No weekend reports?

[Golden Hour]

Saturday, Sunday & yesterday. East central SD. Hunted public land & a few ditches. Saw real good numbers of pheasants. Public land is quite a challenge right now because with no snow, there's as much cover now as there was in October (minus standing corn). In most cases, roosters are using small portions of public spots & for very brief portions of the day. They seem to try to avoid being hunted.

Its a pretty wonderful day and age to be a pheasant hunter on public land in South Dakota.

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

What is the thoughts with WPAs vs GPAs? I hit a GPA today that had everything on it....CRP, trees, evergreens, corn, sorghum, grass, sweet clover and thin cattail slough....private field of picked corn on one border....not even a hen! Dog never even got birdy. Hunted out? Pressured out?
Just curious.

Most likely pheasants are using that spot, just very, very briefly on any given day & probably to roost at night if there's a good slough or something else quite thick. WPAs, CREP, or WIAs would be no different. They've ALL been hunted A LOT by now. That said, where I hunt, WPAs are generally better than other types of public land, simply because the cover is better & more varied. That trend may not hold true in other parts of the state.

 

[Gobbler]

Ace...what a beautiful springer!!!! Just the right size to get under those bent over cattails and hunt those tunnels that exist under there. I had one in my younger days and no breed hunts harder. I've seen Ace in action on your videos. You are a lucky man. I believe even I could kill a rooster or two hunting behind Ace

 

[A5 Sweet 16]

Ace...what a beautiful springer!!!! Just the right size to get under those bent over cattails and hunt those tunnels that exist under there. I had one in my younger days and no breed hunts harder. I've seen Ace in action on your videos. You are a lucky man. I believe even I could kill a rooster or two hunting behind Ace

Thanks. You're overly kind, but yes, the boy would rather be in cattails than not in cattails.

 

[Weimdogman]

It is common knowledge that South Dakota has the best pheasant hunting in the U.S..
Covid got people back out hunting and many got dogs or spent a little time training theirs. We have had mostly mild weather which has made for more late season hunters and allowed the birds to spread out rather then needing to stay in heavy thermal cover. Birds have been hunted hard for months and trust me they do learn to survive.

As for where I am hunting it is 90% private but I know of plenty of public land that still holds birds including roosters. The weather is fair the birds are there.

 

[Goosemaster]

Yeah it was fun.

 

[carptom1]

Do you have a link to that product?

protective dog sleeve - Google Search

This is the one I used. It worked great and she accepted it well. She did chew on the edges when in her box but she is a chewer. In it out of heavy cover it did develop a tear on the last day. There are probably heavier ones out there but I was in a crunch

 

[Limitless]

They seem to try to avoid being hunted.

Very jumpy today in NC. Will post in a separate thread.

 

[Limitless]

protective dog sleeve - Google Search

This is the one I used. It worked great and she accepted it well. She did chew on the edges when in her box but she is a chewer. In it out of heavy cover it did develop a tear on the last day. There are probably heavier ones out there but I was in a crunch

Thanks. Don't need one now, but in case I do in the future, figured I would get the info. Much appreciated.

 

[That1uncle1776]

I went out for 1.5 hours. Tried testing 28 gauge Boss war chief 4's and 5's. Birds were holding tight. Like step on them tight, which was odd. Got one bird with a 4 and the other with a 5. Both shots were to close to get any information load wise.

 

[Limitless]

I went out for 1.5 hours. Tried testing Boss war chief 4's and 5's. Birds were holding tight. Like step on them tight, which was odd. Got one bird with a 4 and the other with a 5. Both shots were to close to get any information load wise.

Holding relatively tight where I was too. Wanted to stay snuggled in.