2014 Minnesota Rooster Reports

[smalliehunter]

Bagged one this morning. Wind was howling by noon so I called it quits. Tomorrow will be my last day for the season. I'll give a grade and final report tomorrow night.

On a side note, I don't know where to end my year. Any suggestions on a general area?

[BLACKJACK]

Slipped out of work a little early yesterday, by the time I got home, changed, loaded the dog, and drove to a public hunting spot, I had an hour and 15 minutes to hunt. It was pretty windy so hunted the downwind side first, then on the way back hunted out some cattails and willow brush.

Jumped a couple of lone hens, watched the sun hit the horizon, was within sight of the truck, and a long-tailed rooster jumped up ahead of my lab!!! Nailed it in one, the lab raced out and got it and raced back, we were both pretty happy that our short fast hunt paid off!!! On public land to boot!!! It had short spurs so it was a young bird but he had a 23 inch tail feather, my longest of the year!!

Wish I would have had a camera with when I got to the truck, the sun was just going down, the sky had a nice red glow, it would have been nice to take a picture of my lab and the bird with the sky in the back ground.

Busy tomorrow, with the cold forecast Sunday, going to make long hunt on Sat morning my last hunt of the year.

[BLACKJACK]

On a side note, I don't know where to end my year. Any suggestions on a general area?

Find a big public area, no less than 200 acres, that also has some cropland, preferably corn stubble, around it, hit the back corners and willow thickets.

Be careful of the ice!!! Lots of water still running in the cricks and tiles. I almost walked into some open water about a week ago on a big slough, scared the carp out of me!!!

Good luck!!

[CodyDawg]

Well, I think I have hung up the scattergun for the year. Slight possibility I might get out for a short hunt Sunday, but I think I am done. Brought my 10 year old girl and 6 year old son out to a honey hole and shot 2 in the first 10 minutes today. Hunted about an hour and saw 4 hens and 3 roosters so that is a pretty good way to end the year! I sure love hunting roosters and I really love it when they get up cackling like crazy!

[smalliehunter]

I literally just put my vest away for the year. tried hard today on 2 private sections in McLeod county. wild out of range flushes were all I managed today.

I would give my season an A-. I shot pheasants all over the state and found a ton of new areas, that all held a lot of birds! even tho I missed a few shots along the way, this was my best year numbers wise, and I shot my biggest bird. My dog had knee surgery in july, and really ended up having a fantastic year. she only hunts at a trot now but has a ton of drive and has really become a great hunting partner. she put the track down on a couple birds that seriously left me in awe not only in the fact she chased them down, but also how smart some pheasants are. I learned a lot this year, and put on a lot of miles on the truck and in the field. went 7 for 7 after I bought a new over under.

I have a trip in the works to Kansas and north Dakota next year! cant wait till October.

[123fish]

No dog solo hunt in the cattails this morning. Pretty good ending to a not too bad season. Next year there will be a new pup tagging along. Need a decent rest of the winter and a good nesting season and we will be just fine come next fall.

[BLACKJACK]

Good work 123fish!!! Nice end to the season on a cold day!!

I woosed out yesterday, stayed in my warm shop but made it out Friday and Sat. Was busy in the morning Friday but headed out in the late afternoon, the public spot I had in mind already had a hunter in it so kept driving, racking my brain, where to go?? Thought about one spot but waved it off, too cow boggy. Went to another public area down the road that had a lot of cattails, ran the outside edge of the cattails, was a nice sunny afternoon for a hunt, it had been quite awhile since I had hunted this area, had a nice nature hike, was seeing nothing for pheasants, getting a little discouraged because of all the other people tracks, then all of a sudden a rooster popped up and I made the crossing shot!! Sweet!!

Sat went to some private land with food plots, thought it was going to be great, but the birds were scarce and skittish. Had one opportunity early at a rooster, I could see the dog was amping up, but I couldn't fight my way thru the willows fast enough, the rooster got up cackling and I couldn't get a shot off. Ended up not getting shooting my gun on Sat but it was kind of fun hunting and exploring some new territory.

Washed my hunting clothes last night....

Had fun this year, hopefully we won't get any major blizzards and a warm dry spring!!

[CaptainMusky]

Good work 123fish!!! Nice end to the season on a cold day!!

hopefully we won't get any major blizzards and a warm dry spring!!

X2 on both accounts.

Sad the season is over, but I am hopeful that next year will be even better with a more experienced dog as well.