USA: North Dakota Pheasant Hunt

[WAB]

Just a few photos from North Dakota.

 

[Goopy]

Very well done!
Pheasant hunting is quite possibly my favorite sport of all!

 

[Andrew Short]

Fantastic Bill!

 

[Goopy]

…and also obligatory tired but successful pup with a well earned rooster! Not gods country like North Dakota, but making it work in Illinois.
79 year Stevens 311 still working like it should!

 

[coreydb]

Great photos and beautiful Brittany! Your SxS will easily last through this century. Too bad we can't take things with us like that when it's time to leave this world.

 

[Reed Thoma Outdoors]

ND must have good numbers this year because I have seen and shot more this year than the last five years I have been here. Congrats on those birds!

 

[WAB]

ND must have good numbers this year because I have seen and shot more this year than the last five years I have been here. Congrats on those birds!

Like all years, birds numbers vary pretty wildly between regions. I shot a limit in under two hours every day, but my dog is excellent and I shoot a lot.

 

[M70375!]

Great photos and beautiful Brittany! Your SxS will easily last through this century. Too bad we can't take things with us like that when it's time to leave this world.

can we go hunting in heaven, I wonder

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Northern Montana doesn't seem to be as good as last year. Still, I'm seeing lots of birds but not able to get much shooting. For some reason the pheasants are staying bunched up (like twenty plus birds!) which makes it difficult even with my great dogs. Too easily busted out of range. Also been very windy. I'm shooting very well and even with all the work involved to get a shot, I'm not missing many. This is the best year I've seen in the last twenty for Huns. Little buggers are everywhere. Sharptails seem down a bit but still plenty. Sadly, my dogs are getting long in the tooth. Figure this will be our last season. Fourteen year-old Fr Brittany is still giving it hell but so crippled up last night I had to help her up to go out for a pee. She seems better tonight. Lab Ellie's feet are beat from buckbrush on this particular property. I only hunt public land or publicly accessible ranches. I'm getting birds but it takes a lot of work. Already lost over ten pounds ... and I really didn't need to lose any weight!

Rooster, Hun, and sharpie yesterday required three hours of hard hunting. Three roosters and a Hun the night before, also about three hours. Missed one shot during both days.

 

[Goopy]

can we go hunting in heaven, I wonder

If not, I’ll settle for purgatory…

 

[BRICKBURN]

Nothing like a great dog giving its all. They are special.
Congratulations on your success.

 

[WyoBull]

Awesome photos! I am heading up to SW North Dakota the 17th of this month to chase the pheasants.
Had my dog out on Wednesday of this week here in Wyoming and shot a couple of birds.

 

[WAB]

Awesome photos! I am heading up to SW North Dakota the 17th of this month to chase the pheasants.
Had my dog out on Wednesday of this week here in Wyoming and shot a couple of birds.
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Seeing the hen, I’m guessing you were hunting on Springer?

Good luck in ND. Lots of birds in the area you’re headed to this year.

 

[WyoBull]

Seeing the hen, I’m guessing you were hunting on Springer?

Good luck in ND. Lots of birds in the area you’re headed to this year.

Thanks so much. I will be on Springer next week and was supposed to be there yesterday but caught a nasty cold so my wife and I stayed home. Have you hunted Springer?
For this hunt where I took the photo I was actually down at Glendo.
Glad to hear bird numbers are good where we are going in ND>

 

[Red Leg]

Was in South Dakota for the opener there. Like @Ontario Hunter notes, the winds were howling every day and mornings were a bit eyewatering. However, we were pushing milo fields and easily managed a limit each day. Judging by the numbers along the roads early morning, the population density was excellent where we were.

 

[WAB]

Thanks so much. I will be on Springer next week and was supposed to be there yesterday but caught a nasty cold so my wife and I stayed home. Have you hunted Springer?
For this hunt where I took the photo I was actually down at Glendo.
Glad to hear bird numbers are good where we are going in ND>

I hunted Springer many times when I lived in WY. CRP was at its peak when I lived there and wild bird numbers were fantastic from Hawk Springs to Torrington. I drove through there last week. None of that cover is left.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I need to get back to the Dakotas or Kansas bird hunting. We used to hit SD every year. When a family friend sold his hunting farm. Our pheasant camp broke up.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Just two roosters this afternoon. Only had 1.5 hr to hunt before pinochle tourney at seniors center. The dogs had the day off yesterday and I didn't want to work them hard today so we had a late start. Night before last I had to help the little 14 yesr-old Fr Britt to her feet so she could go pee. Very frisky today but I kept her with me anyway and just let the Lab hunt. Wind blowing fifty mph made the birds jumpy and challenging to hit. I actually missed one shot. The only missed shot this week I think. Still blowing and now raining so we'll probably take tomorrow off. Just as well. My Lab's raw feet are still on the mend. I can shop for new boots. This pair of year-old Irish Setters are about worn out.