SE Pheasant hunting??????

[Saw557]

With out giving away your hot spots....I don't expect you too! Can anybody tell me what I could expect for Pheasant in the Milnor-Oakes area? or are there better areas to look at. I've looked at the PLOTS maps on-line and there seems to be a fair amount of land available. I would like to come out either late Oct. or mid-Nov. by myself. I have a young Griffon I would like to get on some birds if possible. If you don't want to post on-line try a private e-mail [email protected]

Thanks

Scott

[iffwalleyes]

Later season you can find more private land that will let you hunt. But yes there is a fair amount of plots in the Oaks area.

[marine_man]

I'd say the area you're planning on hunting will be pretty good... Milnor - Oakes is a pretty broad area, but yes, there are a good number of plots areas around here and birds are in pretty good shape in SE ND this year (and last year for what it's worth).

Be sure to consider that deer hunting is from Nov 10-Nov 25.. which means that you'll have some competition for PLOTS land from some people for deer.

marine_man

[MINNKOTA]

Around Lamoure will will also find good hunting.

MINNKOTA

[Springerguy1]

Late season would be your best bet. I hunted the area opening weekend and this past week. The PLOTs was hit hard by the residents and again this weekend by non-residents. There are birds in the area but in won't be easy hunting, the birds are already well schooled and will run - note that all of the PLOTs area's are at least 160 acres. I would guess that 90-95% of the private land is posted and it's iffy to get permission for pheasants. If it's just you hunting by yourself you'll have better luck getting permission. Later in the season is your best chance for private land access - after deer hunting (post Thanksgiving). We hunted some PLOTs on Saturday and saw a few birds, but I don't think PLOTs in ND is much different than public hunting in MN. - hard hunted birds that will run.

[Captain B.R.K]

The Edgley and Oaks areas, there are quite a few PLOTS areas to hunt. Get yourself a free PLOTS map that the ND DNR issues out. They give you a nice plot map with the PLOTS areas on the map, a lot nicer map than what the MN DNR provides....and we pay for that map

Anyway I just got back from a hunt and was on private and public land. Lots of birds in most fields. If I didn't see them in the field, saw plenty of birds along side the road just driving down the road.

I agree with what Springerguy1 about access to private land. NDers, especially in the SE portion of the state, are hard core deer hunters. Getting on their land to hunt will be tough so either best to be out there before or after.

My second year out there pheasant hunting and this is definately something I want to spend more time doing. The problem now is prioritizing everything else I like to do too

[iffwalleyes]

That is the down fall of plots because land is getting so hard to get onto the public land gets pressured hard. The bird seem to go elsewhere. Late season though is always really good.

[Ufatz]

Just returned from three days west and south of Rutland and Oakes area. Never fired a shot. PLOTS are pretty much dead-zones already. Private I could not locate owner or no permission. Didn't help that my cell would not work in that area. Saw what appeared to be a couple commercial guiding operations with a gazillion decoys for waterfowl and ravenous dogs for pheasants. I did see lots of pheasants flying in private fields and watched a couple guys roar in and blast 'em on posted land and then roar out again but that isn't my bag.

Highly anticipated trip pretty much a heartbreaker for my little lady (Annie) and for me. Well.....I tried.

[marine_man]

Sorry to hear that...

marine_man

[brittman]

Just remember that while SE ND has many pheasants, the number of pheasant hunters is also high.

Non resident pressure has increased in SE ND as higher bird counts have been published.

More importantly it is where many people from Fargo area hunt. About 1 in 6 North Dakotans reside in Cass County.

Add Wahpeton, Jamestown, Valley, and GF and you can see most ND residents live and will chase pheasants - in SE ND.

As I was driving through Fargo, stopped to get gas - resident hunters approached me and asked how the hunting was? (I was not in SE ND this time). Then they said every parcel of public land in Richland and Sargent counties had 1 - 3 trucks parked on the approaches this Sunday.

When I lived in ND, I hunted these areas of SE ND on weekday afternoons. Nearly always found a few roosters.

Agree not much different than MN pheasant country.