# Gackle area



## sfh9770 (Feb 2, 2007)

I will be hunting ducks & pheasants in mid-October in the Gackle area. I had a chance to get out there over Labor Day weekend and managed to get in a few hours of scouting. Only managed to see about 5 hen pheasants and no roosters. Wondering if I should be concerned at all. Alot of crops were still standing, but I thought that cruising some of the two tracks at dusk might have shown a rooster or two....Ducks I'm not worried about....but just wondered if that area isn't great for cackle birds?

Like to point out that I'm not a NR looking for someone to hold my hand and tell me where to go. I'm just curious if that is known as a good area for pheasants? I've only hunted around Max before, and we never had a problem getting our birds.

Thanks for any insight

Steve


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Reports from friends who farm in the area is a huge reduction in pheasant numbers. While many where optimistic after the harsh winter with what did survive, it did not materialize into brood success.

Drove a good number of miles last weekend scouting for deer and waterfowl in that area and only saw two roosters on Sunday morning. While using the binos both days heard no crowing at any stop!

I was really surprised myself!


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

As I am sure you already know, the pheasants in NoDak took a horrible hit last year. Average populations are down 60% in many areas - some more some less. It will be tough hunting this year, especially with crops coming off late too. Best bet will be late season.


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## sfh9770 (Feb 2, 2007)

seems that I should be happy getting our ducks, and if we get a rooster or two be thrilled....we can do some cruising between PLOTS spots, and if nothing else get some much needed exercise for me and the dogs....


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

> seems that I should be happy getting our ducks, and if we get a rooster or two be thrilled


That is the right attitude! We were out for grouse today and snagged only two, but just a great day afield. It was perfectly still, could hear the geese a mile away. The meadow larks even sang a bit. Egrets were working the fields for hoppers and you could walk right up to them. The trees and slough grass are getting fall colors and all seems right in the world. I think hunting with a friend and a dog is the best medicine. And maybe a beer afterwards. :beer:


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

That being one of my main stomping grounds, I will have to say it looks very bleak for pheasants, sharp, and partridge. You will not hear them cackling in the distance like you used too. You will hear the coyotes though! So bring a rifle and help (what pheasant are left) out!

PM me if you need any other help!


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## ej4prmc (Dec 3, 2004)

Everyone don't seem to realize the winter and SPRING we had in ND. My family owns/lease some of the finest pheasant country in the very NW part of the state and while cutting fields and out grouse hunting I would have too put it as the WORST year i can remember for bird #'s. I am 46yo and have never seen so few birds around the country side, not just on "our" land, but everywhere around, from MT to Bismarck/minot.


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## muskat (Mar 5, 2002)

It was very disappointing seeing the lack of birds in SW/W/NW ND this past weekend. Driving through prime area's for pheasants, and seeing no birds is very discouraging. 400 miles, half of which was on gravel, and saw a total of 13 pheasants. 8 roosters and 5 hens.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

muskat said:


> It was very disappointing seeing the lack of birds in SW/W/NW ND this past weekend. Driving through prime area's for pheasants, and seeing no birds is very discouraging. 400 miles, half of which was on gravel, and saw a total of 13 pheasants. 8 roosters and 5 hens.


If you are based out of GF, then you drove a whole lot more than 400 miles to reach NW and SW ND and return home. Over 200 to Minot on Hwy 2 alone, and this area is not really pheasant country - even in good years.

Will agree that pheasants are down. Saw very few during our trip into SE ND in September. Corn is a looong way from being ready.


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## muskat (Mar 5, 2002)

Thanks for the geopraphy lesson....

Actually, I was in Minot and went for a drive Saturday with my father in-law to the badlands (he has an elk tag for October and wanted to go talk to some landowners). Took backroads for about half the trip, went from Minot, south through the Beulah area, across I-94, over to Medora area, then back up through the Grasslands. Return trip included areas around Killdeer and up along the south side of Sakawea.

He is also a truck driver for Cenex and said he hasnt seen this low of population since before 2000.

Low populations will never deter me from hunting, just trying to share what I saw.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

well it's good that waterfowl hunting looks so good this year! if there are plenty of sharptails, i won't be too sad about the pheasants. one friend of mine in the south west said he only had 2 roosters in the yard and another said that his place had decent numbers. i have hunted a few of the worst years before and still found some birds. we just get spoiled by the good years! this year will make us appreciate the good ones a little more.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

muskat said:


> Low populations will never deter me from hunting,


Agree!

We all hate to here the truth but it appears numbers are going to be done from what we have seen the last 5-6 years. Just remember it is about the hunt. Learn to accept the experience not the goal of a limit.

Besides I need the excersize, need to loss 20lbs. :******:


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

muskat said:


> Thanks for the geopraphy lesson....
> 
> Actually, I was in Minot and went for a drive Saturday with my father in-law to the badlands (he has an elk tag for October and wanted to go talk to some landowners). Took backroads for about half the trip, went from Minot, south through the Beulah area, across I-94, over to Medora area, then back up through the Grasslands. Return trip included areas around Killdeer and up along the south side of Sakawea.
> 
> ...


Grasslands are mainly sharptail country. Get access to the Little Mo. and the roosters will be there even in down years. That said, the population is down ... way down ... The big lake had a lot of snow, and snow early ... Family chase'n grouse and partridge are not seeing any pheasants where last year they saw many.


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## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

I'm excited for the road trip before the hunt.

I'm excited to get out in the peacefullness.

I'm excited to get my *** kicked by a full day of walking through tough crap.

I'm excited to drive and maybe find a new spot that isn't hunted very often.

I'm excited to watch my dog work her magic on a field.

I'm excited to sit down at the end of the day with a cold one, and hopefully some pheasant casserole.

I am ready!


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Yep, took my usual routes of the last 20+ years to check on pheasants and it is looking grim in portions of SE ND. The numbers are as low as we have seen them in a number of years. Crowing counts were down in the spring, but it appears both the weather and increasing numbers of foxes had an effect. I think the 60% decline was an underestimate.


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## DUCK LAB JAKE (Aug 22, 2009)

Lots of hunters in Gackle


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

DUCK LAB JAKE said:


> Lots of hunters in Gackle


Yep!!!! More than ever! Farmers are all ****** off as all the roads are tore up! Fields rutted up! LOT's of recently POSTED land!

Talked to a farmer last weekend who was shutting everything down (even for the locals)! He has kicked 4 different groups out of his feeding cows next to his house!

It's a frickin circus in that area!!


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

The ducks are a little thin right now. It sounds like the best shooting is the sewage ponds. Hope they dont blow the roost.


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## sfh9770 (Feb 2, 2007)

there were a lot of guys there last week. we pretty much stayed in one little area, and I believe only saw one other vehicle all week until our last night hunting. but when we went out a did a little scouting, there were vehicles all over it seemed...I think next year we'll be heading to an area with a little less pressure....


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

sfh9770 said:


> there were a lot of guys there last week. we pretty much stayed in one little area, and I believe only saw one other vehicle all week until our last night hunting. but when we went out a did a little scouting, there were vehicles all over it seemed...I think next year we'll be heading to an area with a little less pressure....


You didn't happen be around Dani's Place during the weekend did you? I was in there on Friday night and Saturday night. Just wondering if we may have crossed paths?


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## knutson24 (Feb 16, 2009)

94NDTA said:


> I'm excited for the road trip before the hunt.
> 
> I'm excited to get out in the peacefullness.
> 
> ...


Sounds like my kind of day. But I didnt think people in Nodak ate casserole. I thought all we ate was hotdish. :wink:


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## sfh9770 (Feb 2, 2007)

no we drove down from Jamestown every morning, ate lunch in the truck and then headed back to the hotel every night right after hunting....the 50 miles back to town kinda put a damper on any extra fun


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