Just starting trip.....

BeirlSetters

BeirlSetters

Member
Just got to the house last night. Today is day one of a nine day hunt. Will post some updates as the week goes along. One thing I have noticed as commented by many. Still a ton of corn standing for this time of year.
 
Good luck, and post a few updates when you can. I start a 9-day trip in a little more than a week, so I'm looking forward to hearing what the conditions are like.
 
BeirlSetters said:
Just got to the house last night. Today is day one of a nine day hunt. Will post some updates as the week goes along. One thing I have noticed as commented by many. Still a ton of corn standing for this time of year.
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Chad, we are getting sleet and snow in NE South Dakota, roads are getting icy. Safe travels
SDviking
 
Finished first day of hunt in Southeast part of the state. Hunting private land, more corn than I've ever seen still standing this time of year. Party of 9, 4 birds today and hunted hard all day. Fields are flooded and walking is miserable with the field being sloppy. Looks like it's going to be a very slow week.
 
0918style said:
Finished first day of hunt in Southeast part of the state. Hunting private land, more corn than I've ever seen still standing this time of year. Party of 9, 4 birds today and hunted hard all day. Fields are flooded and walking is miserable with the field being sloppy. Looks like it's going to be a very slow week.
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Same situation we saw last week. Only birds we found were hunkered down on the banks of the James River.
 
Well we have two days under out belt. Cover is the best I have seen a some years. We are killing birds but its tough with the crops in. Young dogs are getting enough contact to experience SD the way they should. Was able on day one to get my young nine month old Gordan her first point and kill on a wild bird in the first field of the year, very rewarding experience. On another note this is the most corn/beans I have seen in the fields this time of year in a very long time. Good news is equipment is rolling. I stopped the truck at one intersection last yesterday and counted 5 fields that had combines in them. Things will change I think in the next few days and looking forward December could be incredible. For now we will keep pounding ground and hopefully get into better numbers as the crops keep coming out. Good luck to all still at it!
 
We finished harvest up yesterday west of Mitchell. While eliminating the cover, I don't personally see a marked improvement in the number of birds seen in the corn or the milo. Hunter numbers seemed way down in both upland and deer.
 
Heard the same about deer hunter numbers being down from the usual where we hunt.

As for birds, I think it's spotty as folks have pointed out. Where the moisture and temps were decent, there was decent cover and not surprisingly a decent number of birds. Where the moisture and temps were hard on the cover and hatch the birds are down. Also not surprising. Just my .02.
 
reddog said:
We finished harvest up yesterday west of Mitchell. While eliminating the cover, I don't personally see a marked improvement in the number of birds seen in the corn or the milo. Hunter numbers seemed way down in both upland and deer.
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I will correct my statement from yesterday. I think once the corn is out the birds in any general area will be more condensed. I think right now birds are spread out all over the map. I haven't seen any larger groups of birds through 3 days of hunting. Am I disappointed at this point, no this is SD pheasant hunting today, it's not like 10 years ago. Like I said there is corn standing all over and its has to factor into the equation somehow. I will be back later in December for a comparsion to the current trip.

The dogs and myself are hunting hard and putting a ton of miles to see what we have seen so far but thats pheasant hunting. On the hunter side of things we have ran into more guys already than I did last year. There are people out pounding ground looking for birds.
 
BeirlSetters said:
I will correct my statement from yesterday. I think once the corn is out the birds in any general area will be more condensed. I think right now birds are spread out all over the map. I haven't seen any larger groups of birds through 3 days of hunting. Am I disappointed at this point, no this is SD pheasant hunting today, it's not like 10 years ago. Like I said there is corn standing all over and its has to factor into the equation somehow. I will be back later in December for a comparsion to the current trip.

The dogs and myself are hunting hard and putting a ton of miles to see what we have seen so far but thats pheasant hunting. On the hunter side of things we have ran into more guys already than I did last year. There are people out pounding ground looking for birds.
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Chad, If I was coming out, you could take a break for a day and fish with me, but life seems to be getting more in the way for me this year, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.. Maybe December.
 
Yes sir will keep in touch. Yesterday was a very tough day a lot miles very little contact. I have been at this game for years and can normally find birds but struggling at the moment. A lot of corn is coming down so hopefully it will help. Not worried about killing a ton of birds. I have some young dogs that are running hard and I feel bad I can't get them the contacts I want them to have. We have five days left so hopefully after going through a pair of boots and a bottle of ibuprofen I can get them some more exposure. We are heading for Jim's today to visit and hunt so hopefully we will see some birds....
 
there is no doubt, there are areas that are almost devoid of birds......or very, very few....got to be willing to change your area.
 
Headed out myself on Saturday. Can't hardly wait. Can't hardly think or see straight right now. Come late Sunday afternoon when we unload the dogs in SD for the first time, I do believe my sight will return. Safe travels to all going and coming. Already looking forward to posting pictures and stories. And on the day before Thanksgiving, I am Thankful to the state of South Dakota and all the fine folks that share similar beliefs and accept out of state hunters. sjohn
 
Hunted south east SD this week on private land, lots of corn still standing. Should have came about Dec 1st. Great weather now, corn is being harvested furiously. When I was there water was standing in the fields and ditches were full of water. Worst year I've experienced in over 20 years. The hunting wI'll be a lot better by then. Most of the corn will be out in the next 7-10 days. Still enjoyed the experience but dismal numbers of birds due to the vast amount of cover.
 
Well another day on the books and finally into some birds. Had to move some 30-50 miles out to locate some numbers. Yesterday hunting was like it should be and my younger dogs got to experience the real South Dakota. The last three days of this first trip should continue to be good now that we have located some birds to get the dogs on. Corn is disappearing by the hour combines and semi's are as common and a car running down the highway right now, give them the room they need if you run into them. Reddog you were correct and I can admit it, the corn coming out made no material difference in the numbers in the main area I hunt. I walked some sections that had the corn harvested the day before expecting to see numbers and at least get the dogs wound up and we were still lucky just to see a hen walking the edge. I believe I have very good dogs that have years of experience and have seen just about everything and we couldn't buy a bird. The key here is if you aren't seeing birds move, move, move...…. Good luck to all heading this way and be safe!
 
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Hunter94- There is a big void in the main area I hunt. Its the worst I have seen in years. I wasn't willing to accept the fact it was that bad and I put on a ton of miles with the dogs to locate birds and wasn't able to do so. It's difficult just to see a hen let alone a rooster. The excessive water in the area has had a major impact to the overall pheasants numbers, they are few and far between. Walking a section with your dogs is more like taking the dog for run rather than hunting because things are so bad.
 
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