# Anyone still getting out?



## CheapHunter (Sep 24, 2003)

I just thought I'd post this to see if anyone was still getting a chance to get out and pheasant hunt as winter approaches. I am looking to hopefully get out west south of Bismark in the next couple of weeks. Are the birds still grouped up pretty well, and does anyone know what kind of snow conditions we are looking at in the southern parts of the state? College is a ***** and I got to get out for at least one last hunt!! k:


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## Rick A. (Sep 5, 2003)

As a fellow member of the GC, you really don't have to drive that far for roosters anymore...I was sw of Bismarck in early October and it's a desert out there...very little cover from Flasher to Elgin...There's birds, but they are bunched up & tough to get...Send me a personal email and I'll give you 1/2 dozen spots within 3 hours of Grand Forks...There is no Snow south of I 94, but that could change this weekend! I've been out every weekend in November and we've limited out everytime!


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## Brad Anderson (Apr 1, 2002)

THere is snow south of 94, you just need to go far enough west. Hettinger has 8 inches still.


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

will be heading out to mott tomorrow morning, hopefully we can find some big numbers. a phone call this morning says they are everywhere, we can only hope.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

Hunted SW 11/14-17. Hunting was good, but we worked our tails off. Never had such an effort-filled hunt when bird numbers were so high. Some of the stubble fields were virtually crawling - like ants at a picnic. Problem was they stayed in the stubble all day, often times great distances from any sort of cover. Even when we tried to herd them out of the stubble and into the cover, most often they'd opt for some other stubble instead. Never seen that all-day, got-to-stay-in-stubble thing before.

The 12 or so inches of snow in that area a couple of weeks ago must have really had them goofed up. Much of the cover (but not all) was really laid down, and there was still a fair amount of snow in the stubble. Must have been some combo of the stubble being not all that different as far as quality of cover, nice weather the days we hunted and the fact that the snow cover meant longer feeding to get a belly full. Anyway, 4 days of that business made for some very tired hunters and dogs. Crusted snow in the morning was hell on the dogs - effort and feet - eventually had to boot them. Blown in snow in the creek bottoms and others areas was hard on all - especially how much ground we had to cover to eventually get our birds.

This was a good spring for spraying, so there's not as many heavy weed patches as in the past. We've focused on these in the past, as they seem to hold up through snow and really draw the birds. Cattails are less prevelant in those parts, and even where present, not nearly as reliable as usual.

It was just a weird trip.

Back out SW probably two more times. Hopefully they get back into a little more normal pattern.


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

just got back from out west. one word, crazy. There were so many birds. 10 of us had our dirty thirty in an hour and a half. NUTS. The dogs caught 3 birds all day, they were holding very tight. Everyone get out and hit em hard, the seasons windin' down.


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## mburgess (Aug 11, 2003)

Numbers are still good in south east as well. Bunched in cattails. This weekend after the light snow was great pheasant hunting. Shot 3 roosters over solid points. Can't remember doing that this late in the season. Birds that make it this late in the year are smart, tough birds. Got to hit'em hard to bag'em, even with a dog. Three words, CATTAILS, CATTAILS, CATTAILS!


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