# Pheasant hatch SW ND



## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Kinda curious about the hatch in the southwest, particularly Hettinger county. I heard they finally received a decent amout of water this sprint and early summer after some real dry ones in the past??


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## pheasantslayer (May 13, 2004)

The hatch out there went extremely well. This will probably be one of the better years out there due to the rain and the CRP probably not being hayed as much. It will be a banner year out there as when I went out there, the chicks were all over the road and ditches like you could not believe. Just make sure you get contacts before you go out there, because it's going to be a zoo and almost everything out there is pay hunting.


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## BIRDSHOOTER (Jul 18, 2005)

Thanks Pheasantslayer, I know all about that area, I've hunted it the past 13 years. thanks for the info.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

I haven't hunted pheasants out west for many years. Some of my best hunting memories as a kid were pheasant hunting out west. I've heard it is all pay hunting out there now. What are the public lands like early in the year and the PLOTS. I'm guessing they get pounded, but last year I heard some non-residents complaining on the board that were out there during the opening weekend, and they weren't seeing the PLOTS getting hunted that hard. Wondering if there really is any truth to it?


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

I hunt SW ND also....the PLOTS I've seen get hunted hard the first 2 days....but then residents go back to work.So the second weekend is opening day all over again.


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## dogdoc (Oct 31, 2004)

I'm hearing mixed reports, but none are very good. One farmer I know well in Mott says there aren't many birds north of town. Too much rain. He is seeing birds to the south of town though.

A dog trainer that has had his training ground north of Regent for the last 20 years says there is enough birds but not as many as past years. He said the cover is thicker and there is more water than he has ever seen. I wonder if they aren't seeing the birds because of the thick cover.

I know in August of 02 and 03 I would average seeing 22 clutches in 14 miles when driveing the roads betweeen Mott and Regent every afternoon at 4:30 PM. Last year that average dropped to 10 clutches and there weren't as many chicks per clutch. I hope it does't drop further this year.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Guys...Don't be intimidated by all of the "No Hunting" signs and Pay Hunting only...I've hunted out there all my life and yes, I'm a eastern No Dak boy...Which doesn't go over well with some! There are many great land owners that WILL let you hunt out there for free! No doubt, there are many outfitters in the Mott/Regent area's, but there are just as many farmers who will let you on...October is a lot tougher than November and December, but you would be suprised at the number of people that will let you on...If you just ask politly!


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

I'd like to go out west this year, I'm just a little apprehensive. South Dakota is all pay to hunt and I've never been told no more times in my life then the two years I went down there. I think North Dakotans are a little more hospitable, and I rarely get told no in the Central to SE part of ND, but from what I've heard about the SW is a different story. It would be a little depressing driving out there, seeing birds and hearing no all day long, like it is in SD. If there are birds in my hunting coverts around here it won't matter, but if there aren't I might have to give the west a try.


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## pheasantslayer (May 13, 2004)

There is a lot of truth about the plots land on opening day. From what I've seen the residents usually only hunt the first two days and it doesn't get walked again until the resident opener. From then on out, it gets piss pounded for about 3 to 4 weeks and then the pressure eventually tapers down. My advice to anyone who does go out west, be sure to have some contacts. We farm in Hettinger county and even I being a local am having a hard time securing permission to places i have hunted my whole life due to leasing out. Like mentioned above though, if you go out and ask some people will let you on. You will almost be a shoe in for pheasants after deer season as not too many people care as much. As a general rule out there, the first couple weeks are for friends and family so it will be hard to get on.


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