2016 pheasant season

[bobberineyes]

Not sure how you guys feel, but I'm tired of all this rain. The way it's looking the wind would have to blow pretty hard with zero rain for a month to dry up the fields so the crops can get harvested (what's left of them). We might have to adjust our game plans somewhat until freeze up..   

[ZachD]

Here is hoping for a dry October.

[rundrave]

yeah its going to be a while until crops come out. I enjoy hunting late season better anyway but it could be a tough start to the season this year. I may have to just stick to sundown hunts and wait for birds to get back into their nesting areas until harvest starts.

[smurfy]

Coming home from Sioux falls tonight there where a fair amount of farmers in the fields say cottonwood and south. Willmar area not so much. Lots of standing water.

[PurpleFloyd]

It's probably going to be late this year. I got my itch scratched at Traxlers reserve in LeCenter today at least so that helps but really for me the pheasant season doesn't get into high gear until after deer season. Normally the first few weeks are too warm to be out a whole day with the dogs and there are too many corn fields in. By the 3rd week in November the temps have dropped and the corn is mostly out and that's when it gets better and of course first snow......

I am fairly optimistic about the bird populations this year. Obviously the rain we had was a wildcard and it's hard to say right now how that has impacted populations but there was a good group of birds that carried over from last season and the winter didn't take too many.

[ZachD]

I have been going to golden meadows lately to work my dog so far we have shot 24 birds over him. One more time at the preserve before the season starts and we are itching to get out in the real fields!

 

[smurfy]

Zack, you talkin gold meadows north of cold spring??????? that's where I hear all the shooting?????? bout 15 minutes from my house and when the wind is right I can hear the war!!!!!

[bobberineyes]

I used to be the guy years ago claiming an approach but I don't get too excited on opener anymore either.  Opened the season on the 2nd weekend last year and did real well, hoping to do the same this year. I try to get as many hunts in as possible before deer hunting, and then hit it hard after. I keep telling the wife "it only comes around once a year ".  

[smurfy]

21 minutes ago, bobberineyes said:

I used to be the guy years ago claiming an approach but I don't get too excited on opener anymore either.  Opened the season on the 2nd weekend last year and did real well, hoping to do the same this year. I try to get as many hunts in as possible before deer hunting, and then hit it hard after. I keep telling the wife "it only comes around once a year ".  

ONE would think you wouldn't need to quantify your need to go hunting all the time. that she'd be glad your outta her hair!!!!!!!!!!

[bobberineyes]

One definitely would think that smurf, but tell you the truth she's been hunting with me since we met.  Grouse hunting is her fav, but shooting some long tails ranks up right up there.  Thing is some weekend's are for the boys , and when the cold comes she fizzles out anyhow...bless her heart.

[smurfy]

That's awesome!!! my wife use to. She still fishes. Took her bear hunting once. Had her behind some hay bales. Early morning, 3 deer snuck up behind her. When they noticed her they snorted and scared the bejesus outta her. She was toast after that but did I laugh my tush off!

[ZachD]

15 hours ago, smurfy said:

Zack, you talkin gold meadows north of cold spring??????? that's where I hear all the shooting?????? bout 15 minutes from my house and when the wind is right I can hear the war!!!!!

Yup that's the one nice place. I like that there is no membership fees and I did the pre buy program so I got all the birds I am going to shoot there this year at a cheaper rate. May not have a fancy lodge like some other places but I am there to work the dog not sit in a lodge

 

 

Woofta I am glad my fiancée hunts too and understands that I need to hunt when I need to hunt. We were friend before and when we got together she all ready knew how I am with hunting and I even told her the first week. " You do realize from bow opener to end of ice fishing you will never see me

 

I probably wont be out on Pheasant opener either but if I do it will be on private land trying to pick off the few roosters I see at the farm in Dayton.

 

[smurfy]

ramsey resident huh!!!! I see. I work right off alpine drive!!!!!!!

[ZachD]

Alpine is 3 blocks from my house. I am probably more east of where you work I am guessing you are by the boilermakers and skeeter boat center right off of 10.

[smurfy]

In the Boilermakers building;

[O.T.C.]

Latest rooster update going to be a little tough here as a few guys finally chopped a little bit, usually by now silo's are full and done, we're still quite wet, beans none harvested, think the birds have more then enough cover, I just hope when the floods hit it didn't push the birds into areas with the predators also and or the water got lots of the young. Best hatch I've ever seen was this spring/summer in this area, but haven't seen much of them since about the July flood.

[bobberineyes]

Thanks for the update O.T.C., let's hope for the best with all the rain. I haven't hit much gravel but I have been seeing a few here and there on County roads in the evenings.  Talked to my cousin yesterday, surprisingly they are on schedule for harvesting in his area which received a lot of rain through out the summer. But then again he likes to turn his fields black as soon as possible. 

[PurpleFloyd]

They are just getting rolling on the I90 corridor in the center of the southern part of the state. We will see what happens with the weather but if it dries up things will accelerate quickly.

[monstermoose78]

Jumped to roosters today but I was jump shooting the brook for ducks and it was too early so they flew perfectly in front me with out a shot fired.

[O.T.C.]

Been hearing lots of cackling in East Central MN. Moron's tried to harvest a beanfield 2 nights ago, sunk the big JD in the middle now last nights rains good luck getting it out.

[monstermoose78]

Not a pheasant but ruffed grouse first one Finn jumped that I got a shot at!!

[Xplorer]

Thats awesome, the first bird is always cool!

Son and I have done some grouse hunting, but our big trip starts Thursday.  Headed out to far NW North Dakota for 8 days of pheasants.  Going with my in-laws who have been out there 4-5 times before, so the FIL knows the area a bit.  Should be boots to the ground on Friday and will hunt till we have to head back on the 22nd.

Really hoping my son (14) gets a decent amount of action. We've been shooting clays since July and did some grouse since opener, but those roosters are a whole different game.   Will post up a report and hopefully some pics of the trip when we get back.  

[rundrave]

South Dakota resident open was this last weekend (Sat - Mon) 

Took yesterday afternoon off from work and bagged our first birds and limit of the year:

[CaptainMusky]

Rundrave, your dog on the left sure looks like my Gunner, who died about 15 years ago. Phenomenal dog.

Going on the 3rd season with my 2.5 year old GSP. Should be a better year for him because he is really catching on, but with all the water around here its going to be wet walking. I was running into tons of water last year and this year was WAY wetter.

I sure hope we get some cold to firm things up before any measureable snow.

I might do a little walking with the boys this weekend, but with all the crops still standing in Central MN I don't think we will be doing too much.

Might venture to some new territory as scouting missions based on the MN Pheasant roadside counts. Non-traditional areas for me, but they look to have good numbers. Tough part will be finding land to hunt.

[bobberineyes]

It's going to be too warm for my liking on Saturday , but then again I have an out of town wedding to attend.  Although I'm bringing the shot guns for the long ride home . By next weekend the cousin figures all his corn will be out...great news!