NC Public Land?

Wow! I went down yesterday morning in the snow to check things out before choking up the money for a license. Snowshoes would have been required. I decided not to get a license. I didn't see a lot of birds. I saw a few birds in what little standing corn there is. I did see one group of 31 birds in the morning and then again in the afternoon. They had moved a mile and a half. With all the fluffy snow they could hardly walk in the snow. That was out in the middle of some corn stubble. I did take some video, when I get home I'll see how it looks and will post on youtube if it looks decent. There is very little corn, just on the management areas. I'm not a farmer but how many bushles of corn would you harvest from 8 rows, 100 yards long? If you could find some farmers willing to accept the value of the corn to leave it in their fields would it be money well spent? Or doesn't standing corn do much for survival rates? I was kicking myself, I should have brought the .223 and the caller. Thought about it after leaving 60 miles from home. I hope at least the ducks will bounce back. Should be plenty of water in the pot holes this spring. Might have to switch gears next fall and shoot some mallards. I take it you didn't see Virginia. My buddy always says she has the prettiest teeth. White as cornflakes. Thanks for the offer Coot.
 
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A question for you guys. My mom lives in Fairmont. She knows what a hen pheasant is and a hungarian. She had a bird on the ground the under her bird feeder that wasn't a hen pheasant and was too big for a hungarian. Looking through the bird book she thought it was either a ruffed grouse or a prairie chicken. Have any of you guys ever seen either in this area? There are some woods lots in her area but I've never seen a ruffed grouse around here. Could it be a prairie chicken. She said she thought it had color on it like the prairie chicken? Maybe a sharptail?
 
wispringer said:
A question for you guys. My mom lives in Fairmont. She knows what a hen pheasant is and a hungarian. She had a bird on the ground the under her bird feeder that wasn't a hen pheasant and was too big for a hungarian. Looking through the bird book she thought it was either a ruffed grouse or a prairie chicken. Have any of you guys ever seen either in this area? There are some woods lots in her area but I've never seen a ruffed grouse around here. Could it be a prairie chicken. She said she thought it had color on it like the prairie chicken? Maybe a sharptail?
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I doubt it would be anything other then a quail released, a hun, or a pheasant. Grouse don't live this far south. I am in Blue Earth right now. Headed to Fairmont to look at a job tomorrow. I see the same thing with the snow. I might trudge a couple small spots today. But I am not blowing 90$ on the IA lic either. Headed to Kiester, take care guys. Old man and nephew left Yote hunting, and I sit in the house taking deer and Turkey pics. They feed here all day at the bird feeder just out side the window. Tri Pod is one name for an old Doe, she has 3 legs. She has been here for 8 years. Don't know where she hides during season, but she has a safe place somewhere. She always has two fawns with her every year as well.
 
That is a really old deer. The license would cost you around $130 these days. I was really suprised. $112 small game, $13 habitat fee and another $5 for on-line transaction.
 
I thought they were 89$, OH well. Just got back. Saw hundreds of birds, but I was not walking out for any of them.:D Snow is way to deep. You could road pop em in groves if your one of those types. But I am going home with Xmas left over ham and thats it. I will go out Mon. back home where you can walk yet. Birds look great right now. One flock had about 40 hens and 10 roosters give or take a few. I was counting as they were flying over the truck. All the grass cover is gone, can't even really tell where it was. The cattail patch I was going to looked great, but snow was crotch deep for a hundred yards to get to it. Dipped into IA and saw no sign of birds on the few publics, even with standing corn. Looks like the ears are grown right at ground level now. Easy picking but the locals must have em rousted out of there.
 
I was just out right on the border of Hancock/Kossuth counties. Saw about 100 or so birds total. Had a group of about 20 or so fly right behind the pickup while looking at other birds. No idea where they came from and I didn't see them before in the other field. But there was some cover left in the dredge ditches and some of my private CRP fields. I surprised at how much CRP was left standing with the snow. The only problem is getting through all the snow to actually get in to the field. This warm weather should help. Hopefully North Iowa doesn't get the freezing rain I just heard about though.
 
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