Turned a 2 week family vaca to yellowstone and ID into a scouting and lazy trip. coming from Mo I took the southern route through KS to the NW part of the state and happened to be there morning after a rainstorm. Drove around and frankly was not impressed with bird numbers or habitat in 4 hours I saw little habitat and one wet roooster. Even the corners of the irrigated pivots were planted or mowed. Fast forward to ID (no birds in Yellowstone) Magic valley still has birds and lots of fish farms since the last time I spent anytime there. Treasure valley is becoming overpopulated and few birds among the orchards and vineyards, The land use has changed alot in the 15 years since I hunted there regularly. Access is dificult as well according to lifelong buddy who lives there. Up to relatives in Camas and Palouse area. Decent numbers of birds still, lots of Quail as well, might be one of the best laces left in the west.. Saw broods and adult birds all over between trout trips. Still a cool area. Back the northern route, Very green they'e had lots of rain in eastern MT and all through Dakotas. Spent a morning driving some country I used to hunt in SC SD. Saw several brooods of differing sizes after another rain. Not a banner year by any means, but there is still cover in SD and still birds where there is cover. The most cover I saw was in SD and it still has more than where I've hunted in ND recently. The habitat discussins on here have merit, but there are still birds to be hunted. Hoping the local quail take a rebound aftrer last few years. I'm tired of driving for awhile, whew.
Road trip and scouting
- Thread starter watermen
- Start date
gsppurist
Member
sdviking
Active member
Spent last weekend in NE South Dakota
Cover looks good, Corn is everywhere. Plenty of hay so the farmers so far have not been mowing the sloughs which is nice. Pastures are really holding up well in most of the state. Didn't see a lot of birds but I believe that is because there is so much corn, you just don't see em. Did see roosters out and about along the gravel in early evening. I think numbers will be up from last year.
Did see lots of deer and if you hunt waterfowl you should have a bountiful harvest this year. Not a lot of small grain fields so figuring out where the geese are feeding should be very simple during the time before the corn starts to be harvested.
sdviking
Cover looks good, Corn is everywhere. Plenty of hay so the farmers so far have not been mowing the sloughs which is nice. Pastures are really holding up well in most of the state. Didn't see a lot of birds but I believe that is because there is so much corn, you just don't see em. Did see roosters out and about along the gravel in early evening. I think numbers will be up from last year.
Did see lots of deer and if you hunt waterfowl you should have a bountiful harvest this year. Not a lot of small grain fields so figuring out where the geese are feeding should be very simple during the time before the corn starts to be harvested.
sdviking