# End of the season



## JBB (Feb 9, 2005)

Was out south west of Bismarck about 45 miles. Getting that last hunt. The snow was deep and the wind it blew. -8 to 10 degrees, snow drifting enough to fill in some roads, wind anywhere from 10 to 25, snow from ankle to waist deep. Did not wear snowshoes Thursday got my a$$ kicked. Dogs worked great had to dig one rooster out from under the snow. That is fun to watch almost hated to shot him. Friday the wind blew more and just as cold. Snowshoes helped a lot. Had to quit at 2:30 because it was so hard on the dogs, does not matter if I beat myself up just can not hurt the dogs. They are worth more than me. Picked up 4 roosters, one good for mounting. Cold, windy lousy conditions, really hard on the dogs. What a great weekend. Just sorry the weather Saturday was so bad I had to quit. Now I go into DT's untill next season. This one was great!!!


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Went out today - really a nice day but cold (no wind & sunny). Hunted a wma that I never have before and had the 600+ acres to myself. Flushed a ton of birds but the hen to rooster ratio was about 100 to 1 and I'm barely exagerating there. Also kicked up about 75 grouse throughout the day and about 20 deer. Got one rooster; only saw 3 or 4 of them. Could have shot 20 hens easily. Very fun hunt even without much shooting.


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## bornlucky (Jul 24, 2007)

I hunted Thursday, Saturday, and today. Deep snow and thick cattails. I saw lots of birds, only a few roosters, but you only need a few when the dogs are working and kicking them up at your feet.

These last couple of weeks have been the toughest hunting conditions I have ever hunted in, often times breaking through waist deep snow to get to where the birds are. I have had to park on the major roads and walk in because the trails are blown shut. This is what memories are made of.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Hats off to you fellows, that's the way to do hunt. :beer: Sam and I drove around the farm a bit and dropped off some corn for the birds but that was it. Lack of ambition I guess. Looking back it was a great upland season for kind of a rough start and end weather wise.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Hunted after christmas and got birds or limits when I went out. It took snowshoes and walking back into areas that were half mile or more from any other vehicle tracks and section line roads that hadn't been plowed since the snows started. Usually a wallow through waist deep or deeper snow on slough edges but once inside on deer trails or open ice, it was great. Went out today but didn't push the birds and did not fire a shot. The birds need all the help they can get. The snow is deep and powder in many places I normally hunt. The dogs just disappeared falling through the drifts. Went out to 6 places I normally hunt, 4 on public land, and saw at least 50 birds in each area out feeding on adjacent corn stubble and one place had a 60:40 hen rooster ratio in the 64 birds I counted through the binoculars. Guess I didn't thin that area as much as I thought. With this much snow, and if it keeps going, it's going to be a tough winter for the birds.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

We were the only hunters left Saturday night at the infamous Oxenrider hotel. Not many people out, but we managed to limit out 2 of 4 days and saw lot's of roosters.
Let's hope the Winter starts to lighten up a bit on our favorite gamebird!


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## blhunter3 (May 5, 2007)

You guys are crazy for hunting them in that weather.


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## trippersrookieyear (Dec 4, 2008)

was at my house in lehr all last week. Tons of birds but most were hens. Managed a few birds with a 25" tailfeather @ the taxidermist. Can't wait to get back out there.


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## tumblebuck (Feb 17, 2004)

Rick Acker said:


> We were the only hunters left Saturday night at the infamous Oxenrider hotel. Not many people out, but we managed to limit out 2 of 4 days and saw lot's of roosters.
> Let's hope the Winter starts to lighten up a bit on our favorite gamebird!


I was wondering if you guys were going to stick it out! We called it quits about 11:30 saturday morning. Only had one rooster between the two of us, wind was blowing so bad my eyelids were freezing shut, and #1 dog sliced open her hind leg on a buried fence. Not the way I had planned on ending the season....


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