# pheasants everywhere.



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

With all of the negative talk about the number of plots acres going down, I figured I would make a couple of positive notes. I went on a trip pretty much across ND, checked out my old spots and some new ones, there are a ton of pheasants EVERYWHERE across ND. Not only that, but I have never seen so many dead pheasants on the side of the road that have been hit by cars. It looks like we had a really easy winter on them.

One of my biggest suprises is how close to Fargo some of these pheasants are. I know someone who lives maybe 6-8 (not sure) miles out of moorhead and she has a good number of pheasants on her little 20 acre peice of land that they have never seen in the 4 years of living there.

In the end, we maybe have less land to hunt on, but on the upside, we have a lot of birds to shoot right now.


----------



## Dak (Feb 28, 2005)

Most were seen around Pembina?


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

Double post.


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

Dak said:


> Most were seen around Pembina?


Sorry, I didn't go that far north.


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

94NDTA said:


> Dak said:
> 
> 
> > Most were seen around Pembina?
> ...


Don't get taken in by a standing joke here about pheasants in Pembina.


----------



## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

94NDTA said:


> With all of the negative talk about the number of plots acres going down, I figured I would make a couple of positive notes.


I dont recall hearing PLOTS was being reduced (is it?)...I think you mean CRP acres that are being lost.


----------



## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I saw about 20,000 roosters flying North yesterday. We tried to decoy them but coulden't!! 8)

I agree, from what I have seen the numbers are in good shape!! lets keep our fingers crossed for no ice storms, or flooding.


----------



## franchi (Oct 29, 2005)

I agree that we did have a good winter for the birds and that the numbers are sure to be up. One reason we might be seeing more birds now though, is that they are being pushed out of their normal habitat due to loss of CRP/cattails. So the numbers may not be up that much, they just have less cover to hide in.

Just a thought/observation.


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

I'm confused, whats the difference between CRP and plots?


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

PLOTS is private land open to sportmen/women, CRP is conservation Reserve Program in which the government pays you to grow natural grass. Some one please help with more information with CRP.


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

PLOTS is the ND GNF Program.

CRP is a Federal Farm Program.

Land can be both.


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

KEN W said:


> PLOTS is the ND GNF Program.
> 
> CRP is a Federal Farm Program.
> 
> Land can be both.


I've never seen CRP, is that the same as WMA's?


----------



## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

CRP is a program by the government that pays landowners not to farm the land but to plant grasses so that the land is idle for a period of time. These will not be marked and can be posted.

Plots is a program that landowners can use to earn a few dollars to let people have access to hunt on. These will be marked.


----------



## tlr (Feb 20, 2008)

CRP is cropland that is taken out of production and planted to grasses that keep the land from errodeing.The payments are made to the farmer for X many years to help keep crop production down thus keeping grain prices higher. PLOTS is a payment from game and fish to give access to the land to sportsman.CRP and other land can be PLOTS.
This is a simple explaination.


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

I see, so farmers will be farming this area now, which when taken down, will mean less habitat for the animals, right?


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

That's right,if they don't decide to renew or aren't allowed to renew by not meeting the qualifications.With the high price of corn......a lot of it will go under the plow.

Dick put up this map of potential CRP loss.....

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=51408


----------



## 94NDTA (May 28, 2005)

Wow, thats sad to look at.


----------



## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

We still have high numbers of birds now because of a relativly easy winter as mentioned and of the existing cover. However, that is being reduced daily! Give it a few years and you will be hard pressed to find birds by Fargo! ENJOY IT NOW!


----------



## Trout (Feb 9, 2005)

sooo, what are the bird numbers actually like around "Pembina"??


----------



## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Four total. All females. :beer:


----------



## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

Rick Acker said:


> We still have high numbers of birds now because of a relativly easy winter as mentioned and of the existing cover. However, that is being reduced daily! Give it a few years and you will be hard pressed to find birds by Fargo! ENJOY IT NOW!


With $100 a tank (or more) fuel and all other costs going up, there wont be many hunters left either. The common folk are rapidly being forced out of hunting by access and cost issues. The loss of CRP is just another nail in the coffin.


----------



## 1littlefeather (Mar 5, 2003)

The gas prices may slow some down but it won't stop the true bird hunters from making the 1,800 mile drive across country at 11 mpg. I love this stuff!!!!


----------



## Guest (Jun 21, 2008)

Yes indeedy! It's all about passion and preferences. The gas prices may cut down on the road hunters, I'm ok with that.


----------



## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

r u dun said:


> Yes indeedy! The gas prices may cut down on the road hunters, I'm ok with that.


Definitely the bright side of high gas, less road hunters. Can you image putting on 150 miles a day road hunting at a cost of about $40+


----------

