# 2011 in Review



## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

As a Washington resident who regularly hunts Oregon and North Dakota, as well as my home state, I approached this year's pheasant season with deep misgiving. Bird numbers were way down in North Dakota, one of my favorite places to hunt, and notably down in Washington and Oregon.

But, ironically, I shot more pheasants this year than any year I can remember, going back to 1960, when I shot my first pheasant.  Can't say it was because I got out more as a laid off / involuntarily retired older guy, as I hunted about the same number of days. And it certainly wasn't because I was shooting better, as I missed more than my fair share of birds that got up in front of my agitated 6 year old Lab, Remy, and raced straight away (BANG, BOOM, DAMMIT!). For awhile I blamed it on the new 20 ga. Benelli M2, but then I switched over to the old reliable 20 ga. Citori and had the same "issues".

If credit for my unexpected success is due anywhere, it is probably due to Remy, who came into her own this year. Remy became the primary dog this year, stepping in for 15 year old Hale, who no longer had the strength and stamina to effectively work good pheasant cover. Hale will continue to tag along on our trips, but she's only good for short jaunts through light cover. Remy has become the "Go To" dog.

Although I have a couple more weeks to hunt pheasant in Washington, I'm already looking forward to next year in North Dakota, where we found some exceptional "honey holes" this year.


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Good to hear. I've also had a fun fall with my lab who just turned 2. I've seen some great points and retrieves, some great scenery, wonderful weather, and I've shot birds every time I've gone out even though you definitely have to work more than the last few years. Haven't even hunted anything but public land yet.


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## D_Hage (Nov 10, 2004)

I've had a hell of a time this year. Shot one that I will get mounted, and had a lot of success every time out, only went home empty hand once, that was opener!


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

The year was not as bad as many would have a person think. I did great in North Dakota this year too. The bird numbers were noticeably down, but still more than enough to hunt. Glad a few others had the same experience.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

Depends what part of ND you were in. Where I have grown up hunting birds were down 80%. I still manged some roosters but concentrated on waterfowl more. I figured I would spare the roosters while the numbers are low.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

I ended the season the same way I started it. Didn't see a rooster, didn't fire a shot. It didn't really help that Duke ate a whole package of weiners off the counter last night. After my legs started to do the funky chicken I drove around for awhile and did find a couple new spots for next year. This is a new area for me so it takes time to learn the nooks and crannies. It's funny how you can get tunnel vision in between the places you hunt. There is a 5 mile stretch between 2 PLOTS that I have driven by many times this fall. Today I finally noticed a big fenced CRP that wasn't posted right along the road. Probably be corn next year. :laugh: As far as scouting I'm too anxious to get home after the hunt and should allow an hour for a little cruising new spots before I hit the pavement.

It was a good season all around. Got some birds, hunted with my friend, had fantastic weather, dogs did OK, what more could you ask for?


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

Dick-
As they say a day out hunting well is better then any other day, lol. This is the first year I remember walking traditional spots where I didn't kick up a rooster. Places where the fields used to roll over with birds. It's hard to adjust back to the days of walking all day long to squeeze out a few, but when I think back to those days they were good memories.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Dick, agree also. Not a rooster seen today but nice weather for a walk with the dog and the end of a very down year. As to next year, found two more sections had been broken out of CRP. The real problem was a lack of hens on many locations I hunt. Saw very few all season long. It was good while it lasted.


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## NDfromMN2004 (Jul 20, 2010)

The numbers were definitly down, but hitting it harder and burning more gas along with my wirehair finally getting his **** figured out resulted in almost twice the amount I shot last year. Had a great season. Hunting with good friends on the last weekend of the season in a sweatshirt while watching our dogs dominate the roosters is hard to beat. Can't wait till next year.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

I had some WIERD sightings on my last day...First of all BUGS...Out in January...Are you kidding me? Second, NO LIE a flock of morning doves in a tree row...Must of been 20 of them flying back and forth...Wish I could've popped one! As far as pheasants, got my 3 but my area is easily down 80 to 90%...Very few Hens! The future is not looking very good! I don't think we are even close to Rock Bottom yet though!


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Rick,

Your posting got me thinking . . .

While I hope you're wrong about the bottom, my prognostication is a little more optimistic, at least for the areas we hunt. But I'm a non-expert, non-resident always looking to understand things a little better. Although we saw fewer birds in the area we focused on this year, it was one of our better recent years in terms of birds bagged. And we saw a fair number of hens, too, although maybe fewer than usual, proportionately. What would account for the scarcity of hens in an area where you are seeing some roosters?

Got my fingers crossed for a mild winter and good breeding season.

Bob


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Just trying to recall from memory but I think about 1/3 of the CRP was already gone in ND this year. In 2012 something like another 1.2 million acres will be gone, probably broke out or killed with Roundup by next hunting season. So less than a third of the original will be left. Any weather blips will come on top of the habitat loss, so I'd say yeah, the bottom is yet to come. If there were fewer hens than roosters in a locale the hunters weren't there for some reason. Access? Every place I hunted the last 2 months probably had about 10 hens to 1 rooster.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

http://www.ducks.org/news-media/news/68 ... ion-add-up is just a start from the analysis of USDA data. There will be an update soon.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

ChukarBob said:


> Rick,
> 
> Your posting got me thinking . . .
> 
> ...


Hens don't handle harsh winters near as well as roosters. To sum it up. After 3 strait bad ones...Fewer hens survived. Don't share your optimism...Wish I did...But when you see lifelong tree rows being yanked, sloughs being burned out in even in January...Heck, even a friend of mine that farms burned out a tree row next to his house that has always been a honey hole for me...And, he's a hunter. There's no stoping where were going. We have to feed the world and wildlife is going to suffer. You'll be hard pressed to find a CRP field after next year. Instead of spending all that money on leasing land for PLOTS, I feel the G&F should've been buying land instead. Sure it would've meant less private land to hunt, but in the long run it would've meant more habitat. I'm sure things will change eventually...Things always do, but we are talking decades.


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## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Rick Acker said:


> ChukarBob said:
> 
> 
> > Instead of spending all that money on leasing land for PLOTS, I feel the G&F should've been buying land instead. Sure it would've meant less private land to hunt, but in the long run it would've meant more habitat. I'm sure things will change eventually...Things always do, but we are talking decades.


Wish they would buy more land as well and make more WMA's around the state. They wouldn't be able to match the million acres of PLOTS that they had but it would be permanent and of good quality. I think that strange law may make it difficult that requires approval for non-profits or whatever to buy land. Especially with as rich as the state is right now, it'd be nice to throw a couple hundred million at this; seems very worthwhile.


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## KurtR (May 3, 2008)

saw about 500 birds on my morning drive today. It was a stellar season and if the winter stays this way will be another great one next year


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## salesboat (Jan 24, 2012)

While reading your post I thought for a short time that I wrote it. From your comments we: live in the same state, are about the same age, have the same work status, and the same choice of guns. However, there were a few big differences: I hunt with Vizslas, and have never hunted in North Dakota. It is on my bucket list. My grandfather owned a homestead near the town of Beach, ND and I want to visit it some day and the area to look at my roots and they say. For those who read this how is the hunting near Beach?


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Looking up this stream of comments, I see words attributed to me that are not mine. Somehow Rick A. or someone else managed to attribute these comments to me. No harm, no foul; just not my words.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Don't follow Chuckar Bob? What did I say that is being associated with you?


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Rick,

My mistake. Sorry. It wasn't you.

Look at the post by "Slough" 4 or 5 up from yours. I didn't make that quote.

Have a good day!

Bob


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