North Dakota Pheasants - where to go

[Crappyman]

I spent three solid days out by Lac Qui Parle and south looking for pheasants. I've got two dogs and the best we could do is kick up 8 hens. Not enough public land, too many hunters and no birds. I am thinking about heading to North Dakota. I've never been there to hunt. From what I can tell, the further west the better. Any suggestions on where to start? Anyone know anything about the Lisbon area?

[goblueM]

nodak is awesome. there's a ton of great stuff even if you're close to Minnesota. I've hunted a lot by Lidgerwood, Jamestown, and out by Bismarck some too. Just get a PLOTS map, and go where there are a bunch. Put in a few miles driving around and I guarantee you'll see more than 8 hens!

[fishlakeman]

Crappyman,

Wait to come to ND!!!! Every darn crop is standing, and still will be for at least the next couple wks. Unless you head very far west, meaning Bismarck to Williston area, then it doesn't really matter because it's just massive grasslands and pastureland as far as one can see. Depends how much driving u want to do. The futher west, the better. I've found the hunting in SE ND to be similar to that of the very good areas in MN. If you're not looking to drive a zillion miles, the Oakes area is very good, for not being too far away from the MN border, but with the crops up, it's still tough hunting, certainly not a gimmie limit.

[fishlakeman]

Oh yea, if you like duck hunting at all, I would plan for that too. Its been an epic year for ducks this year.

[kmpots]

Skip Oakes this year. Way too much water in the spring (poor hatch) and land is a bear to get on in this area especially if you want pheasants. The PLOTS that actually have cover are pounded by hunters. If you have a choice SoDak is a way better choice this year. Wait till around Thanksgiving or later and go to South Dakota when crops are out and things are frozen. Less crowds and the best cover this time of year is often on public land. Endless choices.

[Basseyes]

South of 94.

As close to the SD border as possible.

And as far away from MN as you can get.

MN will be better once the corn comes down and we get some snow. Might be a good year latter in MN. ND bird numbers really go down with the harsh winters because of the lack of good winter cover. IMO MN has much better winter cover just not the nesting cover they need. If you're looking for a better hunt in ND be for warned. Birds over there are western birds not MN birds. They have thinner cover and tend to be a bit more willing to flush wild and run to the next county more so than MN birds in thicker cover. Dogs can see a lot farther and some tend to lose some depth perception on how far away you are. And in a lot of that thinner cover they tend to see more birds and have a bit more of a chance to see and chase birds just a bit out of range.

We just got back from Montana and the bird numbers out there were way down. We shot and saw birds but nothing like the last 3 years. Had a dog get sprayed by a skunk and point two different big porky pines out of one field. From the shot skunks and porky pines laying around they must of had a banner year. So be prepared to kill some varmits.

As far as the Lisbon area I'm guessing you're thinking about the grasslands? You'd have better luck going farther south west as close to the Missouri River as you can get. Plots, WPA's and WMA's with good cover the thicker the better might produce something. If you can combine 3 things-cattails, CRP and a good food source you'll usually have birds somewhere around that triple threat.

ND farmers are some of the nicest people on the planet.

Good luck with it.

[wolfman-k]

Yeah, stay away from the middle of the state, nothing to see here, move along down South of 94! Seriously, we just came back from a fantastic mixed-bird hunt back home in Central North Dakota. We saw nearly as many birds as the last few years, we just had to work a little harder to get our limits. There was a real late pheasant hatch, some of the hens "chirped" like chicks when they flew away! I swear, I thought one hen was a Hun it was so small. Our party had a great time, and some will be back in a couple weeks to try again.

[Full Choke24]

Just got back from Mott, birds way down lots of crops still up. Still ended up with our limit but had to work for them.

[CRAZYEYES]

My dad and is pals go out to southwestern ND every year near hettinger. I am planning a trip out that way this year. They ususally go right around thanksgiving and claim to see a lot of birds. They do have a big chunk of private land to hunt already but they said they do some doorknocking and that they are pleasantly surprised on how receptive people are there versus asking permission in MN. It sounds like the birds may be down a little this year after a somewhat normal winter. Laq qui parle should improve as soon as the corn comes out. I was out that way yesterday and almost all the corn is still in and half the beans.

[311Hemi]

My dad and is pals go out to southwestern ND every year near hettinger. I am planning a trip out that way this year.

That's a good area....lots of birds around there. Not sure how this year will be as the numbers are down from what I hear, but we hunted in the New England area a couple years in a row and saw a ton of birds (this was a couple years ago). We were hunting all private land and it ended up becoming to expensive for us.....so now we have been hitting up SD for a few year now.

[MNUser]

Just got back from ND and the counts are fine. Instead of seeing 250 in a field we saw 125. They might be down 50% but it is all relative. There are lots of birds around. You might need to work for them but that is the fun of it. You will see way more than you will ever see in MN.

[TylerS]

Pheasants in North Dakota? You MUST be joking! I recommend South Dakota...at least that's what all the outdoors folks on TV tell me.

[rmkod]

I agree pheasants in ND are down but still plenty around. I hunted it opening weekend and ended up with 20 between 4 of us. I have only hunted MN a couple years now, but see more each day in ND than I see in MN all year. You may have to work more this year but that just adds to the fun!

[CRAZYEYES]

I think areas of ND have real boom to bust pheasant poulations due to the weather. There is definately adequate habitat out there but if you get a brutal winter its over for a couple years. My dad said 3 years ago the bird numbers out there were just incredible but last year they were down a bit and last winter was pretty hard again so i'll have to see what happens.

[rmb]

just finished up a 3 day hunt back in nodak. we have just over 2,000 acres that my family/extended family owns near elgin, just north of lemon sd. to say the numbers are down this year is an undertatement in that area. terrible winter kill add with it most of the row crops are still standing equals pretty terrible hunting by nd standards. thanksgiving will be much better. the crops should be down and the limited numbers of birds that are around will be concentrated into the remaining cover. might just be the first time ever that late season is considerably better than the opening weekend. but like always a bad day of pheasant hunting is still a pretty good day.

[rmkod]

Populations must be spotty as people are saying. My business partner's family farms near Elgin/New Leipzig, he was down there last week and said numbers were pretty similar to last year on their land. But like you said a day outside is better than any day at work.

[bmp78]

Got back from the inlaws farm in New England (near dickinson). They say the numbers are down around 60% from previous year. It is definitely noticable on the low population but still enough birds for some fun and good work for the weime.