# Less than 1 week to go!



## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Bring that on! :beer:


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Nice 480th post oke:

Cannot wait only 5 more days. I think my son and dog are the most excited! Surf and turf weekend - pheasants and walleyes!


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

Yep, the dog did back flips last night when I pulled out the chaps and waxed them up. She thought we were going.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

I got a sneak preview of the pheasant season this weekend. My buddy and I took some local youths out hunting roosters around VC and were not disappointed at all.

First off, Gunnar is just unbelievable. Whatever got him to be so good in the field is beyond me, because I know squat about training. I mean we've done wings, basic commands and dummy retrieves, but this is above and beyond all that. Last season, good; this season great.

He pointed, he flushed, he quartered, he sprung birds from cover, he tracked down the wounded, returned every bird to hand or foot and basically busted his butt for the 9 birds the boys got on Saturday and Sunday inlcuding a water retrieve and a retrieve on a cripple that made it to the cornfield. I was an awful proud owner.

Second, I'll back up the youth season ANY DAY. Talk about a great way to get young and inexperienced hunters into a position where THEY get the first shots at a bird. I certainly didn't mind being without a shotgun this weekend, as it was a blast just to watch! T

he kids I hunted with shot well, were very responsible and safe, and really enjoyed being the only shooters they had to think about. They were all respectful of the law and the limits of their ability and gave me hope that there is a good group in the next generation we'll be passing these traditions on to to enjoy!

One of the boys had never hunted pheasants, and bagged his limit in 13 shots. It took me 27 to kill my first bird. So I was happy for him.

A weekend full of great smiles and fun memories. I'm ready to do some shooting of my own though!


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

I was with Nick for the weekend and it was a blast!

I know some people complain about youth seasons, but I think it is a great idea!

My cousin was one of the kids that got to come along and he had a blast. He had never pheasant hunted before and shot his limit in 13 shots. I know 13 shots doesn't sound that impressive, but for him it is.


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## shaky legs 2 (Feb 28, 2006)

All the motels in the Grafton area are filling up with pheasant hunters. Maybe I will try to get a room in Drayton and be closer to the MN. ND. border and hunt both sides.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Nick, way to go on the youth hunt! Nothing better than watching kids and dogs enjoy a hunt!

My son will be 12 next year can hardly wait. The youth waterfowl hunt has been a great experience to me, I can give my son and dog full attention.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Props Nick...that is really cool...Can't wait til my 2 year old is old enough to hunt...Oh, and I will be bringing my fishing rod this weekend...Cast and blast...You know what bridge I'll be hangin at...


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

deacon, I might be wrong (need to check the regs) but I think the age restriction is under 12 for small game. He might be able to go this year with no Hunter Ed. Check it out. Hats off to Josh and Nick--good job with the kids!


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

I am pretty sure that kids under 12 can hunt small game during the regular season with an adult.

The youth pheasant season is for kids 12-16 only though.


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## mnswd (Oct 13, 2005)

Can't wait for Sat. morning&#8230; My 11 yr old daughter will be chasing her first birds. She gave up a birthday party at a water park for this. I hope we get a shot at something.
I am more excited about this than my planned trips to ND. Sorry Guys.

I wish MN had a kids season .


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Thanks guys, I meant the youth pheasant hunt needing to be 12.

I have taken him on the youth waterfowl hunt the last 3 years, as kids just need to be under 16. Will definitely have him out this weekend chasing parrots! Man I am getting excited, it should be fantastic! :jammin: :jammin:


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

> My 11 yr old daughter will be chasing her first birds. She gave up a birthday party at a water park for this.


Sounds like she got the better end of the trade to me!

Boy howdy was it ever fun to watch the dog work in front of the guys. They picked up on his cues right away, the tail started circling and the dog would get birdy, and I'd say...watch'im. They knew what was coming! Fun all around.

Gunnar got a barbwire scrape on his right front leg Sunday that needed vet attention yesterday though, he kept licking it and it looked inflamed. He's sporting the dork-cone until Friday, but the antibiotics should make him better. Anything to get him back to 100% by opener.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

The famous lampshade. :eyeroll:

It is always hilarious watching a dog with one on as long as it is not your own dog.

Watching a dog go after pheasants is the greatest thrill for me, just awesome! :beer:


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Anyone who complains about the youth pheasant season should be shot!!!!


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## lvmylabs (Jan 23, 2006)

Deacon I couldn't have said it better myself. I couldn't imagine hunting roosters without a dog. I would rather forget my shotgun then my dog, but the dog makes sure that I won't ever leave her behind. It makes my day to watch them work. Good luck to all this weekend, I hope to see some great pics come monday morning.


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## copenhagen (Sep 21, 2006)

i cant wait! we are going the 19th!!!!!!!!


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Chance of rain and snow this week with a fine opener. Birds should be active.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapCli ... D&site=FGF

Friday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 48.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

*Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. *Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

*Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. *


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Perfect temps...I've got winds 10-20 for both days...Just about perfect!


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

Bad deal, had freezing rain on the windshield this morning. 95% of the birds died due to freezing rain, every one should just stay home, would be a waste of time to travel. Can't believed we had such bad weather this early in the season. Better luck next year.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Turner I hear ya!! I have a friend that told me he went out to look around this morning and found dozens of dead birds!! The freezing rain really took a toll on the birds. Esp. in the SE part of the state. The birds out West were the only ones that made it.


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## rowdie (Jan 19, 2005)

I heard there were very few left, all died last night in the storm. So the terrorists...(tourists) can stay home this year.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

New report hot off the press, just the hens have died. oke:

Roosters are standing next to all roads waiting to be taken. Just follow Jiffy and Turner as you can bet they won't be staying home.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

:lol: :beer:


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

Jiffy, who wants to be the decoy this weekend and lead them astray? I will flip ya for it.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Sure...only the winner has to buy the decoy beer for the night. How fast is your pickup?? :wink: :beer:


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

:beer: 
The decoy will have to drive slow for the NR's to keep up. oke:


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

Yep I am ready to go.

Also the youth seasons (deer,upland,waterfowl) that ND has are the best ideas that I have seen come out of our goverment. Last year I was out at my farm just doing some dog training and I noticed a guy and his kid walking on the plots land. I thought they were grouse hunting until I noticed that the dad didn't have a gun with him. They pulled into the yard and asked about pheasant hunting. I told them no and that we had a bif group coming next weekend with the openier. The dad said I wasn't talking about next weekend I was talking about now the youth season. Well I forgot about it that it was going on. So then answer changed to a hell yeah go ahead. They asked if I wanted to go along with since they didn't have a dog. So I did and we went one of our sloughs that was right in the middle of a corn field. I sent my pointing lab into the slough and told the kid to just follow him. 30 yards in he locked on point. The kid goes right and the bird flushes and bang bang. The little twerp gets a double first time out two clean kills. We get to the end of the slough and dog is locked up hard. The kid walks up to flush the bird and comes righ bellow his feet. And just like a pro he pulls on this bird and waits for it to get out there so he doesn't blow it up and bang the bird falls dead. That kid turned to me with the biggest smile. Made the whole day worth it.

Nobody will ever be able to tell me that the youth season is a bad idea.


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## mnswd (Oct 13, 2005)

Great Post - this is the kind of stuff I come to this site for.


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## Guest (Oct 12, 2006)

Are you sure it wasn't a dwarf posing as a kid? :wink:


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

ND DECOY,

Can I get that kids name and phone number. I sure could use some shooting lessons from him! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Travel Agenda:

Remmi, my wife, and I are hitting the highway after work tonight. Will probably pull into my parents cabin around 2 AM, get a good nights sleep and then it is off to the farm I'm hunting. We have so much fun, I ride in the tractor with him while he feeds the cattle. We head into the cafe for a little lunch and head to back to my parents cabin for the remainder of the day/evening. ~ I cannot wait!! Good friends, good family, good food, good drinks (captain and crown), and a ton of B.S. about how good we think we were the years before !!!!


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## Turner (Oct 7, 2005)

getting closer. :lol: :jammin:


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## spoiler92 (Jul 30, 2003)

Yup, closing in quickly on the opener! Sure can't wait for Saturday morning.


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## greatwhitehunter3 (Sep 15, 2006)

hopefully goin to be a good day. i was getting the mail today at the end of our driveway and a rooster flew right past me  
saturday should be fun duck hunt morning, pheasant hunt afternoon, clean the kills evening


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## holmsvc (Nov 26, 2003)

Jiffy said:


> Turner I hear ya!! I have a friend that told me he went out to look around this morning and found dozens of dead birds!! The freezing rain really took a toll on the birds. Esp. in the SE part of the state. The birds out West were the only ones that made it.


Jiffy you shouldn't be saying this crap. Some people might be stupid enough to trust you.

Well on the up side maybe the Fargo hunters will believe you and stay home.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

Thats the plan.....and then all of us WEST Fargo boys can get some shooting in. :wink: :lol:


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

I would say the VC boys will also get some shooting in but that would be using the term "shooting" out of context. A more proper term would be "shooting at"&#8230;&#8230;this term implies a lot of missing for those of you who don't trust me.


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## dogman (Jan 3, 2003)

how much is a non- resident licsense for a youth pheasant hunter.


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## ND decoy (Feb 1, 2003)

I am telling you I think my dogs know that it is getting close. When I am getting ready Friday night my dogs will pacing around driving me nuts. If I let them I bet they would kennel up now to make sure that I don't forget them.

I think for the youth season the cost for a non-resident is the same.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

T minus 23 hours


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## roostman (Jan 20, 2006)

Yep it will be a restless night of sleeping tonight, about the time I actually fall asleep the alarm will be going off. I hope everybody has a great opener and keep it safe.


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## burbach (Sep 29, 2005)

dogman said:


> how much is a non- resident licsense for a youth pheasant hunter.


Around $15.


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## Iamhunting (Oct 24, 2005)

I am pumped this will be the first opening weekend in 2 years that I will beable to get out,(Daughter got married 2 years ago in MN) (Neice got married in SD last year) I am going to hunt a very good freinds land by Mott. Then next week I will be going to SD for their opener to hunt with my son-in-law on his fathers land. So I forgave my daughted for getting married on our ND opener.


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

I'm planning on using 3 shells tomorrow...Can't wait! :beer:


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

> I'm planning on using 3 shells tomorrow...Can't wait!


We'll be waiting to see how many birds were shot with those first three shells.

Rick I am going to give you a call and talk about some poses for that goose my son shot.

Unfortunatley I will be working on my house this weekend trying to finish the bathroom in the basement with my dad.

Don't shoot them all.


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