# Upcoming Season/2012



## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

I spent today cruising some old haunts for sharptails. The numbers seemed to be up a bit from last year and the amount of cover is less due to the drought and CRP exhaustion. Alfalfa fields are hardly regrowing after haying and any pasture that was hard grazed is now brown. Could be that birds will get pushed up to beans and corn. Anyway....

Excuse the blurry pic but this one stared me down through the windshield.










Duke had a couple good points before temptation made him lose his mind. Then it was e-collar time.



















Largest covey had 12 birds and there were multiple singles put up before my legs went on strike.










In a situation like this you can score 2 for 1 if you are inclined to do so and force yourself to wait.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Fantastic pics (as usual). Thanks for a little glimpse of beautiful country.


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Thanks for the report. Nice pics.

I'll be traveling back to ND for a Sharp & Hun hunt beginning September 25 and again in early November with a focus on pheasants. Can't wait for the 2012 season to begin.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I do love the sharptails. I am hoping that the southwest part of the state has good numbers again this year. If North Dakota still had the season long permit instead of the wretched 2 weeker, I would come up for some early season grouse for sure. The gas is not that bad for me when I drive the Metro. Instead, I will likely just wait until pheasant time and deal with the skittish birds as usual. I wish the legislature would realize that they are losing tourism dollars from those of us with tight budgets. That extra $85 is enough to squeeze me out of buying another license. Especially since I can't use entire weeks at that time of year. Just not worth it for a 3-4 day trip. Not all is lost though, I will be hunting some sharpies a little closer to home in early September. I hope Mikey finds us a bunch of birds in north central Wyoming. Nice photos Dick.


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## ChukarBob (Sep 4, 2006)

Agree about the 2 week license, which seems penny wise (NR license fee revenue for State) and pound foolish (NR hunter spending on gas, lodging, meals and misc.). Other states in which I've hunted upland birds (New Mexico, Kansas, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota and Idaho) have season-long licenses. I'm more likely to stay longer, and spend more on non-license expenses, when I don't have to fit my hunts into week-long or 2 week long chunks.

However, as an NR, I'm grateful the opportunity to hunt such an accessible state with abundant upland populations, especially compared with my home state of Washington. $100 is still a good value for 2 weeks of exceptional upland hunting. And, as we all know, the license cost, whether resident or non-resident, is a relatively small part of the cost of the hunting experience.

I have always felt welcomed in ND. The quality of the overall experience in ND is, for me, unparalleled.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

You have hit on something to be considered by the legislature. That money I could spend on a second license IS going to buy a license in New Mexico or Nevada instead. I can get a great deal of superb hunting per dollar during an extended stay in one of those states, especially New Mexico; where I am familiar with a tremendous amount of good quail ground. Enough to hunt daily for 2 weeks and never hit the same spot twice.
I will also agree that North Dakota has excellent hunting and I will continue to hunt there and spend time with locals I have made strong friendships with. I just don't spend nearly as much time as I did before the 2 week change took place. The first year it (the, at that time, 10 day license) went into effect, I didn't have enough in the budget for both waterfowl and upland game. As a result, Nebraska got my money and I shot my first prairie chicken. Some happy memories there.


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

A few minor restrictions guard the quality of bird hunting opportunity for both residents and nonresidents in ND. The pay-to-play lobby would sell out the license for peanuts to fatten their own pocket with an unlimited number of clients. They have tried it many times.

ND and SD have birds. The mountains states have big game. An NR elk license isn't cheap across any border. I hope when you fellows come to ND you have good vacation experiance. When I go out of state I hope for the same and will gladly pay a higher fee than a resident for that privilage.

Our sharptail season looks to be a good one this year. I think it's worth it.


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## kingcanada (Sep 19, 2009)

I think you already know how I feel about the experience Dick, you have read many of my posts. I just lament that what I view as greed or even grudge (by a select few only) has seriously limited my time in North Dakota and made me feel less welcome by the legislature (even though they really want my money). I feel that the restrictions only encourage a shift to the "pay to play" crowd with their wealthier clients. It discourages the less affluent folks a good bit.
Yes I know that non res. big game tags are expensive. Way too expensive. However, two "wrongs" will never add up to one "right". I will simply state that our state's (Wyoming) fees are going up again because of budget problems. These problems are twofold: fewer hunters to pay the fees, and more spending by the department. Funny, they drive new trucks, have new camp trailers, horses, etc. while those of use who employ them get by with old vehicles, campers(most folks don't even have one), and very few can afford the land for a horse. Where else does the employer take a beating while the employee continually takes more and more? Sound familiar? And we seldom seem to see any improvement in quality of hunting and fishing.
I do look forward to the sharptail season in ND again this year. I love it with all of my heart. I just fear that someday I may be priced out of it. I keep cutting corners elsewhere in my life so I can continue what is a cherished experience. I am running out of corners to cut as the cost of living continues to out pace my increase in income. Some years the income shrinks for a double whammy. Talk to you later Dick. Always, take care and shoot straight. :beer:


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