Nodak Outdoors» Pheasant Hunting

Tebowing – Late Season Pheasant Hunting

admin — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:24:31 +0000

By Nick Simonson

It’s December, it’s cold, it’s tough going in the field. But somehow, as the season wears on, I find myself out there, still grinding away, searching for a last chance bird or deer with a never-give-up attitude I hoped I’d have at this time of year, way back in October as I was headed back from a successful North Dakota pheasant hunting opener.
And as we drove home from our weekend out west, my friends and I listened to the late game on Westwood One. Tim Tebow had been inserted as a last-ditch replacement on a struggling Denver Broncos team which was down by two touchdowns with 18 minutes left in the game. As a fellow Florida alumni, I had followed the second-year pro all through college as the Gators won two national titles and Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman. That evening, Tebow rallied Denver, but failed to convert on a last second pass into the endzone. But even in defeat, the crowd at Mile High resounded through the radio as chants of “TE-BOW, TE-BOW” echoed over the airwaves.
I petitioned my friend, who I often rib for being a Cowboys fan, to cheer for the Broncos this season with Touchdown Timmy at the helm, as the Vikings, my lifelong NFL team of choice, were tanking horribly.
“At 1-4, they’re going to need all the help they can get, and it won’t be much different than cheering for Minnesota,” he joked, allowing my request.
Since then, Tebow has brought the Broncos from a lost season to the top of the AFC West, capped with a last-second win over my hapless Vikings. In that span, Tebow has helped engineer five fourth-quarter comeback wins, taking six of seven since becoming the starter, thanks mostly in part to his heart, grit and determination. He has proved that it’s never too late to find success, no matter how bad things look, and no matter what the critics might say.
Watching the game with me this weekend was my buddy Adam from Grand Rapids, Minn. who had joined me for a pheasant hunt, despite this season’s low numbers. It was his first time afield for wild birds, having only partaken in a game farm hunt. Despite my warnings, and promise of no apologies for what lie in store, he headed out with my lab, Gunnar, and me, knowing that bird populations were down.
Early in the day, we flushed birds at a distance and one rooster provided me with a through-the-brush shot which I missed. We trod on through WMAs and private acres, putting the occasional bird in the air, with most being hens at this late date in the season. The day wore on and as I carried my gun across my shoulders lamenting the low numbers, a rooster surprised us. Adam’s shot rang out as the bird launched up from a brushy drain edge, and he toppled it on the far side. Gunnar made the retrieve up and down the gully and back, and dropped the bird at my feet. I loaded it in Adam’s vest, patted him on the back, and congratulated him on his first wild bird.
“That’s all I was hoping for,” he replied.
With one in the bag, we soldiered on to another WMA and walked the hillsides. Gunnar got hot and veered away from me, toward Adam and onto the downward slope of the hill. Forty yards ahead another rooster cackled as it flushed in front of the dog, a long tail flapping in the north wind as its wingbeats carried it up over the dried brown rearing grass.
Adam chased the bird with his first shot and toppled it with a second at long range. Gunnar was on the rooster in moments and it wasn’t long until Adam held it up with pride. We finished the walk out and headed back to the truck, riding high on Adam’s success resulting from a never-give-up attitude he had kept that day, despite the odds against us.
After a slow morning hunt the following day, we packed it up and headed in for the football game, and watched as that same spirit carried Tim Tebow and his Broncos to yet another improbable victory. As the commentators summed up the QBs performance, they came back to the same theme, that no matter how late it is, no matter how far he has to go, he gets it done with an unbreakable spirit. A perfect description too, of the attitude required on this short and challenging days of the late season and my friend’s successful first pheasant hunt…in our outdoors.

The Plight of the Partridge

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 21:06:40 +0000

By Doug Leier

When it comes to winter and wildlife, we give much time and attention to pheasants and deer. While I won’t begrudge the attention for arguably the two most popular hunted species in North Dakota, there’s a host of other critters working their way through winter with us as well.

Some, like the native sharp-tailed grouse, are designed to withstand about every trick nature can pull, from layers of pleated feathers that fight the wind, to the instinctual capacity to snuggle into the snow to beat the cold.

Hungarian or gray partridge are not quite so well equipped. While this native of Europe actually does OK if the basics of adequate habitat and food are available, life on the prairie is still somewhat precarious during winter months.

Partridge have fat reserves and dense plumage and thick foot pads that help them survive bitter temperatures. They also are known to huddle together on the ground to form tight roosting rings called rosettes, which both generate and preserve heat and up the odds for their chances of survival.

Unfortunately for pheasants, they haven’t yet taken the hint from these little birds, as they are still often seen in their sentinel-like stance even in the face of a bitter Alberta clipper.

Like native sharptails of the prairies and ruffed grouse that inhabit pockets of timber within North Dakota northern forests, Hungarian partridge will also tunnel into the snow to gain protection from wind and a buffer from the bitter cold.

While having snow on the ground means cover from the elements is always at hand, too much snow such as the past few winters can be a bad thing as it keeps partridge from getting to food. While ruffed grouse and sharptails can survive on berries, buds and seeds hanging from trees and shrubs like buffaloberries and beaked hazel, partridge are mostly ground feeders.

In winter, when food is scarce, stubble fields, roadsides and farmsteads play an important role in partridge survival. If grains, weed seeds, sprouts and grit are exposed, partridge will find them.

In late February, when spring can seem like it’s just around the corner or, alas, seemingly forever imprisoned under a foot of snow, the Hungarian partridge breeding season begins.

Partridge harvest numbers from 2010 have not yet been tallied but in the past few seasons we’ve seen a harvest of 60,000-100,000 birds and about 15,000-30,000 active hunters. Ward, Bottineau and Williams counties have been the top counties for partridge harvest the last couple of years.

Partridge are not often the primary quarry of upland game hunters, but most hunters would agree that they always appreciate seeing a covey of Huns. In recent years I’ve even talked to some hunters who have chosen not to pull the trigger if a covey flushes, as a sort of a catch-and-release gesture in hopes that a few more remnant birds will help the population bounce more quickly.

Realistically, changes in land use and weather – particularly a cool and wet late spring and early summer — play a much greater role in influencing partridge population levels.

The fact remains that pheasants and partridge are not native to North Dakota, and while partridge may have a slight edge over pheasants when it comes to winter, even tamer winters are still a tough test.

Leier is a biologist with the Game & Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov.

Late Season Compromise

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:20:36 +0000

By Nick Simonson

When temperatures drop below freezing, my thoughts generally turn to ice fishing. My wife’s thoughts on the other hand, turn to ways to keep me from testing the newly-formed surface of local waters. And as we usually do in our marriage, we have reached a nice compromise on this issue. In the days between Thanksgiving and the weekend where I get the go-ahead from her to walk on water, she okays my forays afield after late-season roosters.

While the hunts are often the most memorable of the year, and the most enjoyable for me, the challenges of winter pheasant hunting are numerous. There’s quite a few less roosters after two months of open season and those that do remain are very spooky. The slightest noise – a truck door closing or a voice command – can send birds from their cover 100 yards away. On top of that, pheasants are generally bunched up tighter in the late season, and as soon as one takes flight, the rest aren’t far behind. I’ve watched several dozen birds at a distance explode from the cattails one after another as soon as one detects the crunching of snow some distance off.

The weather provides a test of a hunter’s mettle too. Snow, ice and wind all factor into the layers added on to keep warm during the hunt, and those layers in turn subtly change shot mechanics. The butt of a shotgun might not find the familiar crook on a jacketed shoulder that it did over the sweatshirts and maybe even t-shirts a few weeks ago. Gloved hands might not grip the trigger area in the same manner, slightly altering the shooting angle one might have been used to for the past few months. To find late-season success, one needs to adapt to these changes.

But the change that winter brings isn’t all bad as factors come into play that even the playing field somewhat. The cold weather keeps the would-be hunters safe and warm at home, or circling your favorite chunk of CRP in their pickup trucks instead of actually walking out into it to face the elements. More of your favorite management area might be accessible too, thanks to a hard freeze which locks up a previously-soaked slough in ice, allowing you (and the birds) more room to roam. Just make sure to avoid any weak spots, or you might end up with a chilly ankle bath.

Another advantage that winter brings to the late-season hunter is the ability to track pheasants in the snow. Their tell-tale four-toed print which points in the direction they’re heading shows you what your dog has smelled for months – that pheasants move in the most unorthodox manner. They duck under branches, loop around clumps of grass, tear through cattails and take off and land with their wings and tails hitting the ground, leaving a distinct impression that lets you know where the pursuit ends and where it begins again.

Since the weather has gotten colder this year, I’ve noticed that my yellow lab, Gunnar, has had an inordinate number of points. He’s probably pointed at a three-to-one ratio the number of roosters we’ve come across, as opposed to those birds that would have normally flushed in the early weeks of the season. The late season birds that don’t take off at the slightest hint of trouble seem to hold tighter, providing an exciting explosion of grass, snow and feathers that has left me rattled – missing more pointed birds than I care to admit!
Bagging one winter rooster is a victory, and taking your limit is really something to be proud of in December. Adjusting to the elements and reading the signs on the ground with the help of your trusted four-legged interpreter can produce exciting results. Whether you’ve reached an early-ice compromise or just want to prolong your upland season, pheasant hunting is a great way to enjoy the last month of the year…in our outdoors.

Late Season Pheasant Hunting

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:18:02 +0000

By Doug Leier

For those of us who like to spend as much time as possible on the outside of the window, October is a sort of early Christmas present. Hunting seasons for just about everything are open, and fall fishing can be just as hot as summer, but without humidity and mosquitoes.

While crunching across the prairie, working up a mild sweat in the heart of those great Indian summer days conjures a post-card kind of memory, turning the calendar from November to December doesn’t have to signal the end of great pheasant hunting.

Fact is, the opening weeks of pheasant season draw the heaviest hunting interest. As the weeks wear on, some rooster hunters call it a season. Others may view the close of deer season as the end of hunting and the beginning of ice fishing.

Which brings me to late season pheasant hunting. Some hunters who prefer less crowded fields, may in fact not hunt roosters at all until the close of deer season. Others view the close of deer season as a reason to get back out after pheasants, and still others keep going from beginning to end.

Working the odds on December pheasants

If you’ve never hunted roosters toward the end of the season, understand that these birds have been hunted for several weeks, and they’ll probably be a little jumpy compared to opening weekend. If CRP fields fill with snow, birds may take cover in slough bottoms or shelterbelts near a food source.

When choosing a shotgun, some veteran hunters who prefer a 20 gauge earlier in the season commonly switch to a 12 gauge and use shells with larger pellets because of the perception that late-season shot ranges are longer than those typically encountered in October.

Whether shot ranges change all that much from early to late is a good topic for coffee shop conversation. What is true, however, is that larger shot sizes are better for taking pheasants cleanly, and it doesn’t matter if it’s early or late.

Across the state, many national wildlife refuges are now open and available for limited upland game hunting including pheasants, grouse and partridge. They open after most migratory waterfowl have left the state.

Over the past decade U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel have worked diligently to increase hunting opportunities after waterfowl migrations and seasons have passed. Each refuge has specific regulations, including open and closed areas. Don’t let the specific regulations deter you. Refuge staffs are more than happy to explain regulations and might even offer a tip or two along the way.

To learn more about late season NWR hunting opportunities, contact your local Fish and Wildlife Service office or logon to the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

And similar to a warm October hunt, you’d be well served to bring a cooler along, but this time of year you’ll want to keep the birds from freezing. If you’ll be field dressing the birds, be sure to leave proper identification as required by law.

Pheasant, grouse and partridge seasons are open through Jan. 2, 2010, so there’s still plenty of time to get out there and enjoy what the late season offers.

Leier is a biologist. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov

CRP Signup Time

admin — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:50:36 +0000

By Doug Leier

Whether we like it or not, it’s part of human nature to take for granted things that become part of our lives or benefit us over the long term. The only way we can truly appreciate the value of what we have, is to have less of it.

In the outdoor world, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program is a fitting example, and wildlife agencies and conservation organizations have tried to relay that message for years. In fact, just by reading the acronym CRP, it’s likely that some readers have probably lost a bit of interest, and would rather read a fall hunting preview or learn about some management issue the North Dakota Game and Fish Department is trying to address.

We have heard about the value of CRP to wildlife and related outdoor activities for years, perhaps to the point that some people tune out the message. Now, however, the message is a little different. A new general sign-up, the first in several years, is in progress. Instead of talking about all the land that will come out of the program, we can talk about the potential for new enrollments.

The Conservation Reserve Program originated in the mid-1980s, and it didn’t take hunters long to begin seeing the benefits, first with pheasants and deer, and eventually waterfowl. In addition, about a decade later the Game and Fish Department began piggy-backing a walk-in hunting access program – Private Land Open to Sportsmen or PLOTS – to CRP acres.

Like free pop refills at a fast-food restaurant, CRP and PLOTS became an annual expectation, though wildlife managers could see challenging times ahead when contracts would start expiring in 2007 and beyond.

On top of that, a few years ago commodity prices shot up, prompting increased land rental rates that in many areas outpaced CRP payments for landowners. Since 2007 North Dakota has lost just under a million acres of CRP. Now, the state has a chance to get some of that back, either in terms of contract extensions or new enrollments.

Which brings me to the current sign-up open through Aug. 27. The great thing about CRP is that it is voluntary. Landowners can choose whether to participate, based on the potential to improve their bottom line over time. Even then, acceptance into the program is not a given, as each tract is evaluated and ranked on its environmental benefits. Offering land for enrollment is more like a first step than an expected result.

Landowners who have an interest in learning more about the current CRP sign-up have an array of technical support available from local USDA staff to Game and Fish private lands biologists, Pheasants Forever farm bill biologists and Ducks Unlimited conservation program biologists.

In 2007 the prairie of North Dakota had 3.4 million acres of CRP. It’s tough to imagine, given current economic factors, surpassing 3 million acres again. However, if landowner interest is high and CRP rental rates are competitive cash rent and commodity prices, the state could at least realize some modest gains instead of continued losses.

It’s been four years since the last CRP open enrollment, and no one knows when or if there will be a next time. The current positive development is one that could shape our expectations for years to come. Now’s the time to keep the conversation going and make sure that everyone who might have an interest in the sign-up is aware of the possibilities.

Looking to Fall in ND

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:27:13 +0000

By Doug Leier

With the Vikings into training camp, regardless of who plays quarterback for the Purple this fall, most experts agree it should be a good season. The same goes for North Dakota’s primary gamebird species this fall.

That said, there’s no guarantee and we really won’t know until hunters or football players take the field. But my response when asked about hunting prospects is “so far so good.” Here’s a look at some biological data that helps support my early assessment.

Pheasants
North Dakota’s spring pheasant crowing count survey revealed a 6 percent decrease statewide compared to last year, according to Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the state Game and Fish Department.

The number of crows heard in the northwest was down 16 percent from 2009, while counts in the southwest and southeast were relatively unchanged from last year. In the northeast where there are fewer birds, the counts decreased 10 percent.

“This past winter did not appear to have a role in the lower crowing counts,” Kohn said. “It is probably the result of a lower number of adult birds surviving the winter of 2008-09, coupled with poor production in spring 2009 because of cool, wet weather at the time of the hatch, resulting in chick mortality and fewer young entering the population last fall.”

Kohn said the good news from this spring is the quality of cover will benefit birds and broods of all upland species. “Pheasants are finding nesting and brooding cover in fair quantity and great quality,” he added. “Native, warm season plants are doing extremely well and one would anticipate a good number of insects and eventually grasshoppers to become available with this type of habitat component.”

While the crowing count survey provides good trend data on roosters, Kohn said it does not assess adult hen population. “Hens are the segment of the population that determines the fall population,” he said. “In spring 2009, field personnel noted the low number of hens with roosters (1-2 hens per rooster) indicating the hen population might be smaller than usual. This spring there were no such observations reported.”

The spring crowing count does not measure population density, but is an indicator of the spring rooster population based on a trend of number of crows heard. Biologists won’t complete brood surveys until early September, and those will provide an indicator of the summer’s pheasant production

Ducks
Waterfowl in North Dakota appear in very good shape as the spring breeding duck survey index of more than 4.5 million birds was up 12 percent from last year and 107 percent above the long-term average (1948-2009). For historical comparison, the 2010 index is the third highest on record.

All species, except for wigeon increased from last year. Pintails were up 10 percent and were at the highest level since 1970. Mallards were up 12 percent and were the fourth highest on record.

Spring waterfowl surveyors also count breeding resident giant Canada geese, and that index came in at the second highest on record.

In addition to good water conditions in North Dakota, reports indicate that much of the duck factory in South Dakota and Montana was in good shape, but Saskatchewan and Manitoba were on the dry side at the time of spring migration.

One final note as Conservation Reserve Program acreage in North Dakota continues to decline. Since the beginning of 2007, North Dakota has lost more than 700,000 CRP acres, and projections for the next two years indicate up to another 1.7 million acres could be converted to cropland.

So while the here and now would probably fit into an “OK” category, concern about the future continues to mount as the grassland habitat base shrinks.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov

Hunting Sage Grouse

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:45:34 +0000

By Doug Leier

While it won’t become official until the annual small game hunting proclamation is finalized later this month, it’s a certainty that North Dakota will not have a sage grouse season again this fall. This will mark the third year in a row that the state has not had an open season on sage grouse, after more than 40 years of limited hunting that started in the mid-1960s.

Sage grouse are the largest of North Dakota’s three native grouse species, and are found only in the extreme southwestern part of the state, where big sage once covered the landscape. These birds were never all that numerous because North Dakota marked the northeastern edge of their range, but over the past 50 years since the State Game and Fish Department first conducted spring surveys, the population has declined by more than 80 percent.

Much of that decline is attributed to big sage habitat conversion and fragmentation, while in recent years Game and Fish biologists suspect that the West Nile virus has taken an additional toll on adult birds.

This year the spring count of male sage grouse on leks was at its lowest level since the survey began in the 1950s. Aaron Robinson, Game and Fish Department upland game bird biologist, said a record low 66 males were counted on 15 active strutting grounds. Last year, 69 males were counted on 17 active leks in the southwest. “A big increase in the population was not expected due to last year’s wet spring, including the snowfall we received in June 2009,” Robinson said.

The number of males counted on leks each spring has gradually declined since 2000 when the tally was 283 birds. In 2008, spring counts dropped dramatically throughout North Dakota’s sage grouse range, falling from 159 to 77.

If there is a bit of good news in the lower number for 2010, it’s that the total was only three less than 2009. “One thing is clear,” Robinson said, “we have not taken another big hit by West Nile which hopefully indicates some resistance.”

Management of sage grouse in North Dakota has followed a specific plan which outlines hunting harvest objectives. There is no indication that hunting has had a role in the sage grouse population decline. Without managed hunting the past two years, the numbers still went down, and for several years prior to that the annual harvest was less than two dozen birds.

Even so, the Game and Fish Department plan recommends closing the hunting season if the spring census indicates fewer than 100 males. Wildlife division Chief Randy Kreil explains, “There is hope that hunters will again be able to hunt the arid, gorgeous country for a bird that is so startling on the wing because of its size. “The goal would be to conserve and recover the habitat base so the sage grouse population would expand to the point that our limited hunting seasons could be revived,”

It’s important to note the role of hunting in conservation. Money generated through license fees and excise taxes provides biologists with the resources to monitor sage grouse and sagebrush habitat. Game and Fish and other agencies are working with cooperating landowners on a few new programs designed to conserve or reestablish sagebrush.

Changes likely won’t occur overnight, and there is no expectation that the state’s sage grouse population will eventually rebound to match historic highs. The primary objective is gradual improvement that will keep sage grouse from landing on the endangered species list, and ultimately return them to the list of birds that form the basis for the state’s fall upland game hunting seasons.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email: dleier@nd.gov

All in the Stats

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:17 +0000

By Doug Leier

I’ve always been intrigued by numbers and the dynamics of statistics. While the numbers themselves, if they are accurate, are more or less facts, the factors contributing to those final statistics are where the real fun comes in.
Consider, for instance, last fall’s deer and pheasant harvest numbers. When the North Dakota Game and Fish Department releases these numbers, they will be either up, down or about same as the previous year.

The interesting question is “why?”

If the pheasant harvest is down, it could be related to loss of habitat, a tough winter, less than optimal conditions for reproduction, reduced hunter effort, or a combination of several of these.

Weather in October 2009 was nothing short of dismal for many upland game hunters. As a generalization it was cool and wet. Remember opening day of pheasant season? My son and I walked only a couple of small grass tracts and I was ready to call it a day and because of the wind and the rain.

The pheasant opener is supposed to be warm, the type of day when a light jacket is sufficient cover until I get too hot and have to shed a layer and walk with a long sleeve shirt. I wore a long sleeved shirt, but only after a hot shower at the end of our day. It was a memorable opener, due to the weather and not the birds.

Now, spread similar conditions across the state and you have to wonder how many other hunters didn’t quite sustain a full opening-weekend effort. Cold and windy for an October pheasant hunt isn’t ideal, but it’s tolerable. When you add wet to the equation, enthusiasm for opening weekend dies quickly, and I’ve heard from many other hunters who shared the same experience.

If that opening weekend is an annual trip or hunt for which there is not likely a replacement, total harvest might be reduced from what would have occurred with two days of 60 degrees and sunshine.

Opening weekend on deer season has similar circumstances for a fair number of hunters. Tradition brings them back to a certain place or group, but they have no intention of returning if they don’t get a deer the first weekend. If weather is substandard, their season is over and the total harvest is not quite as high as it could have been with favorable weather.

Last fall, November weather was an improvement over October, though the October moisture slowed the corn harvest and many fields and roads never did dry out. I heard many hunters exclaim that they spent more time deer hunting this fall, which reduced their opportunities for late pheasant hunts to wind down their fall.

I don’t know the exact break-out of pheasant harvest by month or week, but it’s a certainty that harvest is influenced by weather. A snowy, cold December can shut down all but the most avid of hardcore pheasant hunters. On the other hand, a mild and brown December provides opportunity for even fair-weather pheasant hunters to take to the field a few more times.

Let me go on record with a prediction that the statewide pheasant bag for 2009 may be down from 2008. In reality, that’s not stepping very far out on the limb as the preseason brood surveys and population estimates were down markedly from the previous year.

How much better would that harvest number look with favorable opening weekend weather? Most likely not enough to change the comparison to the previous year from “down” to “about the same,” but we can easily speculate that the statistical number would have been better with nice weather on opening weekend.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department he can be reached by email:dleier@nd.gov

Late Season Pheasant Hunting

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:20:52 +0000

By Doug Leier

Growing up as a kid in the 1980s, across the prairie from Williston to LaMoure and Valley City, December was a time of transition in our house. After the close of regular deer rifle season, the collection of my Dad’s gear in the “ready” position shifted from primarily hunting, to a mix of hunting and ice fishing equipment, and then as the ice thickened the shotguns were cleaned and put away as ice fishing took center stage.

Late season pheasant hunting is great with the snow and low pressure

I could tell by the boots when he was ready to focus his attention on the early ice bite, but over the course of years the pheasant hunting gear seemed to stay in position a little further into December.

I’m not real certain how many hunters pursue pheasants in December, but I suspect the number has increased along with the pheasant population over the last couple of decades. Even on optimal December days the conditions are more taxing than on a nice October walk across the prairie.

And yet, for many hunters a chase for skittish roosters directly into below-zero wind-chills is still preferable to staying at home.

The total December pheasant take is not nearly as significant as that of October. In fact, the combined harvest of November and December is still well below that of October, even though the number of days open for hunting in October is less than a third of the entire pheasant season.

Just how much the December harvest contributes to the overall total probably depends a lot on the weather. Which makes me wonder. Can difficult weather that keeps even the die-hards indoors mean the difference between a good year and one that is not up to expectations?

I can’t help but ponder last fall’s pheasant harvest, which dipped below the modern day high of more than 900,000 birds in 2007, to less than 800,000. Many a hunter assumed the 2008 pheasant take might be similar or even higher than 2007, given preseason bird numbers. But I also recall the awful weather and hunting conditions from early November last year, basically until the end of the season.

This year brings a different set of circumstances. Bird numbers are down, but we’ve had excellent pheasant hunting weather during November. Predictions for December are for milder conditions than last year. While Game and Fish doesn’t keep a statistic for hunting effort and bird harvest in November and December, it would be interesting to know how this year will compare to last year.

All this is just a reminder that there are other factors besides bird numbers that contribute to total harvest for a season. While last year’s total might have been slightly lower due to disagreeable hunting conditions in December, the decline of more than 100,000 birds from 2007 is mostly attributable to something else.

On the other hand, perhaps 2009’s pheasant harvest will somewhat exceed expectations because hunters took more trips because the weather was nice, at least compared to a year ago.

Even with a mild November, we are still in a transition time and as you begin moving from hunting into ice fishing and spearing, or predator hunting, don’t forget the remaining open seasons. And when holiday discussions circle around last season’s pheasant hunting, summer fishing or duck migration, remember that there’s always more than one factor to consider while you’re constructing the big picture.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email:dleier@nd.gov

How to Pheasant Hunt Late Season Roosters in SD

admin — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:55:55 +0000

By PJ Maguire

A good map and some patience is the most important part of learning how to pheasant hunt in South Dakota.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. When there is snow on the ground and the sloughs are frozen, that is the best time of the year to hunt pheasants. This year we have had snow and freezing temps across the Midwest during a good part of pheasant season. So last weekend my father and I took advantage of the weather that has be absent the last couple hunting seasons to chase pheasants.

In an article, legendary outdoor writer Tony Dean said that South Dakota is the best place for hunters to pursue pheasants. With South Dakota having lots of pheasants and plenty of opportunities for hunters, I believe that Tony is right. My father and I both had a second five-day period available on our licenses so we chose to go back to South Dakota.

Freelancing pheasants in South Dakota is like freelancing ducks in North Dakota. Basically there are birds all over the state and to be successful you have to be mobile. Knowing different areas is crucial, so we decided to hunt pheasants in a new area so we could widen our territory.

Our goal was to target cattails for the majority of our hunts. When the water beneath them is frozen, cattails provide excellent cover for late-season pheasants. A lot of that cover has just recently become accessible. I was hoping that hunters had overlooked these spots so far this season.

Nothing better than pheasants in the snow

The two of us ended up hunting mostly Waterfowl Production Areas with the three labs we brought along. Waterfowl Production Areas or WPAs are public lands open to hunting that are purchased through Federal duck stamp dollars. These lands always have some form of water on them and are natural places to find cattails. Pheasant hunters have to remember that steel-shot is legally required on Waterfowl Production Areas.

My father and I ended up hunting Federal land, but the state of South Dakota has public land available to hunters as well. Most of the land I saw that was purchased by the state had food plots on it. South Dakota also has state funded Walk-In areas. These land plots are only accessible by foot, like the majority of public land. The state basically leases the land for the Walk-In areas from farmers, and opens the land up for public hunting. Pretty cool concept to a pheasant hunter.

I feel that most hunters when freelancing just open up a public hunting map and say, ‘look at all the public land around here.’ Usually pointing out a few areas to concentrate and suggest to others that they go there. These are places that I try to avoid. I don’t have any problems with putting on a few extra miles to avoid other hunters.

Using proper blocking strategies with dogs for spooky birds that are holding are a must when hunting pheasants later in the season. And when pushing against the wind, you should expect the birds to give you some extra time on the draw. We had the dogs, but we could have used some blockers. Still we were able to find a handful of roosters that were willing to hold in the snow and cold.

On our recent pheasant hunting trip, my father and I discovered that our new spot is a good one. It is always a pleasure to hunt with a good friend in a new area. Next season we are planning on going back and bringing a few more shooters. Now that we have hunted a few different areas, we know how to cover them the right way.

On the drive home from South Dakota, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of pheasants my father and I spotted. We spotted dozens of pheasants feeding in cornfields while we were driving along I-90. It’s almost as if they’re taunting hunters who are traveling home.

Nodak Outdoors» Pheasant Hunting

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