No Dak pheasant report Nov 5-7th

[bhs91]

This was my first time hunting in North Dakota; Beulah specifically; and myself and my hunting partner struggled mightily to pin these birds down. We saw plenty of birds but getting them to a spot where they would hold for a flush proved challenging. Hoping to get back in a few weeks IF there is some snow between now and then otherwise they will tough to get at again.

BHS

[LMITOUT]

It's that time of year. I've been out here since Saturday and the pheasants have definitely moved into their late fall/early winter pattern and I'm guessing the mini-blizzard they had here a few weeks ago helped speed up that transition.

I'm finding larger packs of birds then there were a few weeks ago and when one gets up, the rest follow....usually when you're too far away to even attempt a shot. Right now the best bet is to keep bumping spot after spot, using the wind to your advantage, and hoping for singles here and there that haven't joined the herd yet.

Loading up with #4 helps take down the birds that you do get the jump on as well.

[bhs91]

Good to know. We plan on coming back post thanksgiving and will plan on working our tail off!

Good luck with the remainder of the trip.

BHS

[LMITOUT]

It was a tough trip for me. Saw a ton of birds but few that were shootable. Just too wild and spooky.

Got a handful by getting fortunate finding the loners here and there. The dog was key on this trip to be sure, but a closer working dog would be even better at this time of year. My GSP can be a little rangey and get out a little further than I wish which will bust birds out of shooting distance. Early season this isn't a big deal as they hold pretty well and she can point them out for me, but now they want to bust as soon as she gets close unless they are really buried in some deep cover.

Good luck on your next trip out.

Tuckered pup:

Ready to roll the next morning:

[riverview]

I have often wonderd how pointers worked on late season spooky birds. I have only been out 2 weekends this year. I am planning a few trips after deer season..

[2thepointsetters]

I have often wonderd how pointers worked on late season spooky birds. ..

Depends on the dog. If the dog runs with his head up high and locks up on first scent you will not have trouble with the late season birds. Some pointers put too much pressure or hunt with a low head the birds flush. Later in the season it is better to keep the dog a little closer so its not holding point for 5 minutes. I start all my setters on grouse so they learn to handle a bird far off. If a dog can hold a grouse a late season pheasant is not an issue. Late season is my favorite time to hunt with a pointer.

[LMITOUT]

I have often wonderd how pointers worked on late season spooky birds. I have only been out 2 weekends this year. I am planning a few trips after deer season..

It really wouldn't have mattered that much. I even tried a stalk of a spot potentially holding birds, strong wind in my face, and no calls to the dog to keep noise to a minimum. The birds flushed right from where I thought they would and neither me or the dog were even close. This happened more than once, and as I said earlier, when one gets spooked they all take flight. Hunt over. Many times the dog wasn't even on scent and they were flying up out of range. A closer working dog may have helped some, but based on what I witnessed last week it could have gone either way.

Even with a dog holding it's head up and finding scent (as my dog seems to hunt) these late season birds have already started running through the cover and eventually bust further out. They're crafty little devils.

[riverview]

Yes late season birds can be hard to get into once they group up.. I haved allways hunted retrievers. I have watched some pointers from afar in the field. so not much pointer experiance here.