# 2016 Season



## Rooster Guy (Nov 2, 2013)

Figured since opener was yesterday, I'd start up the annual thread.

How'd everyone do this weekend? Been reading a lot on how the bird numbers are down this year from 2015, and that they are expecting the harvest to be closer to 2013 where they were at 450k.

Just curious if anyone has noticed that much of a difference this weekend while hunting in their respective areas? Seeing less birds while driving around and while hunting? I'm going out next weekend by myself with the pup just to scout around for a day or so before our trips next month, so I will chime in when I get back home.

Looking forward to a great season, good luck out there everyone :beer:


----------



## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

I'm saving my kitchen passes for later in the season. Too much corn out here and from what I've heard from folks who went out, that's where the birds are. Very tough hunting.

Further west was better.

Lots of young birds still. A week ago I saw a group of pheasants barely larger than adult quail.


----------



## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

The corn is starting to come down here but doubt it will make much difference. I hunt during the week and so far, have seen just 3 roosters and 5 hens in total on roadsides, private land and areas I hunted. Hunted 3 quarter sections of grasslands yesterday and saw no birds at all. More PLOTS planted to corn this year and it looks like more will be converted back to cropland from grassland (at least the grass is gone and it has been plowed or dug up).


----------



## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Today got out with the wife and hunted 5 hours, saw one hen and one rooster, got the rooster. Saw one other hunter the entire time. That makes three hunting groups seen in 5 days of hunting. Our area has pretty much been abandoned by pheasant hunters. 
Saw no deer as well.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Been doing pretty well so far. I cant walk too far any more so have only got out for about an hour or so each day. But averaging about two per day. My little 5 year old English Cocker gets more awesome every year, workingmthe thickest Keshia and tuimbleweed piles. Up to today I havernt lost a cripple, but in the high wind today a runner did lose her. 
Id agree with G & F that numbers are down about 10%. Still enough, but I wish I could walk like I used to 30 years ago! Dont we all....


----------



## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Noted that the South Dakota opener report is published. The birds there are definitely more plentiful west as well. Northeast SD averaged 1/2 bird per hunter per day (which is what I am seeing in southeast ND) with 2 per hunter in the center of SD.


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

After seeing a record number pheasants during planting, I was getting excited about chasing pheasants this fall. Once we started cutting hay, my excitement went down. An average year I see 10-15 nests, and another 15-20 hens. This year I saw one nest and one hen. I have no idea what happened. During wheat harvest (I was in the grain cart and semi) the combiner saw 3 and I saw another 2. Bean harvest the combiner almost ate a roost with the combine and I saw one while trucking. I don't know where they went, I am assuming the corn. But with corn coming off, a lot of my friends have all mentioned the lack of pheasants.

I typically don't get out pheasant hunting until after harvest and fall field work, but I went for a drive south and east and only saw one hen and my dog flushed another hen.


----------



## southdakbearfan (Oct 11, 2004)

indsport said:


> Noted that the South Dakota opener report is published. The birds there are definitely more plentiful west as well. Northeast SD averaged 1/2 bird per hunter per day (which is what I am seeing in southeast ND) with 2 per hunter in the center of SD.


Don't believe anything put out in that report, it comes straight from the department of tourism and is about as reliable as the preseason bird counts.

Worst hunting and least amount of hunters I have ever seen in south dakota and I actually drove across the entire state this week from the sw corner to the ne corner during prime bird times. I saw more elk than I did pheasants.


----------



## Guest (Oct 24, 2016)

Just got back from a 4 day hunt in SD. My brother in law and I got 14 in four days of hunting. one 12 year old male lab and a 2yo that has no clue. The more the corn came out the better the hunting got ....


----------



## Rooster Guy (Nov 2, 2013)

How'd everyone do this last week or so with a majority of the corn out? Heading out this week for our annual trip and am cautiously optimistic on finding at least decent bird numbers


----------



## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

In our area it has been grim. I hunt about 4 days every week and have but 6 roosters for all that time. Have not seen more than two roosters in any day of hunting. Wife still trying to fill her doe tag. We have seen 4 bucks and two does in 5 days of hunting (and that includes what we have seen on road sides).


----------



## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

indsport said:


> In our area it has been grim. I hunt about 4 days every week and have but 6 roosters for all that time. Have not seen more than two roosters in any day of hunting. Wife still trying to fill her doe tag. We have seen 4 bucks and two does in 5 days of hunting (and that includes what we have seen on road sides).


Yup, SE ND is the dead sea. West is best.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Since the first couple of weeks Ive been mainly punching cows, then deer hunting. It surprises me that after our mild last winter that pheasant numbers are dow...turkeys WAY down, but deer are way up in my unit, SW of Mandan. Rarely see a doe with less than twin fawns. 
But birds are scattered and still not relating much tío winter cover and habitat. The nloss of XCRP is really significant, though.
Any weather predictions for this winter, other than colder than last winter.


----------

