Two weeks until opener

B

Byrdoglvr

Member
And this website is dead I viewing MN --2 viewing North Dakota and 5- viewing SD. Doesn't look like there's much excitement this year. I have four trips planned with good friends all in MN totaling 14 days. We cancelled our out of state trip.

Good luck everyone and stay safe!
 
I have 2 trips to SD planned and a full wknd for MN opener plus numerous other day trips in MN and IA planned. I don't care what the counts say in any of the states, a bad day in the field is better than any day spent on the couch or at work!! only 12 days 9 hours and 16 mins till 9am of opener! but who's counting
 
waterdog09 said:
I have 2 trips to SD planned and a full wknd for MN opener plus numerous other day trips in MN and IA planned. I don't care what the counts say in any of the states, a bad day in the field is better than any day spent on the couch or at work!! only 12 days 9 hours and 16 mins till 9am of opener! but who's counting
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I totally agree with your statement on the counts. I hunt with my dogs to hunt. There are birds out there, you just have to go find them.

As far as trips go, I also have 2 SoDak trips on the calendar as well as several days/weekends planned in Minnesota. My son goes to school at UM-Morris, and I am hoping to try that area for the first time this season. Good luck and Happy Hunting!
 
i cant wait to get the dog out there regardless of the numbers; any crop reports for western MN? seems like they are starting to get the beans out around here...
 
We didn't cancel our trips because of the counts. Counts never seem to bother us. We cancelled them because the public land has been hayed or has cattle on it. My buddy was there grouse hunting west of Bismarck. Seen it himself. Five guys, 4 dogs for five days---4 birds. We were heading to Hettinger. Beans and corn are still green in the Stillwater area. I've always said it's all about memories not the amount of birds. Problem is our normal annual group isn't as hard core as me. One doesn't even own a gun he uses mine. If they're not seeing birds because counts are low they don't want to go. So no more memories.
 
luckily I hunt with a group of guys 4 of us total that are just as nuts about pheasant hunting as I am and we will always get out no matter the counts or weather conditions. this same group hunted the last day in iowa 2 years ago, brutal conditions -10 for the high and 20-30mph north winds with crusted over snow just hard enough to stand on and then fall through. It was a tough day of hunting saw a lot but didn't get a single bird. I would still call it a successful day in the field because I got to spend it with friends and my dogs!
 
Game plan hasn't really changed for me. I usually stay in state. Multiple weekend trips scheduled with a weekday or two mixed in. I've heard reports of more birds than years past from farmer friends. Beans are almost out now, corn was just a tad behind schedule, if at all. If you know your spots and pockets that hold birds they will be there, creating plenty of opportunity for my expectations.
 
My pup turns 2 years old today, bird counts or not we will get out a handful of times this year. funny thing is the dog doesnt care about counts, she will push fields as long as I let her!!


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Early look at the weather from WCCO this morning looks like rain on Saturday. That's just the Twin Cities though. Anyone seeing different?
 
Disco is dead... thankfully.

My phone app says that saturday evening has 30-40% chance, but Sunday only a high of 48!!!!!! Heck ya!
 
With how far behind the crops are this year it could be a tough opener for pinning down birds. I know our corn is at least two weeks behind last year. Beans are just starting to come out but it has been so wet this is going to be slow going. I will be getting the dog out to chase some birds. Just hoping to see some. I am hoping they aren't all in the crops still. Either way have fun and stay safe. I will agree things seem dead on this site lately for the season having started in some places and about to start in MN.
 
I visited with a farmer friend in the Canby area and he said most of the corn and beans are out around his place, but he has not seen one pheasant. Never saw a single young one all summer. While that area has gotten a lot of rain lately and later in the summer he said it was extremely dry during the hatch period. He thinks that if the chicks hatched they didn't survive. I know that area has really been down the past few years but it's really looking tough this year. I'm going to skip the "Resident Only Opener" in SD and run over and kick around in some of his CRP. At least the dog and I will get some exercise.
 
Most likely heading out this weekend as well. Typically jump around north of Belgrade and South of Sauk Centre, even if me and the almost 2 year old pup see nothing it beats sitting at home. I get a little frustrated competing for an open spot on public land so may just take Monday off and head out then as well. Good luck everyone!
 
Hello,

First time posting on the forum. Looking forward to this upcoming season as I have a year old GSP itching and burning to go. I was able to get him out and allow him to understand what the goal was at the end of the season last year. For being 5 months old at the time he really got me excited and ready go, pointed ~30 birds, and I didn't miss his first rooster (that was my biggest fear). What a great way to get a pup excited and discover his purpose. Unfortunately, this all took place on the last weekend of the season last year, and all i wanted to do was keep going! 10 months later and We are ready to get out there again.

So to get to the point of this thread, I have been out quite a few times with the dog for conditioning over the course of the summer. We have been to different corners of the state including SW mn and around my home in Wright county, and i have to say that I don't agree with the low numbers. The roadside survey is not an all inclusive survey of the population and should by no means be taken as fact. Everywhere i have walked i have found birds and in pretty good numbers. I am also still seeing, as long ago as yesterday, Birds that are still just very very small. So small that I have to believe they were just hatching during the time period the dnr was out doing the roadside surveys. I have a feeling that if your willing, its going to be a good season. One thing i am not aware of, not sure if the DNR shares this or not, is the routes of these surveys. If there is decreased habitat along these routes then duh, of course the counts will be down. I too have heard people say they cant believe there are no pheasants, then i walk and say, ha b.s.

As for getting out this weekend, I happened to plan my wedding for pheasant opener.....Great way continue the building itch right? Good luck to everyone out there this weekend! The best time of the year is here, get out and enjoy it!
 
Dakotazeb said:
I visited with a farmer friend in the Canby area and he said most of the corn and beans are out around his place, but he has not seen one pheasant. Never saw a single young one all summer. While that area has gotten a lot of rain lately and later in the summer he said it was extremely dry during the hatch period. He thinks that if the chicks hatched they didn't survive. I know that area has really been down the past few years but it's really looking tough this year. I'm going to skip the "Resident Only Opener" in SD and run over and kick around in some of his CRP. At least the dog and I will get some exercise.
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a south dakotan coming to MN for pheasants?! thats got to be a first haha:D

well hopefully there are some hidden pockets he didnt see, and atleast most of the crops are down in that area:thumbsup:
 
SDeVl63 said:
So to get to the point of this thread, I have been out quite a few times with the dog for conditioning over the course of the summer. We have been to different corners of the state including SW mn and around my home in Wright county, and i have to say that I don't agree with the low numbers. The roadside survey is not an all inclusive survey of the population and should by no means be taken as fact. Everywhere i have walked i have found birds and in pretty good numbers. I am also still seeing, as long ago as yesterday, Birds that are still just very very small. So small that I have to believe they were just hatching during the time period the dnr was out doing the roadside surveys. I have a feeling that if your willing, its going to be a good season. One thing i am not aware of, not sure if the DNR shares this or not, is the routes of these surveys. If there is decreased habitat along these routes then duh, of course the counts will be down. I too have heard people say they cant believe there are no pheasants, then i walk and say, ha b.s.

As for getting out this weekend, I happened to plan my wedding for pheasant opener.....Great way continue the building itch right? Good luck to everyone out there this weekend! The best time of the year is here, get out and enjoy it!
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thanks for the insight! it'll be interesting to see this weekend, i'm basically holding my breath for the morning and roost hunt.
eee, wedding in the fall for a hunter can be tough, i had to skip a couple of weddings because of Openers and such, good luck and have fun!:thumbsup:
 
jmnhunter said:
a south dakotan coming to MN for pheasants?! thats got to be a first haha:D

well hopefully there are some hidden pockets he didnt see, and atleast most of the crops are down in that area:thumbsup:
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I know, sounds crazy, eh? Been doing it for years. It's less than an hour away and I have private land to hunt. There are no birds in the Watertown, SD area so it's closer than heading 70+ miles west of here and having to put up with other hunters. :) I grew up in the Canby area.
 
Heading out with good buddy my Shorthair and second season for his visla. Have grown to not expect great things on opener. Just good to knock the rust off, good luck to all.
 
Walked my friend's CRP for about 3 hours this morning and the dog found 3 hens. Contrary to what he told me, about all the corn is still in the field. Most of the beans are out.
 
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