ND, See You Tomorrow

BritChaser

Well-known member
Locked and loaded to hit the trail to the far north first thing in the morning. Good luck to all who will be afield in ND on Saturday.

OLD POST: Hello! Looking for some guidance. I'm a non-resident thinking of going up to Hettinger area for opening weekend. It's just me and the dog. Don't know anyone up there so I would be limited to the trust lands and unposted private land. I would appreciate any comments as to what my opportunities might be. If I'm flat out of my mind thinking I can get in some decent pheasant hunting this way, please let me know. Thanks!
 
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NR hunters can't hunt certain public land for the first week...check the regs...may suggest a delay of a week or two...
NR's can't hunt plots the first week. A lot of the land is posted in that area, at least the best habitat, say leased hunting. Trust land turns out to be mostly grazed and is not worth hunting. That said the plots land can produce birds. I would wait until week 3 myself when the pressure is down a little. Might be tough this year, check the drought monitor, that area got hit hard.
 
i would guess everything and i mean everything is likely been hayed, even dried up cattails.
someone local could verify conditions. no ditch hunting allowed in ND either.
 
Anything owned by the state ... WMA and PLOT is off limits day 1 - 7 (Friday) of the Pheasant Season.

Federal WPAs are open to NR, but that area of SW ND does not have many USF&WS WPAs compared to east of the Missouri river.
 
Thanks for all the excellent info, fellow UPHers. With your guidance I've revised my plan, made a motel reservation, and I'll be in ND opening weekend - in a different part of the state. Happy hunting to all for the upcoming seasons.
 
Hello! Looking for some guidance. I'm a non-resident thinking of going up to Hettinger area for opening weekend. It's just me and the dog. Don't know anyone up there so I would be limited to the trust lands and unposted private land. I would appreciate any comments as to what my opportunities might be. If I'm flat out of my mind thinking I can get in some decent pheasant hunting this way, please let me know. Thanks!
I live north of New England, ND, a bit NW of Hettinger. ASC is on the money. Unposted private land is rare in this area, and this year electronic posting has begun so land that doesn't have posted signs may well still be electronically posted. As for PLOTS and WMA's, the following is directly from the NDGF website: NOTE: In accordance with state law, nonresidents are not allowed to hunt on Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) areas from October 9-15, 2021. Exception: Nonresidents hunting on PLOTS land they own.

If you come up opening week, you'll be limited to private land (most of which is posted or costs around $250 per gun per day unguided), Federal WPA's/WMA's (we don't have any to speak of in SW ND) or National Grasslands (which are located quite away west of Hettinger and aren't optimal pheasant country).

If you want to hunt SW ND you would be smart to wait until after the first week. After that, one hunter with a good dog who is willing to put on miles will get his share of roosters. I live down here and rarely hunt anything but PLOTS...
 
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TRIP REPORT: Arrived in Ashley (pop. 661) to rain and a forecast of two more days of it. Had excellent drinks, service, and lobster (yes, lobster) dinner at The Roost, a cook-your-own place, the evening of my arrival. Next morning pulled up stakes and hit the trail for the Bowman-Scranton area where I had fabulous hunting about 20 years ago. Reaching Bowman, hunted a little in the afternoon and the morning and afternoon the next day. Saw a total of seven pheasants (out of range) and one covey of huns. Hadn't seen huns in 25 years and did not recognize them at first. Blew one to pieces on a 10' R to L shot. And that was that. Left for home that afternoon. Poor hunting unfortunately.

A bit of pheasant wisdom: A Hill City old timer told me years ago that when bird numbers are down the birds are spooky and will far flush. While this was opening weekend in ND, this knowledge from forty or so years of boots afield after pheasants proved true.

YOUR TURN: please tell us how your ND hunt went.
 
TRIP REPORT: Arrived in Ashley (pop. 661) to rain and a forecast of two more days of it. Had excellent drinks, service, and lobster (yes, lobster) dinner at The Roost, a cook-your-own place, the evening of my arrival. Next morning pulled up stakes and hit the trail for the Bowman-Scranton area where I had fabulous hunting about 20 years ago. Reaching Bowman, hunted a little in the afternoon and the morning and afternoon the next day. Saw a total of seven pheasants (out of range) and one covey of huns. Hadn't seen huns in 25 years and did not recognize them at first. Blew one to pieces on a 10' R to L shot. And that was that. Left for home that afternoon. Poor hunting unfortunately.

A bit of pheasant wisdom: A Hill City old timer told me years ago that when bird numbers are down the birds are spooky and will far flush. While this was opening weekend in ND, this knowledge from forty or so years of boots afield after pheasants proved true.

YOUR TURN: please tell us how your ND hunt went.
I'll give you a report from great falls.Very Dry!!!
 
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