# I got shut out!



## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Looking at the horizon yesterday...As far as I could see...Dots of smoke...Sloughs being burned out! I'm very thankful for the last 10 years or so... But, Its really sad when you think about it! If you do the math from the soil bank days to the start of the crp era...Decades of lean years. I certainly know that a kill doesn't make the hunt, but I can honestly say, I haven't been shut out on a pheasant hunt in the 2000's anyway. It happened yesterday on the some of the best, posted land you could ever hope to hunt. Missed a couple of decent shots...Going to take some time to get used to this new era of pheasant hunting in North Dakota. Isn't it ironic, on the most beautiful fall that I can remember weather wise...The birds would be so scarce? Damn, I need a hug! :lol:


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

Don't feel bad. I missed two that got up at my feet and we only got 2 birds for 4 of us. On the positive we saw a ton of hens in the area where we were hunting this year. Last year we saw almost all roosters out there and hardly any hens.
Of coarse we did get outsmarted by a few roosters also.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Go west! Lots of birds out there. I was in Dickinson over the weekend and got spoiled. I may get out once more closer to home before the season closes, but I have a feeling it's going to feel a tad lackluster.


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## JBB (Feb 9, 2005)

Can not complain. Have been out 5 weekends hunted 13 days and have brought home 38 birds. With the numbers down in the areas I nornally hunt I have had to work harder, talk to more people, hunt areas I hate to walk and made the dogs work WAY harder tnan usually. But it has paid off. For me this down year has been a blessing. I have met more land owners, made mre friends and gained places to hunt. Been a good season and plan getting one more weekend in.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

JBB said:


> With the numbers down in the areas I nornally hunt I have had to work harder, talk to more people, hunt areas I hate to walk and made the dogs work WAY harder tnan usually. But it has paid off. For me this down year has been a blessing. I have met more land owners, made mre friends and gained places to hunt.


That's the ticket. More miles and different places is the new norm. Pheasant hunting is going to be more expensive too. Oil is going to drive up everything.

I felt lucky to find a new (to me) area with good cover and a few birds.










We are still fortunate compared to many other states.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

> We are still fortunate compared to many other states.


Thats the truth our birds are gone down here I haven't seen a wild quail in 10 years in an area that used to be full of them

Dick how does oil make pheasant hunting more expensive?


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Anything associated with travel, food, fuel, especially motel costs. Oil is ratcheting up overall inflation here. It is highest on the western side and graduates off to the east. As exploration comes south and east from the Bakken higher costs will follow here too.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

Do you mean because of the influx of workers in the oil field?

All the news reports I hear say the economy in ND is doing very well compared to the rest of the country.

Is the whole state sitting on oil or is it just out west? I'm not arguing just curious, the economy here is really down its really killing my income.

I wish it wasn't so darn cold up there I was actaully considering looking for work in the oil patch and my wife had a fit


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Most of the oil production right now is north of I-94 and west of Minot.In other words the NW corner down to Belfield.Our unemployment rate here is the lowest in the country.Right around 3.5%.

Raising real havock out there.Lots more crime.Lots of people with no place to live.Prices going through the roof.Can't find and workers for service jobs.Some offering $15 an hour to work at a McDonalds.

housing is a huge problem.Older people are leaving big time with rental rates doubling and sometimes triple.Can't live out there on a fixed income.

Example.....Watford City population for the 2010 cencus was 1500.Now estimates put it at 5,000.

I was out there deer hunting last month.Non-stop truck traffic between Belfield and Watford City.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

this may sound dumb but why dont they build houses, theres a ton of guys down here that will come build them


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

There is no place for any workers to stay that are not already in the area. Most of the contractors that are from out of the area that are doing work out there have bought a house somewhere to put up there workers. 
I know of two that have a house in Stanley.
I know one guy from Williston and he wants to build a lake house and the local contractors told him they were booked out 3 years.

Watched a news report that one family has been staying in a camper for almost a year looking for a place to stay.

Also I think that the bust of the oil in the 80's has some people a little leary about building.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

the bust argument is a good one but I am surprised you dont have out of state contractors and crews building. Building is at a total standstill down here and lots of people out of work...hope and change is working well isn't it....


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Bobm said:


> the bust argument is a good one but I am surprised you dont have out of state contractors and crews building. Building is at a total standstill down here and lots of people out of work...hope and change is working well isn't it....


To build you need two things: land and infrastructure. The state is having a hard time just keeping roads from falling apart, I can't imagine what it going to be like when they have to extend all the power, sewer and water to these new housing developments that aren't getting built...


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

They had all the time in the world. They should've built the infrastructure first. You are right Dick. Losing CRP & Oil, not a good combination. I agree, we are better off than most states, but for how long???


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

depends on how its managed get after your politicians now is my advice...I hope it all works out the people of North Dakota are the best in the country IMO I love your state


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## Bagman (Oct 17, 2002)

The politicians in ND are largely narrow minded, ancient, backward thinking conservatives. They like to spend a fair amount of their time worrying about how to micro manage peoples personal lives. They are going to be the ruin of what could otherwise be a very great opportunity. They refuse to open the wallet and move this state forward. Thousands of people coming here but the infrastructure is antiquated and taking a massive pounding. Far from enough law enforcement in the west end too. Billions in the bank and they do nothing. Kids get college degrees here...and LEAVE. I wonder why?


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## ShineRunner (Sep 11, 2002)

It looks like with all the extra money coming in from taxes from all the area there should be money to maintain roads and other infrastructure. Usually when there is plenty of income (such as the $15.00 McDonald worker) there should be excess tax dollars to put into the area. Just thinking outloud?

I wish I could have gone up to ND this year but the economy in NC crapped out I had to set at home with a new 10 month old Lab pup chewing up everything instead of taking him to chase some birds in your great state. Maybe next year. Looks like the weather is holding fairly good so far.


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

It was beautiful out today. The dogs did very good, but we did not see many birds. Saw a lot more last weekend but we had a better day today with 3 roosters and a Hun. The 8 mo old Springer pup chased down a cripple that we though we lost but picked up on the way back to the truck. The one bad thing with hunting with one vehicle you have to walk back through the same thing to get back to the vehicle.

The boy was happy about his first Hun but was upset that he only knocked down one out of the covey of about 15.


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