Newbie looking for help.

To be honest with ya, if your hunting CRP in that much snow it's most likely going to be a waste of time. If there is that much snow the CRP will not hold many birds. If it's socked in the birds will roost elsewhere. Cattails, willows and or shelterbelts. Smaller cattail patches near food plots or harvested fields or shelter belts (tree groves) on cold windy days. The heaviest cover will stick out like a sore thumb.
 
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birdshooter said:
To be honest with ya, if your hunting CRP in that much snow it's most likely going to be a waste of time. If there is that much snow the CRP will not hold many birds. If it's socked in the birds will roost elsewhere. Cattails, willows and or shelterbelts. Smaller cattail patches near food plots or harvested fields or shelter belts (tree groves) on cold windy days. The heaviest cover will stick out like a sore thumb.
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I was in cattails mostly. The problem was the snow had all blow into the cat tails so the deepest snow was in the swamp. I guess I just picked a bad area to try, but like I said I'm new at this and pretty much just shooting in the dark lol. Oh well, I'll try again next year, earlier in the year, when it isn't too cold for my dog.

Thanks.
 
Useualy there is some areas that aren't blown in so bad. It is not fun for anyone to hunt in them, but it is where most of them are and we just suffer through it slow. The birds hold tight offten but it is work. We flushed at least 200 birds + out of the cattails this weekend. If they weren't in there they were way out in a field. It helps to scout an area for birds on sign before you go too. They will be out somewhere in the afternoons, then you can see what sloughs they are using or where in the slough.
 
FCSpringer said:
Useualy there is some areas that aren't blown in so bad. It is not fun for anyone to hunt in them, but it is where most of them are and we just suffer through it slow. The birds hold tight offten but it is work. We flushed at least 200 birds + out of the cattails this weekend. If they weren't in there they were way out in a field. It helps to scout an area for birds on sign before you go too. They will be out somewhere in the afternoons, then you can see what sloughs they are using or where in the slough.
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I can't really scout, it was a 200 mile drive to that area. Or do you mean just drive from WPA/WMA to WPA/WMA and watch for birds?
 
Yea that drive makes it tough, but if you hunt in the mornings through early afternoon, till 2 say then cruise around till you see a few big bunches in a field. Then go ask once you see where they go. Private stuff around small rural towns are good for getting permission. Once you have them spotted it takes out the guessing game on where they are. Then the next day walk into the cats and blast. Works well, you will find them in fields if you look. Even if you don't see the birds you can see dirt scratched up in the fields in the snow where they feed. It sticks out like a sore thumb. Take binocks with so you can check out spots farther off the road. The dirt doesn't get all tore up under the snow by itself. But they will fly a ways to feed sometimes and the roost could be a neighboring piece, so watching for a 1/2 hr or so to see where some go is the real ticket. They will all most go to the same spot. If you don't see sign or birds in a section there is probably not that many there. Unless it just snowed and they have not been out yet. I have gotten permission from all but one person this year, hunting the same place only once. I don't like to keep asking, I will return next year so as to not wear out a welcome.And the least amount of people, the easier to get on, I start getting discouraged asking with more then 3 guys total. Yourself or you and one friend is best. Good luck
 
I hunt alone. How do you know who owns what land? Do you carry a plat book? I asked for permission 3 times this year, 2 people said no, the other one said they didn't own the land I was asking about.

Anyways, thanks for the help, but I have to call it quits this year. I'm out of money and time off lol.
 
Some days they are out all day feeding. Suspect tomorrow before the storm maybe such a day.

Walking the outside edge of the cattails is productive if not filled in with snow. Birds often use the edges during the day and fly in deeper before dark. Always looking for tracks. Areas with tracks take your time. It only takes one rooster to hold tight and wait it out ... to make it worth slowing down.

I have actually walked the same stretch of grass/slough bottown three times in a row. Birds got up on each pass. Nice rooster taken on third pass. I knew they were holding, backing around me by the tracks in the snow ... some tracks were in my boot tracks. :thumbsup:
 
OrangeCrush 86 said:
I hunt alone. How do you know who owns what land? Do you carry a plat book? I asked for permission 3 times this year, 2 people said no, the other one said they didn't own the land I was asking about.

Anyways, thanks for the help, but I have to call it quits this year. I'm out of money and time off lol.
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Yes I have a plat book and a phone book, but in person is best. You hit an off day asking, or you were in an area maybe too close to a big town, they get asked all the time and many say no unless you are in the right area. Make sure you let them know it will be just for the one day, that helps. You definatly have to have the ability to smooze people some. I Know guys that can't get permission in thier own back yard, but then I go ask the same person and I'm in. After asking thousands over the years it has helped. But if you keep pluging away and trying different aproaches politely, you will find some spots. Some are a waste of time that you can see with 10,000 no hunting signs, bird pens, dog kennels with fat labs in them ect, Just kidding on the lab thing guy's.:D So look where there is none of that junk. There are thousands of them out there. Make sure to point out the specific spot and not every thing they own, never by the house at all, NEVER by the house. It may take some time for you to figure it out and what type of areas to avoid as a waste of time, but after that you will have a 90% success ratio on yes for today, today is the key. Or tomorrow or whatever day Only. Like I said I hunted a different place all but once and only was told no once, and he almost caved, I let him off the hook or he would have. The reason I hunted the same place twice is because me and T,O, flushed so dang many birds out there and never got one. this time there was close to a hundred and another guy and I got our limmit. But I won't go back and ask now there till next year, even though there is still several limmits out there. I have already spoted other places for the next couple hunts. So you see if you scout and ask first = good spot in the morning= done early enough to scout and ask for next time= same thing. Wish you luck.
 
FCSpringer said:
Yes I have a plat book and a phone book, but in person is best. You hit an off day asking, or you were in an area maybe too close to a big town, they get asked all the time and many say no unless you are in the right area. Make sure you let them know it will be just for the one day, that helps. You definatly have to have the ability to smooze people some. I Know guys that can't get permission in thier own back yard, but then I go ask the same person and I'm in. After asking thousands over the years it has helped. But if you keep pluging away and trying different aproaches politely, you will find some spots. Some are a waste of time that you can see with 10,000 no hunting signs, bird pens, dog kennels with fat labs in them ect, Just kidding on the lab thing guy's.:D So look where there is none of that junk. There are thousands of them out there. Make sure to point out the specific spot and not every thing they own, never by the house at all, NEVER by the house. It may take some time for you to figure it out and what type of areas to avoid as a waste of time, but after that you will have a 90% success ratio on yes for today, today is the key. Or tomorrow or whatever day Only. Like I said I hunted a different place all but once and only was told no once, and he almost caved, I let him off the hook or he would have. The reason I hunted the same place twice is because me and T,O, flushed so dang many birds out there and never got one. this time there was close to a hundred and another guy and I got our limmit. But I won't go back and ask now there till next year, even though there is still several limmits out there. I have already spoted other places for the next couple hunts. So you see if you scout and ask first = good spot in the morning= done early enough to scout and ask for next time= same thing. Wish you luck.
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Thanks for the advice. I'm just too discouraged to keep trying this year. Maybe I'll give it a go next year.

Thanks again, I probably won't be back in this thread again as you guys have tried to help me as much as possible. Best luck to you guys.
 
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