Pheasant Report Update

sdviking

sdviking

Active member
Hey guys, I went back to the Watertown area this weekend to clean up an old farmstead (40 acres). While up there I checked out our food plots. The corn is anywhere from 4 to 7 foot tall depending on how sandy the soil is. The Pheasant Forevers Blizzard Buster Sorgum was between 3 and 4 foot tall with good heads, the PF Sorgum was 4 to 5 foot tall with bigger heads. Where the Corn didn't grow due to me planing when it was borderline too wet the sun flowers and chocha weeds took over and it's nice cover. My German pointer and I walked the edges and flushed 2 partridge, 12 hens and 7 ring necks. I was pretty happy. We then went and walked a few fence rows along soy beans and Corn and didn't flush a bird or hear one cackle. Even at night along the corn fields without a good slough it was very quiet. We drove 8 miles at night checking the other crops and didn't see a bird.

So if your food plots did well and you have good cover, you may be ok, if your looking at road hunting or hitting the big corn it may be a little slim.

It is drying up up there alot. A good rain is needed before corn harvest time.

Just my 2 Cents.
 
What are your opinions on the Blizard Buster? I planted some when it was too dry in Central/Southern North Dakota and didn't get great results. It was my first year, using it, i will give it another try next year. Feel like i should support PF.
 
blizzard Buster

We have an old pony press, and I set the seed rate at 10, which was too heavy for our sandy soil. The Sorgum is thick but not as tall as I would like (about waist high before drying down) I would like it to be a little taller. So I have to cut back on the seeding amount. At this time I'm not sure if the seed flow is adjustable or stuck in one position. The other PF sorgum,I forget the name is taller (4-5 Foot).

I like to plant sorgum in the barn yard area around the trees, because it gives the pheasants a place thats thick n heavy enough to get away from the hawks and owls that hang out in the shelter belt.

Pheasants don't stand a chance in small grains along the farm stead because they are dive bombed all the time by the hawks. grrr.
 
No idea on Aberdeen

I stayed in the Watertown area, Farmers were not optimistic about pheasant numbers. The Hens I saw were young and half the ring necks had just started to turn in color.

The good news was that I didn't see farmers out mowing around the slough ground or other low areas yet. Lots of silage being cut and farmers busy bringing in hay and straw already. Lots of deer for those that hunt them.
 
Blizzard Buster pic

This is a picture of the Blizzard Buster Sorgum, our soil is rather sandy so the last month of no rain has hurt growth.
 
OK not a Pheasant photo but a cool one

Ok I know it's not a pheasant photo, but thought this one is pretty cool. They just finished combining the wheat and the Canadians immediately flew in. Sam my 2 year old German Pointer was all over it...
 
Your Sorghum looks good, You'll have some decent hunting.:thumbsup:

What I saw during my recent trip through ND and MT. Good heavy cover will hold pheasants.
 
kevinj said:
Any new reports on the Aberdeen area? Any additional hatches or bird counts?
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I am west of Aberdeen, I don't see birds when I am driving down the hiway but I do see them on the edges of fields. With as much cover as we have it is hard to say what is out there. Friday I saw three different groups that were starting to show color. Suday I saw a little one that was just a good flyer. I am concerned about the late hatch as we were hot and dry then.
 
Anyone know about when cutting of corn will start? Last year most of corn was cut when we got there (end of Oct) doing the same this year. With it being so dry figure we might have same this year. Also they cut most if not all ditches last year hope that doesn't happen we enjoy doing that type of hunting. You think there would be restrictions for cutting of ditches, give animals some sort of refuge.
 
The corn started slow but has been pushed by the heat and dry. We will need a good hard freeze to get the low spots drying. It will be later than last year, probably more like normal. The beans are getting close, another week or two probably. It may be different in other parts of the state.
 
grandmstrj said:
Anyone know about when cutting of corn will start? Last year most of corn was cut when we got there (end of Oct) doing the same this year. With it being so dry figure we might have same this year. Also they cut most if not all ditches last year hope that doesn't happen we enjoy doing that type of hunting. You think there would be restrictions for cutting of ditches, give animals some sort of refuge.
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I forgot to address the cutting of ditches. Ditches get cut for a number of reasons, a source of hay is one but also it is a state law that roads that are maintained have to be cut to keep snow from blocking roads. It is essential to keep the ditches clean in the winter time on any road that is used during the winter. There are significant fines if the roads are not mowed.
 
haymaker said:
I forgot to address the cutting of ditches. Ditches get cut for a number of reasons, a source of hay is one but also it is a state law that roads that are maintained have to be cut to keep snow from blocking roads. It is essential to keep the ditches clean in the winter time on any road that is used during the winter. There are significant fines if the roads are not mowed.
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but, as I found out last year, not all roadside ditches will be mowed...found some dandies, with birds in them too!:thumbsup:
 
walking ditch to ditch is just not very appealing to me im more of the walk the sea of grass type for pheasant hunting tried to talk my old man into hunting ditches he was not game 1 step away from road hunting he said lol & he can hunt from the vehicle he just chooses not to??? more power to you if thats your thing & good luck
 
small munsterlander owner said:
walking ditch to ditch is just not very appealing to me im more of the walk the sea of grass type for pheasant hunting tried to talk my old man into hunting ditches he was not game 1 step away from road hunting he said lol & he can hunt from the vehicle he just chooses not to??? more power to you if thats your thing & good luck
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I would rather walk the sea of grass too, but there is damn little of that available.....much more fun for the dog...I guess I can run him in the short cut stuff and pretend we are hunting...then after I wear him out, we can hit a few choice roadside ditches and I can kill my birds over him and be done. :)
 
hunter94 said:
I would rather walk the sea of grass too, but there is damn little of that available.....much more fun for the dog...I guess I can run him in the short cut stuff and pretend we are hunting...then after I wear him out, we can hit a few choice roadside ditches and I can kill my birds over him and be done. :)
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I like that philosophy, my dog is too fired up if I put him in a ditch right away, good idea to run him in the short grass, then do some ditch hunting.
 
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