Opening Pheasant weekend

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

Any luck for the opening weekend?

My brother and I went out on private ground in Bremer County and got 2 real young birds. We were barely able to see the white ring around the neck and see the red around the eye. Seen 2 other roosters and 3 hens. Not many birds around but lots of corn still in. We drove around the Aldo Leopold area to see how many people were there and there were over 30 trucks in all the lots combined!! Not many shots at all that we heard in our area.

Did not even think about trying it today with the hurricane winds and snow.

How did everybody else so and where did you go.

[eelpout50]

We hit some state land early sat in humbolt county and got 4 birds there, did a little private land in the afternoon and only got 3. Not bad but there were six guys and two dogs. Lots and lots of corn still up.

Tried in the hurricane today, got 3 up and hit one. the two we missed got in the wind and went by us at mach 3.

[delmuts]

"the two we missed got in the wind and went by us at mach 3."

Only mach 3 ????

i was out in a tree stand, and heard some shooting, but not much. Hid in the house sunday!! The rports i'm hearing ; it was slow with many birds getting up out of range.

[portageman]

Northern Kossuth County....... I have been going there since 2002. Worst opener I have seen. Tough spring + corn in the field + gale force winds = poor hunting.

[Walleye Guy]

Our group struggled compared to most years. About a bird a guy per day on sate land.

We got checked by a CO on Sunday. He said that on Saturday he checked 100 hunters and saw 60 harvested roosters. He said that is much lower than a typical year. Bird count and crops are keeping the harvest down in his opinion.

[NWBuck]

I shot 3 for the weekend...1 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday before the strong winds set in. Nearly all the birds our group got came between 8 and 9 AM. Caught them still in their grass roosts before they got to the corn. Most of our traditional spots had a lot of roosts in them, and the farmers who have picked some corn report pretty good numbers.

All in all, I considered it a PERFECT opener. Enough fresh pheasant for a meal or two, 7 month old shorthair got some valuable experience, and best of all, saved a BUNCH of birds for later in the season.

[onlyspringers]

Hunted private ground Saturday. Four of us got 4 birds. Saw quiet a few flying into the unpicked corn before shooting hours. Went out today on public land close to home and managed 1 in about 2 hours hunting. Think we will do alright once the corn is out and the weather is a little nastier.

[bhs91]

Anybody hunting in the Garner Area? 7days and counting until we get down there; can't wait! Reports, both pheasants and crops would be great.

Thanks,

BHS

[onlyspringers]

THe crops are starting to come out. Farmers are hitting it pretty hard but still less than 50% out at least here in central Iowa. Looks like another rainy periodstarting next Tues thru Thrus. The people that I know and have talked to seem to have done the best in NW part of the state. You can find pockets of birds but it depends on the quality of the cover. We hunt W Central Iowa and saw alot of birds Saturday unfortunately they were flying out of the cover into the corn fields well before 8.

[bhs91]

OS,

Thanks for the report! Emily,MN that's up by my Baxter stomping grounds! I'll post a report when I get back.

BHS