# Tips on south central area hunting



## grousemaster (Nov 1, 2012)

Greetings,

I am a grouse nut from Minnesota and enjoy spending a couple weeks in NoDak every year pheasant hunting as well. My wife is from Jamestown, and I also went to college at JC, so I am very familiar with the area. I hunted a lot when I was in school (graduated in 2006) and the hunting was very good. However, the last couple of seasons the hunting in the south central part of the state has been less than spectacular.

I was just curious how people have been doing in the SE and SC regions this fall. I am taking my boss and his father on a pheasant trip next week and am nervous about my usual spots being shaky. I brought up South Dakota but we would both prefer to work a little harder for our birds and not be thrown into a drive-type hunt. I have some good pointing dogs and thy get zero good work in when doing huge South Dakota field drives. Would I be better served just driving west a little ways, say, south of Bismarck? I'll have 3 good dogs and 4 days to hunt before deer opener. If anyone on here has private land within a couple hours of Jamestown I'd be willing to pay a trespass fee. Thanks ahead of time for your responses, I will post a "new guy" thread shortly....I was just hoping guys could let me know if the south central part of the state was something worth while to hunt. If anyone has land, I'd be happy to hunt my dogs in front of you or pay a reasonable trespass fee.


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

Look for thick cover, don't over look small pieces of cover either. Look for secluded cover like sloughs away from any road. Thicker shelter belts. Sometimes fence rows will hold a birds. Just get off the beaten path basically.


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## jonnyboy (Apr 11, 2011)

I've spent 9 days hunting since opener south of 94 between Jamestown and the Missouri River. There are birds around. The above post is good advice. I have another comment/suggestion:

The birds are spotty in pockets. If you hunt a couple of spots within the same area, but don't find birds - move. I've started the 30 minute rule already. I hunt often by myself or small groups. If I make the first maneuver in a field and hit a few little birdy spots and don't see birds (more than a few hens) within about 30 minutes I make my way back to the truck. No need wasting 2 hours of hunting to not see much. When you find birds, stick around the area - check all the likely spots.

I've found lots of birds hunting PLOTS or unposted land for all but one day so far With that being said, PLOTS ground has been SLAMMED! My theory here is that with overall less available cover for the hunters to disperse into along with ND making a big deal about birds being up 59% it has led to above average hunter pressure on the available cover. I've talked with locals who are hunting PLOTS even though in the past they haven't 'had' to because they have plenty of private land to hunt. Private lands got hayed and the hunters are forced to hunt in the PLOTS and unposted ground.

Good luck and have fun!


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## grousemaster (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, you're posts basically echoed my thoughts. I got in touch with a couple farmers I know in the area that are going to give me maps to their land and free access. One of them being near Steele...anyone hunt south of steele?


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

jonnyboy said:


> I've spent 9 days hunting since opener south of 94 between Jamestown and the Missouri River. There are birds around. The above post is good advice. I have another comment/suggestion:
> 
> The birds are spotty in pockets. If you hunt a couple of spots within the same area, but don't find birds - move. I've started the 30 minute rule already. I hunt often by myself or small groups. If I make the first maneuver in a field and hit a few little birdy spots and don't see birds (more than a few hens) within about 30 minutes I make my way back to the truck. No need wasting 2 hours of hunting to not see much. When you find birds, stick around the area - check all the likely spots.
> 
> ...


That is outstanding advice and mirrors my hunting experience this last week. Unless you hit some lucky pockets of birds in SC ND expect to wear out boot leather. I picked up 2 on Tuesday and 1 on Wed. That day we saw 3 roosters total and a couple hens. Well over 300 miles driven on Wed. The 59% increase is deceiving as the breeding population was extremely low to start with. But it's still fun. If we get a small amount of snow you'll be able to see tracks. And the weather is so nice I think the birds are still dispersed and not bunched up in the usual places like cattails.


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## grousemaster (Nov 1, 2012)

Would I be better off hunting more west and south? Like out by the MO river south of Bismarck....then working my way back east as the day gets late? I'm trying to show my boss and his dad a good time and plenty of birds, it may be the only time I get to take them out. Plus, one of the guys is in his 60's, can't walk him too hard.


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## grousemaster (Nov 1, 2012)

Anyone have and words of wisdom regarding the Linton or Ashley areas? I'm not asking for your honey holes, just wondering if these are good areas. I won't be out there again....


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

Just remember that you are coming into the opening of rifle deer season in ND starting Friday Nov 9th. Land access could be a bit tougher that week. The Ashley/Linton areas are usually good for birds but notoriously posted pretty heavily.


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