Cattails

[Goosemaster]

I can't believe how thick and snowed in some of these cattails are that these guys are hunting. I wouldn't go in there in a place like that. I would hunt the edge, let my dog go in a little ways or just let him go just I'm not a big control freak.

 

[Goosemaster]

If my dog flushes some roosters out of ranch, I don't care cuz I know there are always a few that will hold.

 

[Golden Hour]

If you find a large area of cattails that the deer have been in, it's pretty comfortable hunting. Or some of the cattail stands aren't as thick.

 

[NDPheasant]

Not all cattails are created equal. Agree with Golden Hour. Last weekend there were some that were easy walking than walking the perimeter. Once frozen sometimes the middle can be the easiest place to walk because there are fewer cattails due to the water. We had a canopy of snow that sat on top creating a hidden insulated runway underneath for the pheasants. Then we had freezing rain later that crusted that canopy virtually making exhaustiong to bust through especially for dogs.

 

[Goosemaster]

Not all cattails are created equal. Agree with Golden Hour. Last weekend there were some that were easy walking than walking the perimeter. Once frozen sometimes the middle can be the easiest place to walk because there are fewer cattails due to the water. We had a canopy of snow that sat on top creating a hidden insulated runway underneath for the pheasants. Then we had freezing rain later that crusted that canopy virtually making exhaustiong to bust through especially for dogs.

I don't know that I would want to put my dog into that type of stuff, but I suppose that's where the birds are. I was watching these two guys on a video post holding through this deep snow in The cattails and pheasants holding very tight but it looked exhausting and difficult.

 

[Bob Peters]

This is a big deal in Minnesota. The cattails here are usually very thick. You look for a game trail, walk the edge, or plow through. Obviously 100 acres of cattails you gotta really want it to bust through that and it's really not very efficient. A smaller patch then it's worth it. If you can find some that are not too tall or thick next to food then you're in business. For some reason it seems in the dakotas they have more cattail sloughs that are manageable. Shorter in height and less thick.

There is a spot in MN I hunt with a cattail patch about 7 or 8 acres on a fenceline. I'll walk the edge first, and often see birds. After that I'll plow in a little bit at high percentage areas. Sometimes you get a shot, other times just a glimpse as the bird flies away through a screen of grass.

 

[jonnyB]

Just returned from a SD hunt which included cattails; dog ingested (nose) some of the fluff and had a sneezing jag for 3-4 day's. She's better now, however, taking her into the vet today to see if there are residual awns in her nasal passages.

Some of the cattail seeds are as dangerous as grass awns - they can migrate from the nose to other areas of the body...;

First time I've had a dog inhale the stuff...

 

[gim]

The cattail spot I usually hunt a few times each season isn’t even recognizable. No man or dog can go in it because it’s completely snowed in.

Not to mention falling through is a risk not worth taking.

The birds I have been finding since all the snow have been in 1 of 2 types of habitat: areas with trees, or standing corn. Nothing else is worth hunting.

 

[jonnyB]

The cattail spot I usually hunt a few times each season isn’t even recognizable. No man or dog can go in it because it’s completely snowed in.

Not to mention falling through is a risk not worth taking.

The birds I have been finding since all the snow have been in 1 of 2 types of habitat: areas with trees, or standing corn. Nothing else is worth hunting.

This is in SD and the birds were in the cattails...not snowed in, but a respite from the wind.