Concerned about pheasant hunting in South Dakota!!!

[BLACKJACK]

The increased farming pressure in the SoDak has me concerned about pheasant hunting in north central South Dakota. For the past 7 years we've been going pheasant hunting southwest of Aberdeen in Faulk and Edmunds county, hunting and staying on a big ranch/farm/feedlot operation. When we first started out there, cornfields were rare and soybeans were non-existent, now our host farmer has been tearing up fence lines, tilling up pasture, picking rocks galore, and generally doing what farmers do best, which is trying to put more land under the plow. Combine that with drought conditions the last several years, which has made them cut every low area for forage and the only decent spots left to hunt are shelterbelts. After you've blasted them out, trying to round up the remaining pheasants in ankle high cover is tough. We had good luck on the opener, but I was just out there last Friday and after three days we left, all the spots we had to hunt had been blasted out or cut down.

What I really don't understand about this increased farming pressure is that we saw big fields of soybeans that were not even harvested, they grew to about 5 inches and that was it. Farmers are optimists by nature but what if this dry period continues? Is tilling up more land the answer? Are they just farming the farm programs? I know this drought won't last forever, but more rain will just encourage them to farm more of the hills and pastures. Its a real vicious cycle.

This is a subject for another post, but the increase in ethanol plants doesn't help. It’s increasing the demand for corn, but at what cost to the grasslands (and increased erosion)? I know we're trying to decrease the demand in foreign oil but it takes diesel fuel to run the tractors and combines, and fossil fuel to make fertilizer. Are we really gaining anything?

Another concern out there is the Waterfowl Production areas. At this point they've been grazed flat. I know they let beef cows in some of them as a management practice to mimic buffalo herds, but some of the areas have been grazed 4-5 years in a row. I thought there was supposed to be some alternating and off years? Will ducks nest in grass that’s 1/2 inch tall??!

I know this post is gloom and doom, I know there are still lots and lots of pheasants in SoDak, but I don't like what I see in the future

[Sartell Angler]

I was in SD last week and saw some of what you are talking about. Hopefully the land doesn't turn into the landscape of western MN anytime soon.

[rather b hunting]

I could not agree more, Ethenol is not very pheasant friendly. If we start to use lots of ethenol the price of corn will go up(supply and demand) and all farmers will begin to farm for corn, that would be a real bad thing for ducks and phesants, bye bye wetlands.

[rundrave]

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the only decent spots left to hunt are shelterbelts. After you've blasted them out, trying to round up the remaining pheasants in ankle high cover is tough

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I dont get what your getting at here. Your post is about losing hunting spots to crops, but your complaining about finding birds in high cover?

whats so bad about finding birds in ankle high cover? Its called hunting, its not always supposed to be easy thats all part of the fun. Thats part of the challenge if your not willing to work for your birds I guess your view of pheasant hunting is diffrent than some of us.

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This is a subject for another post, but the increase in ethanol plants doesn't help. It’s increasing the demand for corn, but at what cost to the grasslands (and increased erosion)? I know we're trying to decrease the demand in foreign oil but it takes diesel fuel to run the tractors and combines, and fossil fuel to make fertilizer. Are we really gaining anything?

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Anytime you can create jobs with living wages, you’re doing a good thing. The importance of ethanol production is undeniable to both consumers and producers. Thats why many states already produce ethanol with great success.

Another benefit, and I beleive this is very important, is that it gives farmers another buyer for their products. Anytime you can take an agricultural product and add value to it, it’s a good thing. By boosting the economy of our farming communities, the entire economy benefits with more dollars being spent.

Whats wrong with taking a product that is already grown here and provide jobs and economic stability with it.

Pheasant hunting in just about anywhere in the state of south dakota is doing just fine, just like it always has and probaly awlways will be. I dont see any drastic decline in bird numbers in the near future. In fact I have hunted all over this state this year and havent had a problem finding any birds on both public and private lands.

[DUCKJ]

We just got back lastnight from north eastern SD and had a great 3 day hunt over there. Seen well over a thousand birds. Walk the tall cattails(but it well worth it), shelter belts, grass. Hunted some private and public land and both seem to have the same amount of birds.

Duck

[Try Too Fish]

I find it hard to agree with your statement corn is bad for pheasants! Corn is where they live all summer and fall till harvest and it is corn tailings that they eat till snow covers it up!

There are laws that prevent wetland destruction and sod busting so there wont be any change there!

The only change i see is a possible shift of CRP back to production, BUt that will be economics! Urge your congress and senators to KEEP CRP and keep payments up and that wont change much either!