feed in the same general areas. pheasants will usually feed 2 times a day then find loafing areas after the first then roosting areas after the last one.

Find the loafing areas, or places between where the birds are finding food/gravel are the keys, or finding spots where the birds are feeding and you force them to cover with activity.
 
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