How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

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How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby Jack's My dog on Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:05 pm

Any one else get out this weekend for the opener? We got one before we were rained out on Saturday. Saw quite a few more birds then we thought we would. Saw a handful this morning as well but they busted fairly far out.I was pleased with the amount of birds we saw considering the vast majority of the crops are still in, and the bird count was supposed to be down. Based on what I saw, I think a good amount of corn will still be in for the deer opener.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby smurfman on Sun Oct 15, 2017 8:44 pm

I'll be getting out in the morning, I had to work this weekend. Friends who went out did not do very well. One bird for several guys in the morning. A lot of beans still out and corn hadn't been touched. They spent the afternoon dodging rain while looking for birds. I haven't heard how they did today but I suspect it wasn't very well as they have not sent me any pictures.

I will be by myself so it only takes a couple birds to have a great hunt. I'll be north of the Cities where I can combine grouse and woodcock with pheasants. A chance at sharptails is also a possibility as they are found in some of the areas I'll be hunting pheasants. I really don't get excited for pheasants until after deer season when most of the crops are in and the swamps (hopefully) freeze.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby yukonjasper on Mon Oct 16, 2017 9:40 am

We concentrated on duck hunting but did walk a couple of fields on Sat morning. Most everywhere we went we encountered saturated ground with large areas of slightly flooded (1/2" water). I don't think pheasant like to have their feet wet. We saw and shot at and hit one rooster who would not go down, would not die and eluded 4 dogs and 3 hunters. One tough bird. Flushed twice and hit 3 times - obviously not fatally. We felt bad, but spent a lot of time trying to find that bird. We did not walk for pheasants on Sunday.

Ducks were better and I prefer duck hunting, the rain on Saturday afternoon cut our hunt short.

Lots of crops still in and lost of frustrated farmers with wet fields - spoke to one guy who is very worried - he should be half done with his harvest but is only about 10%. It could be tricky if they don't get a good stretch of dry weather. Lots of flooded fields and swollen rivers/streams.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby smurfman on Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:35 pm

Took two roosters and missed one today. The first one came within 200 yards of the truck but it was an hour and a half to find the next one which I missed. Stopped around 11:00 for lunch and to rest the dogs.

Hit the woods for ruffs and mudbats a little after 2:30. Found three ruffs by 4:30 but they would not hold for a point. My young dog finally pointed a woodcock which I was able to bring down. He picked it up fine but would not keep it in his mouth. Need to do a bit of force breaking this winter. Shot the other two timberdoodles over my older dog, he was pretty tired but worked hard.

The final rooster was shot a half hour before sunset. There is a swale that I know of that pheasants often use to roost for the night when crops are still in the fields. I took the younger dog there and he was able to find and point a rooster. It was a good experience as we flushed three hens before a rooster was found.

Tomorrow we will try to find some sharpies, one of the fields was disced over last year and it will be interesting to see if the new growth has any birds yet. The deer hunters gripe big time about the DNR wiping out the brush as it was just beginning to get thick enough to hold deer. They have no idea about bird habitat and I hope they never do as the birds here cannot handle much pressure. I shoot maybe one bird a year from this area if I have a young dog. Otherwise it is all "practice" if I have more experienced dogs.

There are a few pheasants around there too, I get surprised now and then when a rooster flushes and the occasional hen keeps me on my toes regarding bird identification. From what I have read about sharptail/pheasant competition I wish roosters and hens could be taken in the sharptail zones.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby LarryP on Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:22 am

Isn't the limit only 2 roosters?


smurfman wrote:Took two roosters and missed one today. The first one came within 200 yards of the truck but it was an hour and a half to find the next one which I missed. Stopped around 11:00 for lunch and to rest the dogs.

Hit the woods for ruffs and mudbats a little after 2:30. Found three ruffs by 4:30 but they would not hold for a point. My young dog finally pointed a woodcock which I was able to bring down. He picked it up fine but would not keep it in his mouth. Need to do a bit of force breaking this winter. Shot the other two timberdoodles over my older dog, he was pretty tired but worked hard.

The final rooster was shot a half hour before sunset. There is a swale that I know of that pheasants often use to roost for the night when crops are still in the fields. I took the younger dog there and he was able to find and point a rooster. It was a good experience as we flushed three hens before a rooster was found.

Tomorrow we will try to find some sharpies, one of the fields was disced over last year and it will be interesting to see if the new growth has any birds yet. The deer hunters gripe big time about the DNR wiping out the brush as it was just beginning to get thick enough to hold deer. They have no idea about bird habitat and I hope they never do as the birds here cannot handle much pressure. I shoot maybe one bird a year from this area if I have a young dog. Otherwise it is all "practice" if I have more experienced dogs.

There are a few pheasants around there too, I get surprised now and then when a rooster flushes and the occasional hen keeps me on my toes regarding bird identification. From what I have read about sharptail/pheasant competition I wish roosters and hens could be taken in the sharptail zones.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby smurfman on Tue Oct 17, 2017 8:20 am

LarryP wrote:Isn't the limit only 2 roosters?


smurfman wrote:Took two roosters and missed one today. The first one came within 200 yards of the truck but it was an hour and a half to find the next one which I missed. Stopped around 11:00 for lunch and to rest the dogs.

Hit the woods for ruffs and mudbats a little after 2:30. Found three ruffs by 4:30 but they would not hold for a point. My young dog finally pointed a woodcock which I was able to bring down. He picked it up fine but would not keep it in his mouth. Need to do a bit of force breaking this winter. Shot the other two timberdoodles over my older dog, he was pretty tired but worked hard.

The final rooster was shot a half hour before sunset. There is a swale that I know of that pheasants often use to roost for the night when crops are still in the fields. I took the younger dog there and he was able to find and point a rooster. It was a good experience as we flushed three hens before a rooster was found.

Tomorrow we will try to find some sharpies, one of the fields was disced over last year and it will be interesting to see if the new growth has any birds yet. The deer hunters gripe big time about the DNR wiping out the brush as it was just beginning to get thick enough to hold deer. They have no idea about bird habitat and I hope they never do as the birds here cannot handle much pressure. I shoot maybe one bird a year from this area if I have a young dog. Otherwise it is all "practice" if I have more experienced dogs.

There are a few pheasants around there too, I get surprised now and then when a rooster flushes and the occasional hen keeps me on my toes regarding bird identification. From what I have read about sharptail/pheasant competition I wish roosters and hens could be taken in the sharptail zones.


Yes.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby Jack's My dog on Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:12 pm

They are bunching up. Few more days and we may be able to start sneaking out on the smaller sloughs. Little snow wouldn't hurt. Still seeing more birds then I thought I would considering the reported low bird count. Most of the corn is out, but where we hunt there are still a few fields standing. With all the wind yesterday, birds were setting down fairly quickly, and not leaving the county like you would expect a late season bird to do. Shot my first wild bird that was a verifiable flush over my pup, she found it like a champ, but we need to work on a bit of fetch work with feathers. Looking forward to getting out for the Thanksgiving weekend. Hope you guys are having some luck.

Edited to change Force fetch to fetch work.
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Re: How was your 2017 Pheasant opener?

Postby smurfman on Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:43 pm

I went to the Faribault gun show and then hit a couple of fields afterwards. The dogs put up a half dozen or so birds but only one was a rooster which I got lucky and hit. I had to stop with a couple hours left as my older dog began to limp badly. I couldn't find anything obviously wrong so it is a wait and see deal. He is still pretty stiff so he will be out until after Thanksgiving for sure.
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