Late December Trip

Rooster Rodeo said:
First day today. It was really a brutal morning with that wind. Two of us managed 3 but it was pretty tough hunting. Both us and the dogs were spent by about 2:30. For snow I would say about a foot was the average but that damn wind really drifted it deeper in a lot of spots. Gravel roads are manageable, but you really gotta pay attention to all the drifting, parking is hard to come by because of the drifts.
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What area in the state?
 
tntdeacon said:
What area in the state?
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North Central. We hunted further west today and it seems that they have even more snow. It is really difficult to walk in. The drifts are pretty brutal although the roads are in better shape. Frozen ponds and willows are your best bet. Got three more. It’s really cool to see bunches of birds flush. I feel that there’s also an element of chance this time of year. I’ve found that you really have to be in the right spot at the right time. Lots of flushes just out of range because we can’t move fast enough in the damn snow drifts!
 
Rooster Rodeo said:
North Central. We hunted further west today and it seems that they have even more snow. It is really difficult to walk in. The drifts are pretty brutal although the roads are in better shape. Frozen ponds and willows are your best bet. Got three more. It’s really cool to see bunches of birds flush. I feel that there’s also an element of chance this time of year. I’ve found that you really have to be in the right spot at the right time. Lots of flushes just out of range because we can’t move fast enough in the damn snow drifts!
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Why do you think they like the frozen ponds?
 
Bob Peters said:
Why do you think they like the frozen ponds?
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😂 I meant it in the context of walking. It’s really drifted around cattails and they are full of snow. Really hard to work but if it’s good ice you can work them from the inside edges. That’s where we did best with the cattails.
 
Day 3

We hunted only a half day. What a difference in the weather! It was a beautiful day with perfect temps. We needed up bagging two more. On the way back to the truck, the dogs started getting birdy on a patch of willows. One dog worked it straight through and the other worked the edge. As I circled the edge, a group of roosters started flushing out. Just out of range, I tried getting up on them as fast as I could but struggled with the heavy snow pack. Thankfully one held tight and I was able to get him. A perfect way to end the season! I’m bummed we’re done for the year, but I hope these higher temps will melt the snow and help these birds getting through the winter.
 
Son and I pounded ground first part of January around Fort Dodge…..totally disappointed….hunted 4 days, all on public ground….raised maybe 80 hens, but only got shots at 2 roosters…many were skittish and we couldn’t get a shot…..might head to SD next year…I love Iowa and the friendly people there!!!!
 
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Buster24 said:
Son and I pounded ground first part of January around Fort Dodge…..totally disappointed….hunted 4 days, all on public ground….raised maybe 80 hens, but only got shots at 2 roosters…many were skittish and we couldn’t get a shot…..might head to SD next year…I love Iowa and the friendly people there!!!!
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I hunted the same area at about the same time with similar results.

In two days hunting on public land, we had about 100 flushes. Only two roosters offered shots, we bagged one.
 
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