252yft
10-24-2012, 4:57 AM
I just returned from my annual So Dakota Pheasant Hunt and wanted to provide a report for those of you getting ready for your own trip.
I have the privilege of hunting on the same 2,000 acre farm every opening weekend of every year. It's located just outside the town of Presho. Presho is about 35 mile southeast of Pierre the state capital. The farm is rolling land with a creek, two large dams and a number of small watering holes.
The farmer cuts his strips of corn, milo, and wheat from a quarter of a mile to a full mile in length. There is some grass areas around the creek and along the old railroad tracks which are no longer used.
I read all the reports from the So Dakota DFG about a record number of birds this year in the northern and central part of the state. In fact, if you were to lay a colored chart over the state, it would look like an upside down bell curve of the bird population with again, the upper and central part of So Dakota having an increased population.
The report was concluded and posted in early July. The problem with the report didn't take the record heat or lack of rain this summer. The area I hunted hasn't received any rain since late June. During the month of July, the daytime temps never dropped below 100. This bit of info was/is very important and I never consider it.
When I read the report from the DFG, it stated that the warm weather helped the population because the hens didn't have to sit on the eggs under they hatched. The weather was doing the work for dear old mom.
This was true. Gary (the owner of the property) told us that during June and July he'd only seen a couple of other years in which there where more birds. However, due to the heat, lack of rain and grasshoppers, all the young birds didn't make it. The humidity was so low, there was no dew for the birds to drink.
Having watched the weather report and planning and high winds, I decided to take two 12 ga. guns, a Citori and Vinci. I like the over and under, but with high winds, a three shot gun can help the score at the end of the day. I was using 2 3/4", #5 Black Cloud Shells.
There was 6 in my group. Two blockers, two outside and two beating the ground with a Lab and a German Short Hair. We usually have our limit within an hour but this year was different. The first thing I noticed was the crops. Where were they. With the lack of rain, many farmers simply plowed them down. This is harvest time and you can see the farmers running 24 hours a day, but they weren't.
What was left of the corn was maybe 3 feet high and dry. I am 6'6" and on past trips couldn't see through some of the corn if I was walking down the strips. This year, the corn barely reached my knees. The day before we arrived, the wind blew 50 mph+ and a lot of the corn was laying down.
Due to the lack of rain, the dams which are capable of holding 20 feet of water, only had 5 feet. the creek wasn't running at all with standing water. The ground is the hardest dirt I've ever seen.
Now for the hunting.
The first day was slow, but we got a full limit. We worked from 12 noon (starting time) until about 5PM. That's 5 hours for 18 birds. I knocked down 4. The wind was blowing about 15-20 mph. The birds were larger indicating old birds with just a couple of smaller younger birds. The ratio of hens to males where 5 to 1.
The second day we decided to hit the dams and work the cottontails and high weeds surrounding the dams. I took three shots at one bird. It came out of the cottontails right at me low and as soon as the wind picked it up, liftoff. That bird rose 50 feet if 5 seconds right over my head. I waited and turned around and knocked him down on my third shot. That was the only bird I shot at all day. We finished up around 6PM 2 short of a limit for the group.
Day 3 our last. NO WIND. Over cast and a slight chill. Perfect weather. We walked and walked and walked. Nothing. A lot of hens but no rooster. Finally decided to walk the creek which is about 2 mile long. Since we had a new hunter with us, I let him walk next to the creek and I took the outside. We found birds. However our new hunter couldn't hit the side of a barn with a, never mind. I decided to walk 150 yards ahead of everybody as clean up hitter since a lot of shots were between the trees and the birds were getting away. I knocked down 6 birds as they came out of the tree line. My best shot came as a rooster on the other side of the creek was flying along the tree line between the trees. I saw an opening ahead and waited for him. I waited until he flew behind a tree and pulled the trigger. As he came out from behind that tree he met my shot. Rooster down. We finally finished the day around 6PM 5 birds short of a full group limit. Ouch! I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time.
We,ve taken our birds to the same guy who cleans our birds every year and spoke to him about the over all bird count. He told me that his business is down 40%. Guys where simply not getting a full limit and arriving at his place well into dark.
My overall experience was special. I still LOVE walking a field and watching those dogs work and this year they worked their tails off for us. By Monday night, those dogs were so tired, they ate half their food and one just fell asleep next to his bowl.
At the airport yesterday, I spoke to a bunch of other hunters. A lot of guys got their limits and a lot didn't. But everybody had a good time and that's why we go. If I receive a call tomorrow asking if I wanted to go back this weekend, I'd be packing my bags.
I have the privilege of hunting on the same 2,000 acre farm every opening weekend of every year. It's located just outside the town of Presho. Presho is about 35 mile southeast of Pierre the state capital. The farm is rolling land with a creek, two large dams and a number of small watering holes.
The farmer cuts his strips of corn, milo, and wheat from a quarter of a mile to a full mile in length. There is some grass areas around the creek and along the old railroad tracks which are no longer used.
I read all the reports from the So Dakota DFG about a record number of birds this year in the northern and central part of the state. In fact, if you were to lay a colored chart over the state, it would look like an upside down bell curve of the bird population with again, the upper and central part of So Dakota having an increased population.
The report was concluded and posted in early July. The problem with the report didn't take the record heat or lack of rain this summer. The area I hunted hasn't received any rain since late June. During the month of July, the daytime temps never dropped below 100. This bit of info was/is very important and I never consider it.
When I read the report from the DFG, it stated that the warm weather helped the population because the hens didn't have to sit on the eggs under they hatched. The weather was doing the work for dear old mom.
This was true. Gary (the owner of the property) told us that during June and July he'd only seen a couple of other years in which there where more birds. However, due to the heat, lack of rain and grasshoppers, all the young birds didn't make it. The humidity was so low, there was no dew for the birds to drink.
Having watched the weather report and planning and high winds, I decided to take two 12 ga. guns, a Citori and Vinci. I like the over and under, but with high winds, a three shot gun can help the score at the end of the day. I was using 2 3/4", #5 Black Cloud Shells.
There was 6 in my group. Two blockers, two outside and two beating the ground with a Lab and a German Short Hair. We usually have our limit within an hour but this year was different. The first thing I noticed was the crops. Where were they. With the lack of rain, many farmers simply plowed them down. This is harvest time and you can see the farmers running 24 hours a day, but they weren't.
What was left of the corn was maybe 3 feet high and dry. I am 6'6" and on past trips couldn't see through some of the corn if I was walking down the strips. This year, the corn barely reached my knees. The day before we arrived, the wind blew 50 mph+ and a lot of the corn was laying down.
Due to the lack of rain, the dams which are capable of holding 20 feet of water, only had 5 feet. the creek wasn't running at all with standing water. The ground is the hardest dirt I've ever seen.
Now for the hunting.
The first day was slow, but we got a full limit. We worked from 12 noon (starting time) until about 5PM. That's 5 hours for 18 birds. I knocked down 4. The wind was blowing about 15-20 mph. The birds were larger indicating old birds with just a couple of smaller younger birds. The ratio of hens to males where 5 to 1.
The second day we decided to hit the dams and work the cottontails and high weeds surrounding the dams. I took three shots at one bird. It came out of the cottontails right at me low and as soon as the wind picked it up, liftoff. That bird rose 50 feet if 5 seconds right over my head. I waited and turned around and knocked him down on my third shot. That was the only bird I shot at all day. We finished up around 6PM 2 short of a limit for the group.
Day 3 our last. NO WIND. Over cast and a slight chill. Perfect weather. We walked and walked and walked. Nothing. A lot of hens but no rooster. Finally decided to walk the creek which is about 2 mile long. Since we had a new hunter with us, I let him walk next to the creek and I took the outside. We found birds. However our new hunter couldn't hit the side of a barn with a, never mind. I decided to walk 150 yards ahead of everybody as clean up hitter since a lot of shots were between the trees and the birds were getting away. I knocked down 6 birds as they came out of the tree line. My best shot came as a rooster on the other side of the creek was flying along the tree line between the trees. I saw an opening ahead and waited for him. I waited until he flew behind a tree and pulled the trigger. As he came out from behind that tree he met my shot. Rooster down. We finally finished the day around 6PM 5 birds short of a full group limit. Ouch! I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time.
We,ve taken our birds to the same guy who cleans our birds every year and spoke to him about the over all bird count. He told me that his business is down 40%. Guys where simply not getting a full limit and arriving at his place well into dark.
My overall experience was special. I still LOVE walking a field and watching those dogs work and this year they worked their tails off for us. By Monday night, those dogs were so tired, they ate half their food and one just fell asleep next to his bowl.
At the airport yesterday, I spoke to a bunch of other hunters. A lot of guys got their limits and a lot didn't. But everybody had a good time and that's why we go. If I receive a call tomorrow asking if I wanted to go back this weekend, I'd be packing my bags.