# 2014 results



## indsport

Back to the early 1980's is what my wife called it today. It looks like CRP never existed. All the PLOTS land and 90% of the CRP within 10 miles of my place is now corn or soybeans. Three other PLOTS locations we visited that were grass two weeks ago were mown and two of them were being disced while we watched today. We did see some birds, but for the first time in 25 years, did not fire a shot on opening day. The wind in the afternoon created mini dust storms blowing off the fields in a couple of places that limited visibility. Beans are being combined at a furious rate right now. It is just sad. I wonder what farmers will do if corn goes to less than $3 and soybeans drops back to $6?


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## 94NDTA

We got the big goose egg yesterday. On a positive note, we did see 2 coveys of Huns which was nice. First one we didn't shoot because we mistook them for hens. 2nd covey was too far away. We called it short on acount of the bison game. I'm sure there are birds out there, we just didn't see any.


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## Habitat Hugger

We got some birds, but saw relatively few. Seems less and less each year. The CRP and one PLOTS field in the entire area we hunt are gone, and little but corn fields and harvested soybeans. This am the cornfields will be gone as the custom silagers were eating away at it. Sure NOT knocking farmers, they have to make a living and maximize their profits. 
Measure 5 a solution?? Hopefully it will pass. Great article by a guy named Gabe Brown here in Burleigh County in the Bis Trivune today.


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## indsport

Another 5 hours today and flushed but one hen. Figured out that at least in my area, there are four types of NDGF PLOTS land, corn plots, soybean plots, mown plots that look like putting greens and dug up plots with nothing left. The number pf plots with wildlife habitat are few and far between.


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## Bobm

really saddens me to read that , the area was just a great place to hunt a decade ago


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## Rick Acker

I hear you Bob...I haven't even bothered going out on the Pheasant opener in the last 3 years because of how little cover is left in the SE. Other parts of the state are fairing better but I think it's going to be a longggggggg time before we're seeing pheasants all the way to Fargo again in huntable numbers. One guy I talked to that grew up by Oakes said he's never seen a worse opener for Pheasants.


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## slough

If measure 5 or something like it isn't passed I may just start to focus on fishing all year round.


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## snowkiller

LOTS of pheasants in the west.Limited sat and sun within 2 hrs 3 guys all on public land


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## Duckslayer100

Hunted Monday in SE Nodak. Granted, plenty of beans and almost all the corn is up, so I expected to see fewer birds. Managed two roodies, but that was after an all-day grind with both my GWPs. Only two roosters I saw and killed them both. So I apologize if I just extinctified the last remaining population of phez in SE ND.

In all seriousness, what others have mentioned about CRP/PLOTS disappearing is absolutely true. My favorite spot for the past decade is a dirt field this year. Breaks my heart.

Not much for ducks or geese, either. I expect to see some as the weather turns cooler, but it was a bit shocking to see all that bird less water...


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## shaug

Limited out on pheasants everyday.

Haven't seen a duck or goose in weeks. Maybe they could use the oil revenue rip off funds to put an Arrowwood or Chase Lake National Refuge in my back yard so I can have access to waterfowl too.


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## Duckslayer100

shaug said:


> Limited out on pheasants everyday.
> 
> Haven't seen a duck or goose in weeks. Maybe they could use the oil revenue rip off funds to put an Arrowwood or Chase Lake National Refuge in my back yard so I can have access to waterfowl too.


Sounds great! :beer:


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## Dick Monson

Beautiful morning to be out on the second hunt of the season. Just cool enough early for a light jacket.










About the only good cover left is WPAs and a small amount of PLOTS. There are nice small wetlands in this one. They are about knee deep wet...










Just got the dogs collared up when Sam started to get birdy along a small cattail and had a point. A hen got up nice and close. Carly cut through and popped a rooster out but I didn't have the brain and finger wired together to get the gun off safe. Then Sam upwinded a very young rooster so let that go. Pretty good first few minutes so it had to go down hill from there.

There was a cut bean field on the border and we worked the edge across the wind. Sam had another point, hen, another point, hen, and another point. Sharptail. By the time I realized it wasn't another hen it had stretched the range to safety. I didn't have enough coffee I guess.

We were a half mile from the truck, the dogs were dry, and I gave them all my water. Naturally the next cattail had water. But Sam had a nice point into a small cattail clump and as I got around the other side a rooster came up perfect. So I'm shooting 100% for the phez season and should quit right now. :eyeroll:

A bit farther on Sam had another point and Carly backed. Sammy gets slippery if he has to wait for me too long so I give him a tap on the tone and he will steady down. He must think it is sinful to wait for a picture when birds are about.










That bird didn't wait around for foolishness. It flew out low on the side, couldn't tell for sure, but it will likely be there next month when the water freezes. Then we'll get even. Lots of hunters out today, hope they had a good one.

Most of the CRP we used to hunt is gone now. 3 that were always good were looking like this today:










It is a quarter, 160 acres, and I doubt there is 40 acres tillable on the whole shebang. They can't re-enroll it back in under the new regulations.


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## ChukarBob

Nice hunt report, Dick. You're out and the dogs are pointing birds -- nothing wrong about that!

My brother, Jack, who is already back in ND for the season, says he is seeing lots of immature birds. I will join him on Nov. 9 and our younger brother and 2 cousins will fly in on Nov. 15. Can't wait!

Tomorrow I head off to SE Washington with the hope of finding a few pheasants (and quail and partridge) left over from this weekend, Washington's pheasant opener.


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## Dick Monson

Your timing will be perfect! By then the crop is down (all corn still up now, likely flowers too). The fair-weather guys are done too. One odd thing in that area I hunted today, I did not see a single deer bed. That could change later...dunno.


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## prairie hunter

Sub $3.00 corn. Let 'em farm till their broke.


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## wannabefishing

anyone have any experience owning a pudelpointer? thinking about making the change from labs to new breed. just lookng for any information before i make the switch.


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## Dick Monson

I'm late seeing your post here, but will take a shot. JMHO. If I was hunting phez in cattails and sloughs, I'd stick with the lab, if I had the legs and lungs to keep up. Having owned both and had good ones in both versatile dogs and labs, labs are hard to beat.

No burr removal.
Natural ground trailing.
Excellent retrieving.
Can take cold water to some extent, and any cold weather hunting out of water. 
Great family dogs.
Down side is black hair everywhere.
Big size.
A 10 year old lab is nearing the end of hunting.

On the other hand, walking in on a point is a KITA every single time.


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## Duckslayer100

I agree with Dick. I have two GWPs, and I absolutely love them. Will never own another breed. But they can be tough to hunt in the thick stuff, especially if you don't run beepers. I run bells, which helps, but on a windy day you can lose them.

A close-working lab or springer is ideal for cattail hunting like we have in SE ND. On the other hand, there's hardly any phez around here any more. Everything is out west. And out there, boy, it's REALLY tough to beat a GWP on point.


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## Dick Monson

Duckslayer100 said:


> ....... Everything is out west. And out there, boy, it's REALLY tough to beat a GWP on point.


Yeah, and porkies, and ball cactus, and sand burrs. That's the hell of it.


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## Duckslayer100

Dick Monson said:


> Duckslayer100 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ....... Everything is out west. And out there, boy, it's REALLY tough to beat a GWP on point.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, and porkies, and ball cactus, and sand burrs. That's the hell of it.
Click to expand...

True, but hunts are so quick you have less chance of running into those :beer:


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## ChukarBob

Have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Monson. I've had 3 Labs over the past 25 years and have not had to deal with any black hair shedding. Of course, my Labs have all been yellow. I'll concede that with their shedding over these 25 years, I could have probably woven a dog hair blanket that would cover half of ND.


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## Duckslayer100

ChukarBob said:


> Have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Monson. I've had 3 Labs over the past 25 years and have not had to deal with any black hair shedding. Of course, my Labs have all been yellow. I'll concede that with their shedding over these 25 years, I could have probably woven a dog hair blanket that would cover half of ND.


 :lol:


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## Dick Monson

Kind of a bummer day today. Holiday here so a friend and I went west to scare some birds. Left Sammer home. Give pup Carly the field on her own and advance her education. 20 minutes into the hunt she is fast tracking a bird through a patch of plum bushes when she hit a wire and opened her chest. Back to the truck, call and meet the vet, 1 hour of clipping and stitching, and home. :eyeroll: When I pull up to the house Sam is limping. AGGggggg...


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## Dak

Bummer Dick. Hard hunting the wind but got our birds.


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## indsport

Hunted Tuesday, wednesday and friday of the past week swapping dogs each day. Got one bird. Saw two roosters and 3 hens in 5 hours yesterday. It is back to the 1980's.


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## Dak

Definitely more work than previous years. Fun though. A bit behind a normal year bird count wise. The Frenchies have gotten me 30 roosters though.


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## ashcreek

]Got out for a couple of days. Got our limit Wed. and one Thu.. Seen a fair amount of birds ,but few that were roosters.But had good weather and the dog work was good so a good trip.


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## slough

Well, another season down, the 5th for my first dog. I find myself almost exclusively wanting to hunt just so that I can watch him work. This season was on par with recent years. Definitely less areas to hunt in the Bismarck region than there were a couple years ago as CRP gets plowed up and also some unposted areas I liked to hunt got tied up. But where there was habitat there were birds and I like finding new places to hunt. Hunted about 20 days and got about 40 birds - I hunt almost all unposted or public land and had some days where I limited in less than half an hour and some days where I was skunked, but the challenge keeps you coming back. How would others compare this year to years past?


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## Dak

Well done! Being a retired hunting bum I get lots of chances to chase roosters. I would agree with your assessment. Definitely notice the loss of habitat. Numbers on par with previous years since 2005...98. However, the dogs worked longer this year to get a days birds than previous years.


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## indsport

In this corner of the state, not so much. Hunted about an average of twice a week for the season. I got a total of 16 birds and fired less than one box of shells (compared to 2008 when my wife and I combined got 58 roosters). The CRP is going, going, and almost gone and it now looks like 1985. Just this year, there were 8 pieces of PLOTS and another 12 quarter sections of private posted CRP plowed up within a 20 mile radius of my home. An added loss the past few years was shelterbelts being torn out.


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## ChukarBob

Our NR group, in state for varying periods of time, had a very good year in central ND. We saw lots of birds on both private and public land, although fewer in our traditionally solid public areas. Personally, I hunted 13 consecutive days, sometimes alone, sometimes with brothers and a cousin. Although I did not limit every day, I felt that the opportunities for shooting a limit were there almost every day. Our group concluded it was our best hunt ever in terms of filling our bags, with a rough count of 63 birds, not including a couple of sharpies and Huns. I estimate I put 27 in the bag.

Midway through our hunt in mid November, a serious cold front moved in, with 4 days of high winds, and this made hunting a challenge. I think the wind significantly impacted my Lab, Remy, as she had trouble honing in on the scent cone. Once she did, however, the birds were often burrowed into very heavy cover and she did her "fox pounce" to get them up and moving. Closest I get to pointing with my dog. At the end of my hunt, Remy was sick for a couple of days, which resulted in fewer birds being taken. My brother's English setter, Dave, stepped up, although he was recovering from a nasty encounter with barbed wire.

We saw some really great wildlife -- moose, snowy and great horned owls, etc. Probably the highlight of the hunt was the day that my 2 brothers and I all limited while hunting together. First time we had every done that, in ND or anywhere else.

Already looking forward to next year.


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## Plainsman

A friend of mine sold all of his cattle a year ago. Not only is his CRP gone, but he broke up a section and a half of native prairie. Another section will go down the drain next spring if prices don't drop further.


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## shaug

indsport said:


> In this corner of the state, not so much. Hunted about an average of twice a week for the season. I got a total of 16 birds and fired less than one box of shells (compared to 2008 when my wife and I combined got 58 roosters). The CRP is going, going, and almost gone and it now looks like 1985. Just this year, there were 8 pieces of PLOTS and another 12 quarter sections of private posted CRP plowed up within a 20 mile radius of my home. An added loss the past few years was shelterbelts being torn out.


Mr. Sklebar, do you pay the taxes on these properties?


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## Plainsman

I don't blame the farmer for the current habitat destruction. I blame the government for the false agriculture economy that causes the destruction to take place. Foolish liberals who thought ethanol would be environmentally friendly found to late that it was the opposite. All of the price support for ethanol created a false economy. One which was not of it's own construction through supply and demand in a free economy, but one built on dependency and price support from the American taxpayer. Hey guess what Dwight? indsport and other sportsmen more than paid the taxes on that land they more than likely paid for your new truck too.


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## indsport

shaug, my comment was in reply to slough "How would others compare this year to years past?". I replied comparing it to years past and my opinion as to why it was happening, nothing more nothing less. Your comment about whether I paid taxes on those properties is beside the point. You directed it at me for no apparent reason other than a personal attack but you should really direct it to every hunter in North Dakota instead so I will do the job for you. To expand on Dwight's comment, do any hunters on this forum believe that everyone who paid income taxes provide support to farmers?


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## ChukarBob

This meandering thread is an example of why this forum, which I used to really enjoy, has lost so much of its readership and participation. I suppose it's not that surprising, paralleling as it does the polarization of American politics. Too bad . . .


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## shaug

Plains said,



> Foolish liberals who thought ethanol would be environmentally friendly found to late that it was the opposite. All of the price support for ethanol created a false economy. One which was not of it's own construction through supply and demand in a free economy, but one built on dependency and price support from the American taxpayer.


Back in the early eighties my cousin was working for Cargill building a huge grain terminal in China. He said it was to import corn from the U.S. I thought that was nuts because how were the Chinese farmers going to be able to afford the U.S. corn and the shipping.

Today China has the money. (That is a whole nother story) However, distilled grain (water and ethanol removed) is heavier and condensed making it a little more feasible to ship than raw corn. Thus, North Dakota distilled corn is heading for Portland Oregon.

As far as ethanol being environmentally friendly, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland made deals with the oil companies many years ago. The oil companies needed the oxygenated fuel and the grain companies needed a condensed product.

Cargill is already planning twenty years into the future. Nothing in politics happens by accident...you can bet it was planned that way.

insport said,



> To expand on Dwight's comment, do any hunters on this forum believe that everyone who paid income taxes provide support to farmers?


The taxpayer also provides support for financial institutions, utilities, tele-communications, and oil, gas & pipelines.


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## Chuck Smith

Shaug....

You keep wanting to put up a fight for land owners rights. Which is fine and I am happy you bring that up. But when you asked about "do you pay taxes on that property".... The guy was just pointing out what he was seeing. He wasn't taking a jab at land owners or anything like that. YOU were the one who started the Land Owner Vs Hunter fight on this thread.

99% of the time I agree with what you say. But when you come in and try to pick a fight like you did on this thread.... it doesn't give you a good image and kind of tarnishes your side of the debate. Again the guy just mentioned what he was seeing. You never asked him what he thought on the debate of land owner rights. You just jumped in on... DO YOU PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON THAT LAND.


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## blhunter3

If the current prices hold for corn, wheat, and soybeans, people will either look into specialty crops, get back into cows, or CRP. Farming is defiantly at a cross roads right now. Farmers are looking to cut their expenses big time. I have seen it big time trying to sell fertilizer. If the prices stay low for awhile (2-5 years) I really do believe that we will see CRP make a come back. It might not be the big pieces like days of past, but probably smaller chunks, like around the poor areas in the fields. On our farm we are currently working with one landowner to put at least a quarter section into CRP if not more. And another landowner we are trying to get him to put all of the saline areas and the low areas that allows flood out into CRP.

Personally this was the third year in a row that I did not go out pheasant hunting, that was mainly due to the fact that my dog died last summer and I only got out waterfowl hunting 3 times, so when I did get some free time I was out chasing ducks and geese. This year the pheasants that I did see whether from farming or doing field research, where very concentrated. As in I would drive 150 miles and only see pheasants in a 1 mile radius. Or when we were harvesting corn and beans, the only pheasants I saw were in the same section and between the combine driver and the grain cart driver they counted 20 total in 3 days.

I think as hunters we need to join together and get farmers and landowners involved together to help create habitat, not only for the wildlife but to help prevent erosion, nutrient loss, and build the soil health back. Agriculture as a whole is going back to soil health, and as hunters we need to jump on board with this. Everyone needs to compromise, and do what works out best for everyone. Farmers want to make money, hunters want habitat and somewhere we both can meet in the middle. Hunters need to quit bashing farmers for wanting to make money and farmers need to quit bashing hunters for wanting all of the land to be restored back to its natural state.

CRP was a great program, but it needs to be updated and needs to be state run, instead of federally run. The Farm Bill needs to have more incentives to protect certain areas or less restrictive on their regulations. Being that I farm and also hunt, I feel like that I a good perspective from both sides.


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## Dak

Good thoughts


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