Just doin' my part to support the DNR

[rwalker]

So here is the report from Saturday hunting trip around Whiting in Monona county... So first up gotta complain a little bit, for as poor as a lot of you say a job the DNR does it's not due to lack of funding on my part. $125.00 for 1 day of hunting as an out of stater come on!!! I know Colorado is supposed to be nothing in comparison but when a buddy of mine from out of state can come here and hunt for $11.00 a day plus a $5.00 h stamp this is robbery!!!! And I see just as many birds. Anyway back to the report, hunted private ground and couple of road ditches and a creek with a local. Kicked only one rooster out of each of the two large switch fields. Dropped 2 and my buddy missed the third. We were hunting behind a dog and probably pushed two of the three out. Nearly stepped on both a rooster and hen that came out of the creek and all that we kicked out were holding tight. We kicked three hens out as well. Honestly I can see what is meant by lack of habitat, the farmers are farming thru the road ditches and there is very little corn left in cut sections. From here out an occasional trip to SD or my usual trips to Eastern Colorado are gonna have to do because it is very hard to justify $125 for a chance at one or two birds, unless I hear it improves. You guys have gotta be loosing revenue to small businesses and lodging due to this. Best of luck on you guys still hunting there we left one for ya, Drop Em. Rob

 

[slodes]

I have a hard time justifying the $34 in state license fee I pay. I've been up in that area in the past and I'm surprised you saw what you did-public or private land up that way is tough right now.

 

[IOWA_Tallgrass]

Sad situation...

Yeah, its bad...

I did something I never thought I would do when I moved here from the east coast, I drove 3 hours one way-to go hunting-and return home.

Yesterday, I drove from my home in east-central IA to north-central IA (Wright/Hancock counties-since the #s are supposed to be stable up there) to do some scouting with my son.

It was a beautiful day, and truth be told, the long drive let me catch up a bit with my 11 year old son.

We only had a few hours to hunt-we knew it going out since we left home at 11am-but at our 1st spot, within 5 minutes of leaving the truck, the dog point a raucous ringneck that we both proceeded to miss! My son also got to see some birds that flushed way ahead of us at another area, which he thought was cool.

All in all, no birds were down, but we scouted some new country for a longer duration trip later this year.

What really saddened me though, and I know the farmers have good reason to do it, was the amount of fall plowing I seen up there. Almost all the cornfields were chisel plowed or worse. I have no freakin' idea what those birds are gonna eat through the winter. There was plenty of habitat up there (compared to around here), but food sources were nil to none.

I just don't know what the future will hold.

 

[rwalker]

We walked a bunch. Definately not lack of effort, but lack of birds. Like I said hope they fix it. Should offer a one or three day license as well. I know weather was really bad in this area last year. We actually shot more ducks by accident on creek.

 

[IOWA_Tallgrass]

We walked a bunch. Definately not lack of effort, but lack of birds. Like I said hope they fix it. Should offer a one or three day license as well. I know weather was really bad in this area last year. We actually shot more ducks by accident on creek.

Funny you mention that, I have shot more duck this year than pheasants; just roasted a GWT tonight I got last week before the marsh I hunt near home froze up. With my setter getting old, I am giving serious thought to changing my setup and taking a break from more serious upland hunting and being more of a waterfowler in the years to come. For those that know me, it probably sounds scandalous, but to me, its hard to have a good bird dog and only use him 2 weeks of the year; if I end up having to take a trip west to hunt pheasants like I do for woodock and grouse. Until '08, we hunted a least once a week here in IA and did ok, but last year and this year have been so bad, I'm pretty disheartened.

 

[rwalker]

Might try a pointing lab, I love mine. I wouldn't say best of both worlds but it's pretty sweet to see a dog point out a rooster and then plunge into a creek and bring a duck back to you. Just my personal thought but it's got my buddies lining up to get one.

 

[blackcloud27]

Yeah, its bad...

I did something I never thought I would do when I moved here from the east coast, I drove 3 hours one way-to go hunting-and return home.

Yesterday, I drove from my home in east-central IA to north-central IA (Wright/Hancock counties-since the #s are supposed to be stable up there) to do some scouting with my son.

It was a beautiful day, and truth be told, the long drive let me catch up a bit with my 11 year old son.

We only had a few hours to hunt-we knew it going out since we left home at 11am-but at our 1st spot, within 5 minutes of leaving the truck, the dog point a raucous ringneck that we both proceeded to miss! My son also got to see some birds that flushed way ahead of us at another area, which he thought was cool.

All in all, no birds were down, but we scouted some new country for a longer duration trip later this year.

What really saddened me though, and I know the farmers have good reason to do it, was the amount of fall plowing I seen up there. Almost all the cornfields were chisel plowed or worse. I have no freakin' idea what those birds are gonna eat through the winter. There was plenty of habitat up there (compared to around here), but food sources were nil to none.

I just don't know what the future will hold.

birds dont find much food in the corn stubble. combines are very effiecent. in the winter the wind swept hills in the soybean stubble will have food. most bean stalkes have a pod or two on the very bottom. pheasants can find these easier as long as it doesnt get covered with ice.