The Hatch

[tweedlap]

I was in SD last weekend and saw a ton of baby pheasants. It looked like

the old days with babies on nearly every road sometimes more than one

brood.

I talked to a SD GFP guy, from Brookings, who echoed what I was seeing.

He thinks people will be suprised by the success of the hatch.

I hope the hatch went as well in MN.

Any of you guys out west or southwest seeing much for hatches and brood

size?

At our farm, near Marshall, we start out the winter with about 50-55

birds roosting and feeding by the site. By the end of March there were

less than 20.

They had the cover and food but I think the cold really put the hurt

on them during a couple of those spells. After each of these there

would less and less of them out feeding.

I hope to hear some good reports from out there !

Good Hunting,

tweed

[tybo]

I was out last weekend here in MN and saw 5 or 6 broods of 8-10 birds each. Most were almost the size of chukars and flew hard and strong. One group was very small, like quail, and could fly just well enough to get away without incident (puppy was with me). Just a few quick walks, maybe 45 - 60 minutes total between Sat & Sun. My young pup has some wild pheasant scent on the brain now. Saw several broods a few weeks ago that had 12 or so each and were the size of robins or slightly smaller. These were all around the Montrose - Litchfield area.

[123fish]

I'm down in the Worthington area and have seen way more broods than last year. Had one chick the size of a ping pong ball run out in my driving lane yesterday and had to swerve to avoid it. Looked like a mouse on the road it was that small. Things are looking pretty good at the moment considering we definitely did lose birds last winter.

[creepworm]

I have seen quite a few young pheasants, ranging in size from almost full size to being just hatched. Last Tuesday I saw a brood of 8-10 chicks that could not have been hatched more than three days earlier. Overall, I think the hatch has been very good, just hoping a lot of those smaller ones will be big enough to survive by the time winter rolls around.

[tweedlap]

Hey Eric or any of you other guys in the SW; what are you seeing for

brood size and babies?

How about some feedback from Luverne, Tyler, Hendricks, Madison or

Ortonville.

I heard up around Fegus they had a good carry over and nice brood

sizes this spring.

tweed

[muc33]

Around Worthington, I too have seen plenty. Also sorry to report that we just got done cutting hay. And many didn't make it through the swather. But many good brood numbers

[tweedlap]

Muc,

It is sad to think of how many hens, chicks and nests get whacked.

It has happened for many years everywhere the birds nest. I hear the

same report every spring from friends in Dakota and Iowa, too.

On the other hand it gives hope that there are many more who found a safe

place to nest.

Should be a great fall.

Come on guys....post some info about the broods in your area.

Thanks,

tweed

[ducksnbucks]

I drive around Appleton and Odessa for work and have been seeing quite a few groups of chicks on the road sides. Last Wednesday I was up there and must have seen at least 25+ roosters, 15 hens, and 4-5 groups of chicks. Considering the corn is 7' tall and most ditches were not cut, I considered this to be pretty good numbers, who knows how many were just off the road in the ditch. Oh yeah, I also had to watch the road while I was driving so I may have missed a few!!

[muc33]

14 little ones running in the alfalfa last night all together, little bigger than partridge! Seeing many on the gravel early and just before sundown!

[tweedlap]

That would be a handful for mama or even two mamas.

Today, by Lester Prarie, I saw a group of 4 babies and one with seven.

tweed

[GatorBait]

Good to hear about the SD Hatch. I'll be living out there for 2 weeks this fall so I'm looking forward to a good season.

[Snag]

I heard the corn is a month ahead of schedule and should be long gone by opener.

[Archerysniper]

I saw a 4 diffrent hens with little ones around the cambridge area on friday night and they all were diffrent sizes some grouse size and others quail size.

[harvey lee]

Last week I took a 15 minute ride in the country having a cup of coffee and saw multiple broods of birds from 5-8 in each group. I did this for 4 mornings and each with the same results.

There are a few birds around.

[tybo]

I was driving around last week looking for some doive fields and saw what I thought was a hen fly across the road. It may have been but when 5 or six other flew across from the same spot I then thought it was a brood. If so they were nearly full grown.

Yesterday I flushed a brood with 6 or 8 that were the size of quail. Saw another hen wihtout any chicks at all.

[tweedlap]

I was by Appleton yesterday and 5 or 6, the size of hungarians flew

accross the highway behind mama. They weren't the greatest fliers

but they made it accross.

Only saw one rooster in SD but we were fishing most of the time.

We did see tons of ducks and geese, though.

tweed