# Late Season Public Land Roosters!



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

It has been a good year! It seems like it is just heated up in the past 4 weeks or so! Went out today solo with the dog and was filled out within 2 hours! The big groups were jumpy, but once they got broken up they held really tight! I am hoping to get out about 5 more times! This is the best time of the year!

Figured I would share a picture from today!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

That is a great picture that perfectly sums up late season pheasant hunting. :beer:


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## GW (May 31, 2007)

Awesome picture. Congrats on the hunt, and good luck during the remainder of the season.
I figue I'll get out pheasant hunting about five more times as well. Hope to make the most of it.
It is a long wait until October, starting the day after the pheasant season closes.
GW


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## TK33 (Aug 12, 2008)

I can't remember a late season that has been as good as this one. It seems that the pheasants have survived the winter well. Should make for a good last six days and next year.


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## joshua.jeffreys (Jul 26, 2006)

Nice pic


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## Sparky477 (May 4, 2004)

Nice picture. A friend and I got our six birds but we had to work for them. Huge groups of birds, but very hard to get to them. The snowshoes are a great idea, there is a LOT of snow out there.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Great pic... I love a Brittany - just a sweet dog. Yours looks as if it loves it's work.


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## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Survived the winter? Winter is just starting.

:beer:


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## g/o (Jul 13, 2004)

TK33 said:


> I can't remember a late season that has been as good as this one. It seems that the pheasants have survived the winter well. Should make for a good last six days and next year.


The first day of winter was just the other day. The sloughs are near full right now with very little cover left. The fields are snow covered so they really have to dig to get food. A couple more blizzards and you will not have to worry about next year.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

I wish I had snow shoes last Friday.

There is a lot of snow but in the cattails it seems that the snow is on top and the birds are under it. They held really well for us.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Sasha and Abby said:


> Great pic... I love a Brittany - just a sweet dog. Yours looks as if it loves it's work.


He is actually a English Setter.

Thanks guys! They are going to have a tough winter to come thats for sure.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

How were the snow shoes in the cattails?


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

blhunter3 said:


> How were the snow shoes in the cattails?


I use them to get to and from the small cattail areas, they work fine in CRP, but not the tails. I would walk to the small area of the cattails that wasn't filled with snow take them off, make a loop put them back on and go to the next. Let me tell you it makes a night and day difference!


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Ok, I was wondering how you used them.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

> The first day of winter was just the other day. The sloughs are near full right now with very little cover left. The fields are snow covered so they really have to dig to get food. A couple more blizzards and you will not have to worry about next year.


Yep :snow: not good

Farm yards with live stock and the huge cattail (1/4 section and bigger) sloughs could be the last place for pheasants to exist this winter.

In the best of both worlds an easy winter followed by a wet March and April to fill the ponds would be nice, but mother nature decides not us.

[/quote]


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## Coach529 (Dec 22, 2004)

The late season has been great. The snow has made it tough physically to gte to some of my honey holes......but a little hard work never hurt anybody!!

I contribute the late corn harvest to this years outstanding late season hunting!!

I have been using my snowshoes alot this year, they work awesome!!


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## NDSU CE (Dec 17, 2008)

I was out today and kicked up hen after hen all day long. They would get up anywhere from 2ft away to over 100yds away. I probably had 60-70 hens get up with in range, no roosters at all. I understand they hold tighter than the hens, but this was just rediculous. Any one have any tips to help me get some cocks up before the season ends on sunday.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

You really have to slow down in the late season or actually anytime. 
If you hit some birds hang out for a few minutes and as long as your dogs are still working they will find some more birds.

I am shopping for a pair of snowshoes.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Nice pic's and keep smackin' em'...Just a few days left...Going out Thurs-Sunday and can't wait!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

> You really have to slow down in the late season or actually anytime.


Yesterday I saw a nice rooster glide into a small cattail about 50 yds across. Sam and I went through that slough twice and had just started the third pass when the bird got up behind me. When you are standing on snowshoes you could just as well be in concrete up to your waist because you won't be able to turn around for the shot. So I gave him a one handed behind the back good bye shot and can say with all honesty the gun and bird were both pointed east.


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## TK33 (Aug 12, 2008)

> The first day of winter was just the other day. The sloughs are near full right now with very little cover left. The fields are snow covered so they really have to dig to get food. A couple more blizzards and you will not have to worry about next year.


Where I was at on Sunday the snow had been blown to the belts and slough edges. The fields were not too terribly deep(less than 6") and the birds were having no trouble feeding in the fields, especially the corn fields. This will all change with this latest dumping. I think the biggest challenge for the birds will not be food or shelter in our area, it will be the coyotes.


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## GW (May 31, 2007)

A great final afternoon in 2008 here in NW Iowa, on public land.
Lots of birds to be had.
GW


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

Whoa!! The photo of the cattails poking up through the snow does not look good for pheasants surviving much longer 

The snow in SE ND is simply unbelievable, it is like being back in the late 70s all over .... Britts were up to their shoulders in snow in our back yard.

Get them while you can. Next fall will be a tougher go across much of ND.

*GW: How much snow is on the ground in NW IOWA?*


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## honkerslayr (Dec 14, 2006)

Nice pics. Yeah late season roosters IMO resort back to public land from what I have seen. They resort back to them from nearby fields full of food, and the only cover is the public stuff. Most people can often times overlook public land in the late season, but it can hold some of the best hunting during late season. Nice work :beer:


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## GW (May 31, 2007)

prairie hunter,
We lost a lot of snow during the 2-3 days after Christmas, maybe half of what was on the ground. Some places have knee deep snow, others ankle deep. Lots of fields have earth and stubble exposed now. 
Just got back from 3 days of pheasant hunting in South Dakota. Freezing rain from Sioux Falls all the way east to my little corner of the world. My driveway is a sheet of ice  
GW


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