# 2009 Pheasant Forecast and ND v. SD



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

I'm from the Pacific Northwest and hunt in northwestern ND once or twice per year and wouldn't miss it for anything. However, I've been following the weather reports for North Dakota and have seen the state, and pheasants, hit pretty hard this winter. One of my partners and I were recently discussing whether we should have a "Plan B" to our North Dakota hunt this year in the event that pheaant numbers are way down. We talked about South Dakota as an option if the pheasant numbers are way down in ND. We usually schedule our trips in mid November to mid December.

From what little I know of SD pheasant hunting, there are more birds but also more hunters. Have SD pheasants been as hard hit, weather-wise, this winter? How do the states compare in terms of accessible or public land with good pheasant hunting?

I'm looking for observations and comparisons of North Dakota vs. South Dakota pheasant hunting. Our group has done its "research" in North Dakota (about 17 trips over the past 15 years) and we have successful outings. We all hunt over Labs; are good or better shots; hunt a mix of public and private land; and are willing to put in the hours to shoot our birds. We don't measure our success by the number of birds taken (although we take our share), but by the quality of experience -- socializing, the quality of the evening meals (we do a lot of our own cooking), meeting and enjoying the company of local folks, the highs and lows that come with every 'adventure', the great shot / great retrieve and the laughable ones that didn't work out, etc.

Comments on ND vs. SD?


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

Out coyote hunting on public land around mobridge today i saw hundreds of birds so no shortege here. And around that time of year all the fair weather hunters are gone and there is more public land to hunt around here you could not hunt it all if you hunted everyday of the season. I would usally go out at about 3 with just me and the dog and get my 3 pheasants in about 1 hour of hunting and that is with some misses mixed in there. If you are willing to work a little you will have no problems getting birds.


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## wburns (Feb 27, 2009)

It looks like we are having some big die offs up here in ND, even in the western part of the state. Game and Fish have estimated as much as 75% may be likely. From the pictures I have seen that a friend of mine posted on another forum from out west it does not look good. He also said there is at least a 75% die off where he hunts. If it goes as expected I think we are also looking at a reduced limit per day next year if it is as bad as it looks. If you hunt the NW part it might be good to have a backup plan as they have had more snow than usual up there. We will have to see what the spring is like and how the hatch goes.

I know how it can get a little nervous hunting in a new place but look at it this way, you can try and get into a species or two that you have not hunted here such as Sage Grouse and Prairie Chicken. If I were going to SD for a change I would try and target an area where you could get into some sharptails and prairie chickens, and possibly sage grouse in addition to pheasants to mix it up a little.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Both states have the about the same amount of walk-in acres, but SD has the bird numbers over ND hands down. Warmer winter weather. If you come that late sharptails & partridge in ND are going to be hard hunting, but that is the best time for pheasants.


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