# ND Bag Limit- '09



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Kind of a slow day today. Just for the sake of discussion I wondered what the thought is on reducing the bag limit down to 2 roosters in '09? It would depend on how this hard winter really is and the spring hatch. Or a split of 2 roosters to Thanksgiving and 3 after that.


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## kevin.k (Dec 31, 2005)

I would say it all depends on the hatch. if numbers are at lows, than yes i agree.


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## jhegg (May 29, 2004)

This one should get the commercial guys blood boiling (not that that is a bad idea)!

Jim


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Sure would.....cutting the limit to 2 daily and 4 in possession like it used to be would cut down the number of out-of-state hunters.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

2 birds were the limit for at least a couple of 90s seasons after tougher winters. At times the limit in ND was tiered. Lower number in limit early season and another bird to the limit later on.

What year did ND have a limit of 4 roosters during the later part of the season?

The tiered limit worked well in MN this year.

Everyone here knows you cannot save the birds, but I believe the idea is to spread out the harvest.

As far as pressure, I can tell you some openers in the 90s saw few hunters (res or NR). My brother and I joked one time that we must be hunting a weekend early ... If the forecast in August is dire, the NRs will stay away except for those going to high $$$ places. Many NR waterfowlers who pick up an upland game license to fill time, will pass.

Some G/Os will just turn themselves into a preserve and ....


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Wouldn't mind at all.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

I help guide in sd and that would not bother me if they lowered the limit just less birds to clean at the end of the day. The people that come from out of state just want to see birds and are lucky if they hit 2 a day.


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## snow123geese (Feb 3, 2008)

If this winter does take a toll on the pheasant population then, ya, it would be a good idea to lower the bag limit to 2.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

I think the lower tiered limit would work great, but who know's maybe we will have a great hatch this year.


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

Depending on the hatch, (which IMO won't be the greatest, actually quite low), I'm in vote of 2, I think it would make sense.


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## omegax (Oct 25, 2006)

I'd say they might as well make zones, then. I'm sure there will be plenty of places that fare better than others. Cutting it down statewide might be a bit of an over-reaction. I'm all for it in the areas that get hit hard, but that won't be everywhere.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

omegax said:


> I'd say they might as well make zones, then. I'm sure there will be plenty of places that fare better than others. Cutting it down statewide might be a bit of an over-reaction. I'm all for it in the areas that get hit hard, but that won't be everywhere.


I disagree.....all that would do is concentrate the hunters. :eyeroll:


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## rowdie (Jan 19, 2005)

The more roosters you kill, the better chance hens have of making it through the winter. Since one rooster will breed 20 or mor hens, if anything, they should RASIE the limit to 5. There are many dieing this winter, so why nto harvest as many roosters as possible? IMO lowering it to 2 is a bad idea.


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## R y a n (Apr 4, 2005)

tiered system. Start with 2 then move to 3 on last day of deer season.

:thumb:


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

I'm with Ryan...


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## pheasantslayer (May 13, 2004)

In my neck of the woods this year 4 would have been a good limit. I don't see the logic of a 2 bird limit unless the winter and hatch are totally horrible. I am with rowdie on this one, if you have a ton of birds then you should definitely shoot more. You should see the roosters pushing the hens out of the feeding areas right now.

I do wish that they could split the stat into 4 zones and limit the birds that way, but I am sure that will never happen.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

I like a tiered system.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Not trying to start an agruement or anything but the only place I'm seeing a strong rooster population versus hens is where access was denied to the general public. Trying to stockpile birds causes problems in a hard winter.


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## pheasantslayer (May 13, 2004)

No offense taken dick, I couldn't agree with you more. Two neighboring sides of our farm are pay hunting and like you said not hunted as much. Once the weather moves in guess where the birds go, into the yard. Around our area one factor that WILL keep birds alive is feedlots. They will sit in the feedlots sheltered from the wind and eat all day. I do believe we have lost some birds and if the winter does continue the way it is we will lose one heck of alot more. I don't think that anyone in their right mind would want to stockpile birds in a winter like this, you have no idea what a couple hundred birds can do to a haystack in weather like this. Anyways, lots of good insight on this subject, but don't write off the birds just yet. Even if we lose half, that is way more left than most of the past years in north dakota.


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Dick Monson said:


> Not trying to start an agruement or anything but the only place I'm seeing a strong rooster population versus hens is where access was denied to the general public. Trying to stockpile birds causes problems in a hard winter.


Your'e right about that.Easy to tell which landowners don't allow hunting.


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## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

I like the idea of 2 birds until oh, let's say deer opener then raise it to 3 per day. Course I am not a deer hunter and I would love those 16 extra days to chase roosters along with waterfowl while all the horn hunters are in rut and too busy to care about chasing birds :wink: :wink:

Seriously, I agree with Dick, trying to stockpile the birds in one area just leads to a bigger die-off when Mother Nature breaks out her whoop-a$$.

I ain't no biologist, but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express lately :wink:


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