# Jamestown



## Richard (Mar 18, 2006)

Well it finally happened my wife and I are going to be empty nesters (good hatch!) this fall. Looking to come out to hunt near the first of November, (schedule flexible) basing out of Jamestown, found a very nice hotel that allows dogs which has all the amenities, as my wife will only hunt in the evenings, maybe. Our travel plans are flexible, I do plan on hunting during the week not weekends. I have a few questions; If someone was going to pick a 3-4 day period to hunt what would be the prime days, in relation to corn being cut and such? Also, I have noted on some posts that it may be better to come before or after deer season for access reasons. Is this the case? In Michigan all small game seasons are closed during rifle deer season with the exception of certain areas for waterfowl. These are just a couple of questions to start with, more to come with the warmer weather. Speaking of such, how was the winter on the birds out there?

Thanks,

Richard


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## roostman (Jan 20, 2006)

welcome Richard, You picked a very good area to start with, So far the winter up here has been easy on the birds,that could change if we have some spring storms. If the weather holds out and we have a good nesting season we should be looking at a fun fall. Pheasant hunting is open during the deer season around here but there is alot more hunting pressure out there at this time, the reg. gun season starts on Nov. 10th and goes thru Nov. 26th. As for when does the corn come off? It depends on the weather and the farmer, most likely most of the corn should be off by the end of November, hopefully sooner. As for the best three or four days, I like late season pheasant hunting when it is somwhat cold with snow on the ground and less hunters out, the season up here goes thru the first weekend in January. Again welcome to the site.


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## Richard (Mar 18, 2006)

Roostman, thanks for the response. This year will be partly a scouting trip, and the first time pheasant hunting for my wife. So I hope by coming after the 1st of November, I will still have some "easy" weather for her (me too). It has been many years since I hunted birds in the frozen cattails, I know it can be wild. Presently my thoughts are hopefully some corn will be down as well as sunflowers. Coming out in that time period, and hunting during the week, I hope the pressure will be light. Is that your experience?

Thanks again, Richard


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Weekends can be heavy pressure and holidays too. Personaly I'd pick anytime after opening weekend of deer season. Wear blaze O. Deer hunters will send the birds into heavy cover and odd places. They will alos chase them off posted land.  If your wife didn't mind colder is better because you will have ice for walking in the cats, which opens up a lot more area holding birds. They have no quams about running through water and roosting on lodged cats. Ice makes everybody equal. And a lot of hunters are fair weather folk who switch to deer season and then hang it up. Hope you enjoy your trip.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

Concentrate your effort south to southeast of the interstate and you will find birds. They are thick in some areas and spotty at best in others. It is truly pheasant hunting and not pheasant shooting like you get in SD or western ND. Fields will be to yourself after deer season and sloughs are usually frozen up and cattail country opens up a level playing field like Dick said. I love later season, plus it is easier to get access that time of year. Good luck! :lol:


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## Coach529 (Dec 22, 2004)

I agree with mburgess, the late season is what pheasant hunting is all about!!!

I try to take some days off during the week after deer season ends to go chase roosters. There is alot of great Pheasant hunting within an hour or so of Jamestown. 95% of the land I hunted this year was within an hour of Jamestown, and none of it was posted!!


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## Richard (Mar 18, 2006)

First of all thank you for the responses! It appears (2) two trips may be necessary this year. One in the first part of November, the second possibly after the holidays for the last week of season. Coach, I have already ordered county maps for the counties south, east and west of Jamestown. Do you recommend getting some PLOTS maps before hand also, other than downloading? Being from Michigan I know what the first part of January can look like. How bad is it typically, weather wise, the first of the year out there? Thanks again!!


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## Coach529 (Dec 22, 2004)

We had very nice weather this year. I can only recall a couple days when I hunted were it was really nasty, mainly due to the wind. I am the complete opposite of most of the "fair weather" pheasant hunters you will see in the field though, as long as the weather is not putting my dog in danger, I hunt.

A complete Plots Guide would be nice, if you decide to venture out farther. Those are available at most sporting good stores and Wal-marts.

I would also suggest a GPS, that way you can mark the areas you have hunted. This will make it easier to find the areas again if you choose to hunt them again.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

PLOTS books are handy, but late in the year PLOTS lands are marginal at best. The ones with cattails will be better than the ones without. I get birds on PLOTS all year long, but not many after deer season. Private land will be much more productive, and this is easier to get access to after deer season. But, honestly, the farmers around here are decent people and will usually grant you access to pheasant hunting if you appear civilized and don't show up with an army of guys. I have maybe been turned down 5 times in the last 5 years. The quickest way to get turned down is to show up with a truckload of hunters, in my opinion. Get to meet some landowners, say thank you, send them a card in the mail or even offer some of them your bag limit cleaned out and you may have set yourself up for years to come. Good luck!


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## Richard (Mar 18, 2006)

mburgess, I have been told to look for PLOTS fields adjoining harvested corn. Which is no different then here in Michigan. Same scenario, heavy cover next to a cut corn field. The only difference could be we have trees that block the wind. This trip out will be just my wife and me, oh yeah and lab named Annie! So when I pull into someones driveway it will be just a middle age couple and their dog! When our youngest son was around two or three, I would always carry him up to the house when asking permission. Typically they ignored me, eager to just rub those red round cheeks, getting permission was an after thought. Too late for that strategy, son number two is a junior in college!!! Thanks again everyone.


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