# New to North Dakota



## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Hello everyone!
I recently moved to the area (Fargo) for graduate school. I am looking to do some pheasant hunting this year. However, being that I am new to the area, I don't know where to go. I have been trying to figure it out and do some research. And what I have found out is that around Fargo is not the best in the state, but there are birds around. I know that out by Hettinger and Mott are real good. But my question is: where are some good places that I should go try near Fargo? When I say near, I am willing to travel a little ways (maybe 1-2 hr drive) for a day trip type outing. I have been thinking of going down around the Sheyenne National Grassland, but have seen mixed reviews. Thanks for any input and help. And good luck on opening weekend!


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

From where you are at...Anywhere south of 94...You will find birds...The further west and south you go...The better off! Welcome!


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Welcome to North Dakota. What are you doing your graduate work in? Which professor are you working with? I perhaps don't know many around there anymore, but that's my old (university) stomping grounds too.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

J.Adams722, good advice above. Grab a PLOTS Guide from one of the local sporting good stores or gas stations. Those free maps show the public hunting areas and you will find more ground around the PLOTS too. You can also download the PLOTS info from the NDGF web site. https://gf.nd.gov/maps


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Ya I have looked at the plot maps a little bit. I have one from 2010, and need to get a new one. I have been playing with the plots maps online as well. So I am trying to narrow it down that way. The trend that I see is to go farther south and west, so I will have to just get out and explore a bit (which I really love doing!) Thanks for the advice. Has anybody been down near the grasslands in recent time to see what the bird population is like down there? I have seen a few birds down that way in my field work.

So I am here working on a Master's degree in the plant science department. I am researching perennial weed control, and some new range and pasture herbicides. So for I am liking it a lot, and North Dakota has been good so far. Thanks for the input guys and keep more ideas coming.


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

In looking at the PLOTS guide online, it looks like there are quite a few places near and around Fort Ransom to go. Has this area been good in the past? Does anyone have experience out that way? Thanks again!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

It was good all over in the past, but there have been dramatic changes with the demise of CRP the last 2 years. I'd look for big wetlands-cattails that still had grassland associated with it and a food source like corn or beans. You really need all 3 components. Once you get west of the MO it is pay hunting or you marry into the family, and that might not be enough.


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## JBB (Feb 9, 2005)

Remember when you are looking around to keep Food, Cover, Water and Brush in mind.


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Okay thanks for all the info guys. In looking at PLOTS maps, satellite imagery, and GIS maps then a friend and I are going to head down by the Fort Ransom area this weekend. I will try to remember to get back on here and let you all know how it went for us. Thanks again!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

check your pm's


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

checked my pm and have sent a reply. Thanks!!!!


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Google Earth can be very useful in 'micro-researching' fields / sections to hunt.

When I was preparing for my first trip to ND, in the early '90's, our group was interested in hunting areas in which we had the opportunity to shoot Sharptails, pheasants, and Hungarian partridge. We used the State's distribution maps for these species to help us narrow down areas of interest.

Good luck!

I was hunting in ND a few weeks ago for Huns and Sharps and will be leaving in about 10 days for a 2-week trip to ND, with pheasants added to the target list. My brother, who has been in ND since mid September, has been seeing lots of pheasants and Sharps in our favorite areas to hunt. So I am very excited to return!


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Ya I have found that using multiple sources of mapping technology has really helped me. I have used Google earth, and the interactive PLOTS maps to search it out. I am excited for the weekend to get here! Thanks for all the help, and check back since I will post an update on how we did. :thumb:


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## ShineRunner (Sep 11, 2002)

Nice little bar at Fort Ransom. Pretty girls, cold beverages, pool tables, good food and food specials during the week. Of course being and old fart I don't pay any attention to anything but the food :rollin: oke:


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Well my buddy and I headed out this weekend. And we didn't get any birds. We had a good time and saw pheasants in the area where we were at, but they were all on private land, or we didn't get them to jump. So I will have to get out and try to meet some new friends with land! But we had fun, and have a couple of places that we still need to go to. Thanks for all the info guys. I appreciate it a lot.

Next time we head down, we may have to stop in to that bar! Of course for the good food as well. :thumb: Anyway, good luck to all of you on your hunts. And thanks again for the help.


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## grousemaster (Nov 1, 2012)

J.Adams722 said:


> Well my buddy and I headed out this weekend. And we didn't get any birds. We had a good time and saw pheasants in the area where we were at, but they were all on private land, or we didn't get them to jump. So I will have to get out and try to meet some new friends with land! But we had fun, and have a couple of places that we still need to go to. Thanks for all the info guys. I appreciate it a lot.
> 
> Next time we head down, we may have to stop in to that bar! Of course for the good food as well. :thumb: Anyway, good luck to all of you on your hunts. And thanks again for the help.


Did you have a dog? If not, they could have literally been feet from you in the field and may not have flushed.


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

No dogs for us. That is one of the problems that we knew we would face. But it is still fun to go out. We went out the other week again and got several to flush. We should have had one, but my buddy missed the shot. And by the time I got around to the bird, he was to far out. But we have a good spot where there are several birds present. So now it will be a matter of getting them to the ground.


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## deecee322 (Jul 17, 2011)

Hey J.Adams, I'm also a newbie - got here in fall of 2010, teach at Jamestown College - and just started hunting again after about 20 years. I saw a lot of ringnecks down 281 towards Edgely and Ellendale last summer, and am planning on working my way down there tomorrow as we're off for Thanksgiving week. One of my students lives in the Ashley area and he says there are lots of birds over there, so I may make the trip down. Lots of PLOTS south of here, and other open land along with some WMAs. Like you, I don't have a dog, but if you'd like to hookup, there's a couple of other students here that hunt hard - I'm planning on tagging along with them! Drop me a line if you want. What's your field? I teach mass communications primarily television and public relations, worked in network television in NYC for over 20 years hence not much hunting unless I drove home to my native NE Pennsylvania for the weekend. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
--Dana


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

First off, sorry I never got back to you deecee. My schedule heading into finals and such has been crazy busy for the past couple weeks. And now, I am headed back down to the southwest (home) for Christmas. Maybe we can get together next year, as that would be a lot of fun. My field of study is invasive perennial weed control.

Well, my buddy and I headed out with another member on here yesterday and we got a bird. We saw quite a few others, but they jumped up to far out. It was a lot of fun and felt good to have some success finally. We learned a lot during this year, and will be better prepared for next season. Thanks for all the help and advice and help everyone has given me on this forum. I will try to get a picture to load so you all can see what we got.


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## J.Adams722 (Oct 12, 2012)

Here is a picture of the results of our hunt.


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