If thier expecting low bird numbers?

Neither, as each of those options are devoid of any personal appeal.

This Upland or Waterfowl deal seems ever present in your thoughts.:)
 
If I was you I would drive to where the hunting is better. I have heard of areas of Nebraska with good bird numbers. Also SD is pretty close or go to Valentine for grouse. But to answer your question I would go duck hunting before going to a game ranch.
 
Is this a new one, lol
I feel for your man I really do. I know easterm Nebraska sucks
Surely there is a WPA reasonally close? that holds a few birds.

Its 40 miles to a decent spot for me, actually 2 of them. Most people drive by headed west
so if the're there, don't overlook them. Hell there was somebody on here last year shooting birds east of Emporia, KS.....long way from McCook.

Good luck to you though.
..no shame in hunting ducks.I did it when my daughter was little...wife friendly too.
 
Low bird numbers

I live in IL. That should describe my situation very well. Unfortunately the opportunity to hunt wild birds, quail and pheasant is quite limited. Therefore I hunt where birds are stocked. I do not care to hunt released quail as many do not fly well. Most stocked pheasants, especially cocks, do give good flight. I enjoy dog work so I choose what is available. Would I hunt ducks? Yes. That is a somewhat limited, here in IL, as there are many who hunt waterfowl and much of the suitable property is leased.
In the 1950's I was about 16-17 and my Dad was 40+. We were hunting quail, which were plentiful, and we watched as an Osage orange row was being bulldozed. He said, "When you are my age you will have to pay for the privilege to hunt". When I was 40 there were still many areas to hunt and game was available. I miss those times especially since my grandchildren will only have hunting available if they can afford to hunt.
I still take a trip to SD each year but that is for just several days.
I read and observe "records" of the opportunities some of the members of this site have and am pleased some are still able to do what I did 50+ years ago. Reading about the decline of CRP makes me sad. Try to enjoy what is available.
 
Last edited:
Wild pheasant numbers suck here so much that a lot of guys say they don't exist but I'm able to scratch down a couple dozen or more in a fall. A guy does have to go outside and play though.
 
No game ranches for me.
I'll get into a nasty, weedy, creek bottom. Jump a few Mallards, pups will find a couple wild roosters. Might take all day, bet I get limits.:cheers:

Pics to follow. :)
 
if wild pheasant numbers are down in my hunting areas in MN witch they are this & last season & the season B4 that i will just have to travel to wear there is still habitat & pheasants in MN & if i cant find any number of birds i will head to ND or SD maybe both if the pocket book allows & i have a few buddys along for the hunts...

i have a new hunting dog small munsterlander so i have to get her on as many WILD birds as i can this season as pen raised birds can not teach your dog to hunt the same way as a truly wild pheasant can sorry to say...

i do feel for any avid pheasant hunter that really enjoys pheasant hunting good or bad day that lives out on the extreme west or east coast as they really have no wild bird options to speak of!!! in many of them states the game & fish releases pen raised birds b4 there season to give them something to enjoy hunting???

but for us mid west hunters we still have options be it a state or 2 drive away its much better then having to jump on a plain & fly to SD... guys in NE KS IA MN complain that they have no birds but its not the same we have no pheasants as it is out on the west/east coast we just dont have birds like we did even 5-7 yrs ago thats true...

as for the waterfowl question in my opinion its just way to much work set n up decoys get n up way B4 sunrise dealing with sky busting hunters wet muddy swampy stinky water for only a few ducks at least thats the routine here in MN if i did waterfowl hunt id do it in a state worth waterfowl hunting like SD ND MT KS NE or would do a combo pheasant waterfowl hunt them were always fun back when i was young... duck in the a.m. pheasant in the afternoons...

i mostly hunt pheasant over ducks now i mean pheasant taste so much better!!!

stick it out if its tuff guys or save some bank & head to wear there is wild pheasants to hunt!!! im save n up for a ND/SD trip now maybe both if i can swing it!!!??? got to hunt wear there is more pheasants then wear i hunt in MN for a change!!!
 
small munsterlander owner said:
i do feel for any avid pheasant hunter that really enjoys pheasant hunting good or bad day that lives out on the extreme west or east coast as they really have no wild bird options to speak of!!! in many of them states the game & fish releases pen raised birds b4 there season to give them something to enjoy hunting???
Click to expand...

Where do you get that information if you don't mind me asking? You may not be tons of wild pheasants out west like there once was but seeing 5-20 pheasants a day is doable in the right spots. Yeah it takes a good dog and a lot of miles but the birds are around. Not to mention all the other game birds; quail, grouse, chuks etc and I expect the same is true in Oregon and Washington. No neef to feel bad for us out west.:cheers:
 
quail hound my not many PHEASANTS out on the west/east coast comment was not directed towards you & no need to try & make me look dumb??? i guess i should not of said west coast??? when talking about the western or south western united states in overalls lack of WILD PHEASANTS...

i may be wrong? but i was not aware of ample PHEASANT hunting opportunity's in states like AZ,NM,UT,NV,TX they may & some of them states do have a few WILD pheasants but i doubt people from western states travel to those states mentioned above to hunt WILD pheasants??? they hit up SD,ND,KS,NE ETC...

i do understand oregon was the first state to have a successful release of ring neck pheasants & WA,OR,ID & CA do hold pheasants & people out west do enjoy hunting them but like you said the bird numbers are nothing like the old days & is there really enough WILD PHEASANTS out in those states for somebody to really want save up some $$$ & head there for a WILD PHEASANT HUNT??? thats why i feel bad for you guys out west... how many quail you need to make a pheasant dinner??? a pile i bet??? how many miles walked??? not everybodys up for a hardcore hunt every time they hit the fields... or has hunting machine dogs like some...

also quail hound if you take a look at the CA thread witch you pretty much own you will see the info about the RELEASED BIRDS i think it was on the opening day thread last yr & at least 1-2 more threads have or refer to guys hunting released birds in the state of CA... 1 thread said something about a certain city/town releasing pheasants the day B4 the opener so the visiting hunters would have some birds to shoot on opener how fun!!! thats wear i got my info & from many magazine/on-line articles & t.v. shows

i guess in me reading 2-3 different threads from CA wear they mention releasing PHEASANTS prior to a opening day gave me the impression that there is not many WILD PHEASANTS out west to be had for the average hunter...

i guess i compare hunting released PHEASANTS to GAME FARM hunting i just figure a released PHEASANT is a released pheasant no matter if a state wildlife agency releases the pheasant for guys to hunt for free the next day on opener on public land or if a guy pays a game farm owner to do the same thing on private land its just not a WILD PHEASANT...

game farms are great tune ups for the hunting dog & our shooting skills but thats about it... i have read many storys of guys from back east or out west that have saved $$$ & went on WILD PHEASANT hunts in states like SD,ND,MT,KS,IA & NE even guys from WI have to deal with the released pheasants on public lands & or only having game farms to hunt many want to hunt wild birds for a change & head west each yr...

as far as upland game bird combo hunt opportunity's & pure beauty while out hunting i am jealous of you boys out west able to hunt from mountains to crop fields & creek beds to oak woods & savannas very cool but i was talking about PHEASANT hunting not just quail species i understand quail rule the roost out west & are fun to hunt...
 
I wasn't trying to make you look dumb and I'm sorry if you thought that was my intention, I guess I'm just tired of everybody I meet who would rather lament what used to be than do anything to make what we do have any better. My own dad told me I might as well hunt our pasture than drive the 60 miles west to try for wild birds when I began this journey. I'm happy to say my dogs and I have learned how and where to get into wild birds and luckily we have youthful legs under us to carry us over the miles. I would LOVE to hunt some of the real pheasant states but for now I'll work with what I have and be happy with it. :cheers:
 
its a very good thing to make what we have better i agree 100% with out PH many of the public WMAs i hunt in MN would not be around & we would have 1 here & 1 there rather then small blocks of WMAs that make a core pheasant range in many areas of our state...

that being said im still planing a trip out west to hunt pheasants this fall to get my father & young dog on a bunch of wild pheasants & hope to get into sharptails & huns if im lucky???

i enjoy your posts & pics & no hard feelings quail hound i would love to live out in cali quail & turkey country during out MN winters many yrs & chase them little guys around the hills for a change...

closest quail country i have to me in MN is southern IA northern MO but id skip that region & head to NE or KS to chase bob whites even SD has some but few & far between & in very limited range & numbers....

we do have 4 species of grouse to chase in MN & woodcock plus huns if lucky also pheasants waterfowl & wild turkey my fav!!! used to have wild bob white quail but now 99% of what i see is from released stock im sure down in SE MN... in that country have seen huns bob whites pheasants turkey & ruffed grouse all in the same very small area on same day say well with in a 1.5 mile square area all it was very beautiful site to see... not a common site any longer in that country sad to say...
 
I will hunt planted birds a time or two before the season opens to prime the pup, and if numbers are really low, will probably do a few more during the season. I have a few places that are always good for a rooster or two that are fairly close to the house.
I will also spend some time hunting ducks, not quite as enjoyable as pheasant hunting, but it can be fun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top