WMA's are Frustrating!!!

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

I drove around following the PRIM map near Fairbault yesterday and very frustrating. The WMA's seem to get just pounded. Didn't flush a bird, see a bird or hear a bird. I need to get my young dog on birds. How far away would some of you suggest going to get away from main crowds? I have all the PRIM maps for souther MN so I should be able to find places once I know the region I'm heading. I'm planning on just a day trip Sat. On a side note I did flush 2 hens Wed night on a Wi WMA.

[gspman]

Go west young man. I'd drive west until I at least got past the Willmar area. Preferrably in or past Lac Qui Parle or the Marshall area. You need to be very mobile. Pick areas that have a concentration of public hunting areas. Scout them out and hunt the ones that look best first. Then hunt the others or move to a different area of the state. Hunt WMA's with picked corn around them first. WMA's surrounded by standing corn hunt last. Go immediately after the first snowfall. Sometimes birds will sit insanely tight after the first snowfall. I've literally had to get on my knees and dig by hand with my hunting partner standing by ready with the gun. Snow will start to bunch up the birds too. A game farm may be another option (albeit poor compared to wild birds).

gspman

[BLACKJACK]

Also hunt the biggest ones you can find, the farther away from the parking area you get the better chance you have.

[gspman]

I should add one more thing. Don't be afraid to knock on doors to ask for access to private ground. If they say yes, offer them a bird if your lucky enough to get one. If they say no just say 'thanks' and move on. If it's just you and one other person you may be surprised at how successful you can be at this. This tactic will work better after deer season is over too.

[LuciandTim]

I was in the same area by myself yestreday! It would of been nice to hook up with someone else. My dog and I flushed 3 rooster and 1 hen. I only took a shot at one of the roosters, it was too far. They all ran into corn. If you were hunting on a wed. maybe you have a schedule like mine. Get in touch and maybe we can chase soem birds together?? Tim [email protected]

[TV BOY]

We were out west of LQP on tuesday and only flushed a few birds. The crops are starting to come out in the western part of the state(which will push the birds into the wpa's and wma's). I would say all the beans were out/plowed and at least 1/2 the corn is out.

Hint- Look for the wpa's next to recently harvested corn fields

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

I was afraid of that. I was hoping that since the grouse were down and I now have a bird dog pheasant options would be closer but I can see it's about the same drive time. Day hunts will be challenging. I like the idea of going later in season and hopefully can find even a close place with birds. I have been to the game farm twice and that is getting old especially the cost. My dog is definitely ready for the real thing. I hope to make Iowa in November for a weekend.

[Snag]

DEA Dog-Exercise-Area That's my suggestion if they ever want to change the names.

Regardless of my poor luck on public land so far, I'm heading south and west tomorrow morning for another try.

Everything will be that much sweeter when I come home with a limit.

[BLACKJACK]

snag, you're about right with you DEA quip but I hate to say it, thats what pheasant hunting in MN boils down to. Consider yourself lucky when you get the first bird and the second bird a real bonus. Any bird you get in MN after the first couple of weeks is a trophy. You have to enjoy pheasant hunting for the dog work and their enthusiasm and a hike on a nice Friday when everyone else is working. I was planning on taking today off to pheasant hunting but rather than hunt in the fog and rain I'll wait for more crops to go out and a nice sunny day.

[Snag]

Had to change plans because of the warm weather. Stopped by 3 WMA's near Belle Plaine this morning. Some of the corn was down, but only saw one bird and it flushed way ahead of us. Only hunted for an hour because it was a little warm for the dog.

I have Nov. 8-15 off. I will be trying some longer trips during that week.

BLACKJACK- See you live in Willmar. Please keep us city boys posted on the corn coming out.