Pheasant survey is out

I can't wait...... Looking forward to another great year of pheasant hunting in my home state. I now live in Minnesota and love going back to SD for pheasant & deer hunting. I usually start getting gear all lined up about this time of the year. What can I say, I've got that itch.
 
Looks like we are 23% below last year but still the fourth highest in 45 years.

http://www.sdgfp.info/GFPnews/News09/8_28_09.htm

Landman, don't sugar coat it. It's down 26% over last year! CRP is down 24% or last 3 years. Good news is CRP acres are up 2% across the middle part of state which includes our counties. Our PF Biologist just found another 30 acres of FWP CRP I can enroll next spring. That'll be 70 acres next spring.

If crop prices keep dropping and a new alloted of CRP acres in SD is issued it'll go like hot cakes.

I know one thing, with a late corn harvest it'll be another killer late season for pheasants again in 2009.
 
2009 Survey

Took me awhile but I caught up with you guy's again.

As predicted at the time we last met on the old Pheasant Country forum the pheasant situation playing out exactly as predicted:

1) Collapse is occurring from east to west follwing the CRP expirations.
2) The last best area would remain the river corridor protected by areas of natural habitat and CRP extensions that were accepted in 07'.
3) SD will be under 1 million acres of CRP in 30 days.
4) Hopefully U guides predictions will come true regarding low crop prices and a despirately needed general sign up. SAFE was good while it lasted but needs a WHOLE LOT more acres allocated.

Wont be in the Dakotas this year for the first time since 2000.
 
SD Pheasant Survey

Shucks...it might take us all of 4 hours to get our limit instead of being done in 2 or 3!!!

SD will still remain the pheasant mecca of the world and just an all around great state to visit any time...and if you like to bird hunt any time after the
3rd Saturday in October until the end of the year or more accurately January 3, 2010!
 
Shucks...it might take us all of 4 hours to get our limit instead of being done in 2 or 3!!!

Boomer, getting done too early CAN be a problem in SD.:):(

Based on previous years bird counts per mile I would estimate the total state population between 8-9 million pheasants and we will harvest 1.8-1.9 million roosters in 2009.:10sign::cheers: A factor that could lower that number is delayed crop harvest during early season as was case last year.
 
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Remind me to not invite Safari to the wedding, he would be the one who takes the "punch bowl" away. It should still be a great year for the SD hunters.
 
No question that the loss of CRP hurts...but we knew that (blinding flash of the obvious). I have been out to SD twice this spring/summer, and things are looking really good in the counties where I hunt. What must have really hurt this year is the first week or ten days of June, where it was both wet and 15-20 degrees below normal...imagine that.

There will be those who quit hunting in the Dakota's because the bird #'s are not at certain levels. That is OK by me! I feel fortunate to have bought and developed land for hunting when I did, and, to have relationships with several farmers who are expanding their wildlife habitat...CRP, tree planting, food plots, etc. I may not ever see hunting like I have had at times over the past 16 seasons, but I, and my two boys, will always have good pheasant hunting.

I have been enjoying the heck out of my daily work outs that I have been doing with my two labs for the past nine weeks or so...whether there are lots of birds or few birds, hunting over a couple of maniacal dogs is the greatest reward of all. Can't wait! I have shifted some of my hunts this year slightly so that I am spending more of my 30 (+/-) days in the Dakota's in October vs. December...my 3 December hunts were all at least partially impacted by blizzards last year. Leave 13 days from now for hunt #1...sharpies in ND...can't wait! Bird #'s are down, but what a great way to start the fall...wandering from horizon to horizon behind my two labs. See no other hunters whatsoever. Shoot a few birds each day. Drink a few beers each night. Hope I can hit 'em with my new Fausti S x S 20 gauge...what a joy to carry! Good luck to you all....
 
Remind me to not invite Safari to the wedding, he would be the one who takes the "punch bowl" away. It should still be a great year for the SD hunters.

Remember "Debbie Downer" from Saturday Night Live???? Anyway, I was not surprised that he reappeared when he did..."Pheasant #'s are COLLAPSING from West to East...EXACTLY as I predicted"...detect just a bit of something...something very flawed and unhealthy in the way he worded a few of his statements? Glee...that is the word I was searching for. He even pm'd me to alert me to the fact that the survey had been released and that #'s were down. If I am correct, this was his maiden voyage on this new website...if it wasn't, I know he hasn't been part of it to any degree. Nice way to re-emerge from his absence. The upside to this, and any future drops in bird #'s, is that it will reduce the # of "hunters" that we have had to share the land with over the past decade or so. The funny thing is, all of the areas I hunt in SD are vastly better than the areas I hunt in Mn, and despite that, we have such a good time hunting Mn the handful of days that we do, and we shoot birds there. I could never fathom quitting hunting Mn (or SD) because bird #'s aren't at some prerequisite level needed to impress myself or anyone else that I rub elbows with at cocktail parties back home. It doesn't have to be a "Safari" for me to enjoy myself! Have a great, safe fall....
 
Problem is that there is no end in sight of this freefall. If there was I could be a bit more optimistic. I am not saying I couldn't be happy with 8 million birds but when is the bleeding going to stop?

SD may always be number 1 but only because there are no birds anywhere else. We are headed back to the days where the only good numbers of birds in the country are around Winner and Chamberlain and even those areas wont match up to the numbers we have been accustomed to.

Again where does the bleeding stop?? 750,000 acres?? 500,000 acres?? 250,000 acres??
 
I have good reports from locals in some areas that I trust which will have me looking at new opportunities. I have seen a lot of very young chicks in sizable coveys in my own neighborhood recently.
My best advice--hunt late season if you are a dog hunter from out of state. If you are a gang hunter who pounds corn there will be plenty of it.
________
Gsx250Fx
 
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Problem is that there is no end in sight of this freefall. If there was I could be a bit more optimistic. I am not saying I couldn't be happy with 8 million birds but when is the bleeding going to stop?

SD may always be number 1 but only because there are no birds anywhere else. We are headed back to the days where the only good numbers of birds in the country are around Winner and Chamberlain and even those areas wont match up to the numbers we have been accustomed to.

Again where does the bleeding stop?? 750,000 acres?? 500,000 acres?? 250,000 acres??

Who knows? It may have to get painful before it becomes obvious (again!) to all involved that it takes habitat to create and sustain large populations of birds. But, as I have said a thousand times before, what is happening 10 miles away, let alone 110, or 510 miles away has no bearing on my hunting. 8 million birds? 12 million birds? 4 million birds? WHO CARES!!! I care what is going on on in a handful of counties, and I am personally doing something about it both as a landowner and as a revenue-generating customer of a young SD farmer who as recently as this summer proclaimed how happy he is to have that additional revenue stream to fall back on, given the vagaries of crop/cattle farming. I also am very friendly with 3-4 others just like him, and they are all in their 40's, and they see it the same way. It is like anything else...if you love it and are committed to it, you will find a way. I get a kick out of the stats that SDGFP has on their site...I see many, many years in the past 16 when the statewide bird count was between 3-8 million birds, and many of these seasons were some of my very, very best...conversely, 2005, 2007, and 2008 were very good years for me, but not necessarily my best, despite the headline # for the whole state....again, give me a few square miles of good habitat in ANY state that has pheasants and I will be a supremely happy guy! You look at all of the public land in SD, knowing how good the winter cover is on many of these WPA's, GPA's, WMA's, etc, and then get on some decent private land that is nearby, and you've got a great opportunity. Thankfully this ain't like duck hunting...what is happening 1000 miles away doesn't matter.
 
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Actually I just looked at the GFP page...the first 10 years I hunted SD there were between 3.6mm and 6.7 mm birds... most of the years it was around 5mm birds. For the headline # to cause someone to come/not come is literally absurd. The # of birds that I shot in even the lowest year of the statewide count in the past 16 years would surprise many. I think things are alot different today than the period following the soil bank era...dept's of toursim and the pols realize how important the sport is to the economies of their respective states, and will help in at least small ways to promote what programs they can. Regardless, don't come if you don't want to come...go shoot _________'s in _________ , I hear they're at world record levels!!!!
 
Where did that "Masked Man" come from all of a sudden? Sorry, I just cancelled the wedding and I won't be able to go pheasant hunting anymore.
 
Remember "Debbie Downer" from Saturday Night Live???? Anyway, I was not surprised that he reappeared when he did..."Pheasant #'s are COLLAPSING from West to East...EXACTLY as I predicted"...detect just a bit of something...something very flawed and unhealthy in the way he worded a few of his statements? Glee...that is the word I was searching for. He even pm'd me to alert me to the fact that the survey had been released and that #'s were down. If I am correct, this was his maiden voyage on this new website...if it wasn't, I know he hasn't been part of it to any degree. Nice way to re-emerge from his absence. The upside to this, and any future drops in bird #'s, is that it will reduce the # of "hunters" that we have had to share the land with over the past decade or so. The funny thing is, all of the areas I hunt in SD are vastly better than the areas I hunt in Mn, and despite that, we have such a good time hunting Mn the handful of days that we do, and we shoot birds there. I could never fathom quitting hunting Mn (or SD) because bird #'s aren't at some prerequisite level needed to impress myself or anyone else that I rub elbows with at cocktail parties back home. It doesn't have to be a "Safari" for me to enjoy myself! Have a great, safe fall....

I don't know how you guys in SD are going to survive on only 9 or 10 million birds. I guess if the count is so low this year I will have to stick to hunting in Kansas.

Starting to plan my big retirement hunt in two years. Heck, when I pull the plug on the day job I am going to start in ND and work my way down through SD, SW MN, IA, NE, KS, OK and end up in the TX panhandle. I am going to try to bag a few birds from each major pheasant state. Good luck to everyone and stay safe.
 
I don't know how you guys in SD are going to survive on only 9 or 10 million birds. I guess if the count is so low this year I will have to stick to hunting in Kansas.

Starting to plan my big retirement hunt in two years. Heck, when I pull the plug on the day job I am going to start in ND and work my way down through SD, SW MN, IA, NE, KS, OK and end up in the TX panhandle. I am going to try to bag a few birds from each major pheasant state. Good luck to everyone and stay safe.


They are not going to survive on 9 million birds. As we write these words 9 million birds will not be sustainable next year as we lose another 200,000 acres in 30 days. Next year another.....The next year another......Pretty soon nothing left!!!! And the forces at play that are causing this could care less if there is a pheasant left in SD or anywhere else for that matter!!!
 
I think we went down this road last year. Some people just can't grasp the fact that a hunt is about more than bird numbers. It's about getting together with friends, watching the dogs work and hopefully shooting a few birds. I would rather hunt wild birds, but if sheer numbers are what matters you can always hunt a preserve somewhere.


I'm guessing that this year will play out alot like last year. Early season was challenging due to the amount of corn still standing but late season was incredible with a high rooster to hen ratio. Every year produces alot of laughs and as long as we all get some shooting and everyone makes it home safely it was a successful hunt in my book.
 
Remember "Debbie Downer" from Saturday Night Live???? Anyway, I was not surprised that he reappeared when he did..."Pheasant #'s are COLLAPSING from West to East...EXACTLY as I predicted"...detect just a bit of something...something very flawed and unhealthy in the way he worded a few of his statements? Glee...that is the word I was searching for. He even pm'd me to alert me to the fact that the survey had been released and that #'s were down. If I am correct, this was his maiden voyage on this new website...if it wasn't, I know he hasn't been part of it to any degree. Nice way to re-emerge from his absence. The upside to this, and any future drops in bird #'s, is that it will reduce the # of "hunters" that we have had to share the land with over the past decade or so. The funny thing is, all of the areas I hunt in SD are vastly better than the areas I hunt in Mn, and despite that, we have such a good time hunting Mn the handful of days that we do, and we shoot birds there. I could never fathom quitting hunting Mn (or SD) because bird #'s aren't at some prerequisite level needed to impress myself or anyone else that I rub elbows with at cocktail parties back home. It doesn't have to be a "Safari" for me to enjoy myself! Have a great, safe fall....

It is, unfortunately going to have an end very similar to the old "Safari" in many ways:

As game numbers and habitat diminish those remaining in the game (outfitters/hunt promoters) will be forced to stretch the truth, outright lie and promote their business on habitat and game numbers that no longer exist. I HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE GENTLEMEN.

It reminds me if, you will allow me, of a famous African Professional Hunter (PH) I met some time ago. He grew up and made his reputation in the old heyday of East African hunting. He was attempting a comeback after 2 decades of habitat loss, poaching, basically a large scale collapse of the industry. He gave a presentation at a SCI meeting I was attending after his
1st year back in a "prime concession" in Tanzania. After the talk I walked over and spoke with his son who had some photographs he was showing to others. The first was a faded, yellow picture of the PH with a big maned lion. When I asked the son about it he, somewhat embarrassed, admitted it was taken some time ago..yeah about 30 years. The next photo was recent of an immature lesser kudu taken that year. About that time the PH walked over and saw I was looking at that picture and said "I dont know how that picture got in there". I didn't say anything and walked away very sad. The picture was in there because it was the only thing he had to show for a season of dissapointment. It was the last time this PH hunted in Tanzania.

Again gentlemen I have not only seen the movie but have lived it as well.
 
It is, unfortunately going to have an end very similar to the old "Safari" in many ways:

As game numbers and habitat diminish those remaining in the game (outfitters/hunt promoters) will be forced to stretch the truth, outright lie and promote their business on habitat and game numbers that no longer exist. I HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE GENTLEMEN.

It reminds me if, you will allow me, of a famous African Professional Hunter (PH) I met some time ago. He grew up and made his reputation in the old heyday of East African hunting. He was attempting a comeback after 2 decades of habitat loss, poaching, basically a large scale collapse of the industry. He gave a presentation at a SCI meeting I was attending after his
1st year back in a "prime concession" in Tanzania. After the talk I walked over and spoke with his son who had some photographs he was showing to others. The first was a faded, yellow picture of the PH with a big maned lion. When I asked the son about it he, somewhat embarrassed, admitted it was taken some time ago..yeah about 30 years. The next photo was recent of an immature lesser kudu taken that year. About that time the PH walked over and saw I was looking at that picture and said "I dont know how that picture got in there". I didn't say anything and walked away very sad. The picture was in there because it was the only thing he had to show for a season of dissapointment. It was the last time this PH hunted in Tanzania.

Again gentlemen I have not only seen the movie but have lived it as well.



Safari--What? Is that supposed to be relevant in any way to what we're talking about here? Is that the best you can do? I am confused. Why are you here, now? Let's back up just a bit: We're a bunch of pheasant hunting enthusiasts who love to hunt, shoot, work our dogs, drool over nice guns, share ideas about habitat, offer recipes, and just generally hang out with others who like the same types of things. Whether or not the hunting is great or not is immaterial...we will be here, sharing stories, offering tips, seeking general info about this or that...you get the idea. I have no $kin in this game, so I will never have any incentive to lie, stretch the truth, etc...I like to hunt so much that I have done things to ensure that I will be able to...I know others that have done the same. Big deal. You're into whatever you're into. Not sure what that is, but I'm sure you're really passionate about it and really good at it. I AM GLAD YOU REMINDED US THAT "YOU HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE"...GO WATCH IT AGAIN...do something, anything. Just leave us alone. You're unwanted around here, frankly, at least by me, in your present iteration. Seriously, you have been spewing your doom and gloom for years now...you know, in my business (investments), there are always some bears around...and you know what? Eventually they will be right, at least for awhile. Like I didn't know that! I thought that stocks and pheasant #'s only went up!!!! Things cycle...I can handle that. Like I said, if you want to fraternize here the way that 99% of us do, please join in. And that doesn't mean that you can't be candid about your thoughts. But if you're not hunting pheasants any longer, why lurk around here? Go find a prairie dog sight, or, a jack rabbit sight, or, a deer hunting sight, or, a turkey hunting sight...go be positive and have some fun. Otherwise, don't waste our time. We are able to read...we know what's going on out there with CRP and bird #'s. But we also know that there is alot of good stuff going on as well, and a heck of a lot of fun will be had this, and in future hunting seasons. You know, some of my best friends-anywhere-are farmers in SD. I go see them in the spring and summer. It is much more than show up and shoot a boatload of birds and go back to whereever and brag it up until next year when I get out the checkbook and show up to whereever the most pheasants are and do it all over again...without a dog? I could at least envision it if I had a dog...but no dog? Sorry about what happened in Tanzania:(
 
I don't know how you guys in SD are going to survive on only 9 or 10 million birds. I guess if the count is so low this year I will have to stick to hunting in Kansas.

Starting to plan my big retirement hunt in two years. Heck, when I pull the plug on the day job I am going to start in ND and work my way down through SD, SW MN, IA, NE, KS, OK and end up in the TX panhandle. I am going to try to bag a few birds from each major pheasant state. Good luck to everyone and stay safe.

Look me up in 2011 if you would like to do a hunt or two in SD. Love to have you join me.
 
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