Tough weather today

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Ohiouplandhunting

New member
I left my house in Ohio yesterday and it was 65 degrees. Drove through the night and it stayed in the mid sixties all the way to Sioux City. About there it started misting and getting Colder. By the time I got into South Dakota it was 38 degrees and pouring down rain. I went and ate some breakfast and the rain cleared. We started at an area that I have found birds before, but not many. I wanted the dog to get out and stretch, get her head in the game after a long ride. We found about ten hens and one rooster. Chased the roster for awhile, he eventually flew across a pond and we could not find him on the other side.

The wind was blowing so we went to a wpa where I always find birds in the cattails. She worked a bird really well, and we Flushed a hen. She was still birdy, but just wouldn’t commit to a point. After about 100 yards she got something pinned between her and me, just as i took a step to flush it out popped a rooster. I winged him and of course he dropped into cattails over my head. She did a great job and found the bird. He did not go willing,y and she had a brief fight with him.

I was happy with her. With the wind and rain I’m happy with the one bird we got. she was injured last year so we didn’t come out, this year it seems like there is a lot more water than I remember. Awesome time cant wait for tomorrow.
 

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Today I went out and put a couple things in the car and it was lightly snowing, 45 mins later it was really coming down. Temps were about 25 degrees, winds were blowing, but not as bad as yesterday and it was snowing good, when we got to our first spot. It’s my favorite hunting spot in south dakota and I’ve found birds there almost every time I’ve been there. I tried and area that had a couple of high spots, I figured the birds would be on the down wind side In the cattails. After an hour and a half and only flushing one rooster I decided to call it and start heading back, I was soaked and starting to get cold. I walked out of the cattails but the dog was acting weird, she was on a bird and went onto point. The bird was about 20 feet outside of the cattails no tracks to where it was so it had been there all night. It flushed and I had a hard time with the safety, may have been little frozen. Anyway I missed. She did a great job. By that time it was after noon so I decided to go get lunch.

we went back out around 2:30 and found a lot of hunters. I decided to gamble on a new spot. turned out to be one of the best spots ever. Could easily of had my limit if I could shoot better. Was a small crep field that easily had 15 roosters on it.

Things I found today:
Birds were holding tight.
Snow and cattails equal wet clothing
The weather can change in a matter of minutes
My dog is getting better everyday
 

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The dog and I were in South Dakota for four days and hunted 3 of them. We hunted in wind, rain, sleet and snow. The weather changed every hour it seemed like. The weather really cut into out hunting time, we hunted just a couple hours in the morning and two in the evening, take the afternoons off to warm up. Still had several opportunities for our limit each day. The dog was outstanding, she really learned and only got totally out smarted once, by a rooster that ran around a downed tree and doubled back on her. I have been to South Dakota nine of the past 10 years and I think this was the best year yet. I don’t think there is nearly as much habitat as when I first started coming, but what is there seems better. I only hunted wpa and crep areas. Almost all of it was within 45 minutes of Mitchell. Can’t wait for next year. Did take one day off and went to mt Rushmore and Custer state park, which I highly recommend.
 
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