Recent content by parkerman

If the corn is still up near Hecla - what else solid ground is there to hunt? That area is wet in a dry year!

Iowa report is in, overall state down 17%from 2018. Excessive winter snow and wet cool spring sited. SD normal follows Iowa.

I just read that Gov Kristi signed SB176 providing $1mill in state funding for "preserving pheasant hunting and habitat". Monies are earmarked from the general fund and available after June 28. Article states that 80,000 annual non-residents spend an estimated $156 mill/yr pheasant hunting. So...

Did the Ditches I hunted ditches today west river along Rt 90. Only started at 1:30 and shot 2 though I put up probably 100 birds. Had one stretch where my dog pointed al least 15 hens, they didn't want to move even at 2:30. The cattails along the roads are snowed in, all birds were in thick...

Greenhead, I left PA on Thursday morning, am sitting in Aberdeen now. Forecast is dependent on where you're coming 1-8" on the highest estimate, I wouldn't worry about it. Good thing is it will be cold after, so though the ground is not frozen, some snow might stay. But at least the dirt...

Hunted there today. 4 roosters within range, 2 killed. Saw 25 or so hens. Good scratch hunting, dog had to work for each bird and follow the line, not like years past were 15-20 cocks and 3x hens in range were common. But good dog work. Almost all the corn is out, most of the cover is pure...

So I am looking for some ideas and thoughts here. Several years ago the Sioux Falls paper and others would have ads for daily trespass fees by individual farmers in their paper thru Oct and Nov. Today nothing. Is the ground being leased up by big operations or has it been tilled up and...

I was in the Mitchell area last week. The WIA and Production areas south of White Lake were full of hunters. We hunted private ground near them. You might want to run out West River and try the WIA around Kennebec and Murdo. There was a better hatch out there than in the east. Still plenty...

I was hunting last week with some friends in a shelterbelt when we hit a rooster and my 6yr old GSP pursued. When he got about 30 yards out I heard several sharp yelps and when we got to him we saw that he had run full speed into a tree branch. The 1 1/2" branch had impalled directly into his...

I took my GSP's on a Production Ground of CRP and 2 foot under water cattails, S of Kimball last week. Saw at least 250 birds, had around 25 points- being a calm, warm, sunny day, the birds held tight. Ratio of cocks to hens was around 1 to 15. Observed evidence of many predator kills, saw 6...

I've typically hunt the 2nd week of Nov since by then most of the corn is out and the birds are in grass and cattails. Have hunted by self and with 2 other guys, depends on who can come/ who can't. Use GSP's. You and your son would do well, might not get the far flushing/runners but yu'll...

I hear your pain. Have hunted the limited state ground in Mitchell area with minimal results. BUT have hunted walk-in areas N of Aberdeen and limited out. Key up there is finding walk-in areas that are not all cattails. Overall there's more walk-in ground in the NE area, you just may need to...

East River Bird Situation Talked to a buddy in the Kimball area. Said he hit a rooster with his trunk on a gravel road the other day @ 3:00 in the afternoon. No food in it, gut nor throat,zero. All the fat off. Said they are comparing this year to 1996. Birds are dying. Is this localized...

To give everyone a heads up: Hunted in the Hecla area (N of Aberdeen and 3 miles S of N Dakota): Almost everything is under water, the cattails, grass, and corn. Maybe 5% of the corn is harvested most is still under water. I don't think that it will be taken out until the ground is totally...

I hunted in the Clearfield area, not far from Mnt Ayr from 1997 to 2001. Seems like the birds peaked around 1999. We used to get our limit on the opener, then were glad to get 2/hunter after that. I guess the demise of CRP is hurting things down there. I now hunt SD, get limits every day...