Passing through SD…Pheasants Galore

Opening weekend last year we shot multiple roosters that barely had any coloration on them. Just catch a glimpse of a white ring on their neck, or a cackle and some faint color as they flushed. Not sure how old that would put them, but they were WAY young birds.
 
I spent the last 2 days fishing East Central SD. I have never seen so many pheasants in this area I have hunted for 15 years. Easily 300 plus almost all roosters and saw 2 broods. Hopefully all the hens are on nest or hiding the family. My buddy pointed out a piebald that is hanging out on his farm too. We saw 10 roosters in MN along the highway on the way out. I am pretty confident this will be the best season yet since I have been going out there. Only 125 days to go!
 
Saw my first brood out today. Out in Chamberlain camping and they were walking along in the ditch. Would guess them at 3 to 4 weeks old. Just an observation and thought I had while driving out, is that all this rain seems to have delayed cutting hay and alfalfa. Perhaps this is going to lead to less destroyed nests? Also think if the chick's were hatched they made it to higher ground. Animals are smarter than us when it comes to weather and can usually tell when it's coming. Most hens don't nest in sloughs and really low lands anyhow. Optimistic that it didn't have too negative of an effect and maybe even a positive one. It'll definitely make more bugs for chicks to eat as well.
 
Drove through some of the hardest hit areas in SD yesterday & some of the hardest hit areas in IA today. Sure, some broods were destroyed, & those hens won't renest. But I have to believe a lot of broods in flood plains made it to higher ground. If hens had nests destroyed, there's plenty of time to renest, although successful broods may be smaller than they'd have been on the first try. So I really think the flooding probably won't have a major effect on the hatch, even in those very localized areas. And....with plenty of time between now & October, even if broods aren't being reared in the flood areas, by the time the season starts, they'll have filtered back into those areas, such that if an area is huntable, any noticeable difference will be minimal. On a large scale (statewide), I don't think the rain/flooding will have a significant impact. Pheasants are super resilient animals.
 
Was 10 miles east of Platte on 44 last week. One farm got 8", one got 4", and one got about 6" during the rain event of two weeks ago. These three farms were all within 3 miles of each other so there are varying amounts depending on location in the state. Lots of pheasants though and did see some chicks.
 
I am in eastern SD this week for work and traversing country roads between Brookings and the Clark area.

I saw a number of hens today that didn't have any chicks with them. So that's not good. But I also saw two decent broods of hens with chicks that scurried across the road in front of me. They were VERY small. LIke the size of a golf ball. One had 6 and another had at least 10. So that was good.

I also saw one deer (doe) and almost hit a badger. That's the first time I've ever actually seen a badger in person out in the wild. It was much bigger than I expected.
 
Our group has come across badgers in all seven states we have hunted phez. Lots of hissing and cussing, but no fights. Pretty much you go your way and we go our way. They were there first.
 
cheesy said:
That hissing and cussing is just them wanting you to rub their belly.

So my buddy says anyway…
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You tell your buddy to go first. While you spectate. Make sure you have directions to the nearest medical facility.
 
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IMG_4122.jpegIMG_4120.jpegI sat back and watched a badger dig a hole under a dead dear in the ditch one morning until it disappeared. He accomplished the project in about 30 minute, ferocious diggers!
 
Back in the 90’s I had a 110lb golden retriever Rusty, one of the best dogs I ever had. He came out of the cover with a badger hanging off his nose. Poor badger didn’t stand a chance once Rusty got him off. He ripped that SOB to shreds. When he was done he looked at me and went back to hunting. Lived on an acreage, not a critter on the place unless it was dead and laying by the door so we knew he was doing his job.

RIP Rusty.
 
0918style said:
Any update since all the heavy rains from boots on the ground on chick survival? I hunt in Charles Mix county.
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I'm beside you in Douglas and it still sounds real good there. Their rain totals in June were very spotty. Time will tell.
 
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