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Anybody else headed to South Dakota to go chase ringnecks next weekend? I'm leaving Wednesday night for the power drive with two new pheasant hunters. This will be my 14th season opener. I've been hunting the same private farm with the same guys this entire time minus a guy here and there.
Last year was the worst I've ever experienced. The first day we saw two roosters and one on Sunday before I walked off the property and went to the bowling alley to get drunk and watch football.
The farm I hunt is privately owned by the same family for over 130 years outside of Presho SD. The cover is either corn, sunflower, or mylo with a couple of dams. The fields are cut from half to a mile long. I've hunted this land were we limited out in 20 minutes after walking only 300 yards for 7 guys. Then last year 6 of us worked the property all day and saw only 3 birds, knocking down 2.
I've spoken the the owner and he's informed me that he has birds this year. Nothing like last year, but not like 3 to 5 years ago. This is fine with me as long as I don't get out there and it's another 3 bird sighting for a day's work. The only problem I see is that this is going to be a late harvest and how will the fields be cut.
The owner only charges us $100 a day which he says pays for his winter clothes. All the birds are wild. The guys I usualy hunt with don't want to go this year because they've been spoiled by our continued success over the years and don't want to go this year because of what happened last. I did get them to still pay me for this year, because I want to still hold this farm for future years. The farmer will still get his normal income ever though this is gunna be a 3 man hunt. Actually his going to get a few bucks more since I'll be paying him for 8 guys.
Anyways, anybody else headed for the opener?
Last year was the worst I've ever experienced. The first day we saw two roosters and one on Sunday before I walked off the property and went to the bowling alley to get drunk and watch football.
The farm I hunt is privately owned by the same family for over 130 years outside of Presho SD. The cover is either corn, sunflower, or mylo with a couple of dams. The fields are cut from half to a mile long. I've hunted this land were we limited out in 20 minutes after walking only 300 yards for 7 guys. Then last year 6 of us worked the property all day and saw only 3 birds, knocking down 2.
I've spoken the the owner and he's informed me that he has birds this year. Nothing like last year, but not like 3 to 5 years ago. This is fine with me as long as I don't get out there and it's another 3 bird sighting for a day's work. The only problem I see is that this is going to be a late harvest and how will the fields be cut.
The owner only charges us $100 a day which he says pays for his winter clothes. All the birds are wild. The guys I usualy hunt with don't want to go this year because they've been spoiled by our continued success over the years and don't want to go this year because of what happened last. I did get them to still pay me for this year, because I want to still hold this farm for future years. The farmer will still get his normal income ever though this is gunna be a 3 man hunt. Actually his going to get a few bucks more since I'll be paying him for 8 guys.
Anyways, anybody else headed for the opener?
