Huron/Mitchell/Aberdeen/Woonsocket

[Jmnhunter]

Hey, just wondering how the birds are doing this year in the general area, preferably woonsocket, have relatives in woonsocket with a farm and probably heading out there again in Nov, or Oct, how was the spring, and summer?

Thanks,
good hunting!

[ifishsd]

Pheasant numbers are about the same as last year. Most places the numbers are down slightly from last year. Should be as good as last year. I've seen some small pheasants about 3 weeks ago, so some of the young rooster might be hard to tell apart for a hen.

Good luck and post how you do if you plan on going.

[Mike Walerak]

From my trecks around the countryside lately I have been seeing those tiny birds gain some color. I think it was a later than normal hatch due to the heavy rains we had this spring. I am still find the birds to be more concetrated in certain areas. It seems to vary from mile to mile. I am licking my chops for the first taste of rooster this fall. It should be a great year.
mw

[Jmnhunter]

hey, just wondering if anyone has an updated pheasant forecast? Planning to go thanksgiving weekend.

-thanks

JN

[ifishsd]

heading out this weekend. I let you know. I believe there is lots of corn in the fields yet. Watertown area had 3 inches of rain Yesterday, so that will kill the harvest for awhile.

[Jmnhunter]

ifish, or anyone else, any new reports? how about the corn situation?

thanks

JN

[ifishsd]

The corn is coming out. I was out two weeks ago and saw quite a few pheasants.

[paintbrush]

Got back Friday the 5th from the Huron/Woonsocket area.Most of the corn was still in as of then.Some beans were still in also.

The birds are relating to the corn big time. We found most of our birds in heavy cover next to the corn.

When all that corn finally comes down,it should make for some great hunting.

[Jmnhunter]

sounds good, yeah once that corn gets cut, the birds should be easier to find.

-jn

[Mike Walerak]

The corn harvest is in full swing. I'd say in my area its 65% done. The roosters are really starting to show themselves.

mw

[Mr.Seaguar]

Think about that, Nov 12th and the corn is 65% picked. WOW! I have not seen it this bad ever since I began hunting SD in the mid 90s. There is tons of birds tho. I think more than I have ever seen.

[ifishsd]

Was up by Hayti hunting. Tons of birds. Most of the birds are still in the corn Strips, but we did get into nice bunch in a grass draw. We couldn't hit anything, but did see plenty. I would say 75% of the corn is gone. They were combining the big fields today. Hunting can only keep getting better.

[Mr.Seaguar]

When you get into a shooting slump pheasant hunting it just seems to get progressively worse until you quit and go home.

[Jmnhunter]

just found out today that my cousin's land still has standing corn. How much longer till the rest of the corn gets cut? What are the circumstances?

thanks, Hes located outside of Mitchell, In woonsocket

JN

[Mike Walerak]

JM,

In most cases the elevators cannot take the corn and dry it as fast as the farmers are bringing it in. The result is the farmer waits in line at the elevator for 2 hours or more to dump a wagon/truck. Many of the farmers I know around Arlington took off to hunt deer with hopes of shorter lines when they return.

Some of the farmers just run large opperations and it takes a month or so do finnish up the corn harvest.

On another note I was out and about this weekend only to find plenty of pheasants, even got into a covy of partride. we found the pheasants in small patches of standing corn and nearby grass.

mw

[Jmnhunter]

GOOD NEWS!!!

they cut all of the corn around my cousin's land and the neighbors, they said #s are down, but with the corn cut, there are high numbers

-good luck

jn

[Jmnhunter]

got back sunday night. weather was horrible, too windy, except for the day we left,of course. saw alot of birds, between four of us, we didnt do that good or that bad. I could see one pheasant the whole weekend with my$100 license, and still have a blast no matter what. Ilove it out there. Tons and tons and tons of ducks and geese, never seen that many mallards before, just unbelievable.

-jn

[Mr.Seaguar]

I hear you about the waterfowl numbers up there. People in southern SD and parts south cry about not seeing any ducks. They dont realize that NE SD can hold 10 million ducks with room to spare. You see one lake with 50,000 on it. Gee, wonder why those guys arent seeing any ducks.