North Central Report

[Hockeybob]

Just returned home from a four-day trip to North Central South Dakota. This was our 18th year on this farm all wild birds. We had nine hunters and limited every day (27) and shot a total of 108 roosters.
Bird numbers were about the same as last year. From other reports here on UPH, I was expecting higher numbers. 85% of birds were in the standing corn by the 10:00am start. Most of our hunting was push and block standing corn. Not my favorite but you had to hunt where the birds were. Birds would pile out of the corn 30 minutes before sundown for some fast shooting In the grass.
Saw all age classes. 2 year olds, many full plumage young birds and some 1/2 grown birds that you knew was a rooster but just didn’t want to shoot it. Anyone in our group who shot the youngest bird each day owed the group a 30 pack. Fields and roads were dry, dry and dry. I have a layer of dust in my Tahoe that will still be there next year. Scenting conditions for dogs was tough. Seasoned dogs had trouble finding downed birds. Corn was coming out but didn’t seem like the farmers in our area were in much of a hurry.
Road / Public hunters back at cleaning station had some success but was always asking where we shot all those bird LOL. SD never disappoints. Another great trip. Will only get better as more corn comes out.

 

[BrdHntr]

Congrats on a great trip & appreciate your report
….especially the 30 pack penalty!

 

[randywatson]

just finished up 7day trip nodak duck sodak rooster shoot.

nodak: full on 2 man limit of big orange feet mallards epic number of pintails. snows were getting thick as well.

sodak report: we were in central sd. WoW! what a hatch. hockeybobs report is identical to mine. we hunted public land. hunted the same piece of crep 2 days in a row w 3 seasoned dogs. scenting downed birds was nearly impossible, birds held tight.

we figured out the pattern of them on tuesday on private ground and applied that to our public ground on wed thursday. hunt transition areas, we shot 90% of our birds on barb wire fencelines. did the golden hour and saw over 250 pour out of the corn. still lots of corn in so that hurt us. saw lots of birds on the roads in the morning. conditions werent ideal lighter winds wed thur and dry dry dry. birds are eating the lil bit of green grass they find to get their water. 2 of our 30 birds were over a year old. shot one that was maybe 10 weeks old. hunting pressure was minimal saw a group of 5 yesterday and party of 2 guys on wed. we will be back in december. good luck to all!

 

[Woollybob]

Mmmm - 30 pack... Only the finest beers come in 30 packs

We were out last week in North central as well. Extremely dry and tough on dogs - both scenting and on paws, noses, and undercarriage. Went through a lot of bag balm and I am still blowing black boogers from the dust.

 

[hunter94]

Mmmm - 30 pack... Only the finest beers come in 30 packs

We were out last week in North central as well. Extremely dry and tough on dogs - both scenting and on paws, noses, and undercarriage. Went through a lot of bag balm and I am still blowing black boogers from the dust.

LOL, i was thinking the same thing, 30 pack got to be crap!

 

[goldenboy]

I like the penalty for the youngest bird! Might have to institute that in some of my hunts.

 

[Hockeybob]

That is correct! Milwaukee’s Best or what we call it “The Beast”! There is an inside joke in our group about that beer but won’t bore you with the details.

 

[Fallfreak]

Hey that 30pk could hold my 2 favorite beers - 1- cold, 2- free!!

 

[jmuller19]

Yep, only two kinds of beer, my kind and the free kind. LOL

 

[ehudgens]

I just got back from a 6 day hunt in Edmonds County, Ipswich area. I hunted 4 days on private land, and 2 on public. The bird numbers were definitely up from last year. The cover in the sloughs was fantastic, and the farmer on the private land I hunt had a very good corn and bean crop. Driving around in the mornings and evenings I saw 25-30% more birds than last year. We had limits every day. However, in the 25 years I have been going to SD I have never seen it so dry. It's a good thing they had moisture early. They need some rain or snow real bad. Hopefully they will get the snow and rain to get moisture back in the ground for next spring. It was in the 70s every day I was there, so the conditions were very difficult for the dogs. After 11:30 or so in the mornings, the scenting conditions were just awful. You really had to mark your downed birds because the dogs really struggled to find them. Had to keep them well hydrated. All in all a great trip. As always treated well by the folks in SD, and enjoyed our annual trip to the Chelsea Bar!!

 

[Goosemaster]

I like the penalty for the youngest bird! Might have to institute that in some of my hunts.

That's bad karma shooting any bird that isn't full plumage imo.

 

[Hockeybob]

That's bad karma shooting any bird that isn't full plumage imo

Goose are you a real person or a bot? I mean a “normal” pheasant hunter? On UPH 99% of the people see things one way and 1% Goose sees them the other.

 

[Wind River]

Goose are you a real person or a bot? I mean a “normal” pheasant hunter? On UPH 99% of the people see things one way and 1% Goose sees them the other.

However, we find him charming and entertaining, can’t see him in his full stealth camo, but we can smell the Hamms.

 

[Goosemaster]

Goose are you a real person or a bot? I mean a “normal” pheasant hunter? On UPH 99% of the people see things one way and 1% Goose sees them the other.

I use a camper, I don't pay, I hunt a lot of private ranches, I shoot lead, I don't pay more than 13 dollars a box, I don't wear orange, I don't use an e collar, and I do well.

 

[benelli-banger]

Goose may be “on the spectrum”, as it’s referred to; but it’s a totally different spectrum! Bill Gates allegedly is, probably Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, you get the idea…this guy is “in the zone”! His zone…like Aaron Rodgers doing Iowasco, or whatever…Goose has achieved total enlightenment, via PBR!