Remember…

no matter what you hear from the upcoming pheasant survey, there are no roosters in west central Minnesota.

Word on the street is that the DNR will say Pheasants are up 75% over last year. It’s a bit high but I have heard favorable reports from people I trust that there are more birds than last year. 75% seems like a lot though.

Word on the street is that the DNR will say Pheasants are up 75% over last year. It’s a bit high but I have heard favorable reports from people I trust that there are more birds than last year. 75% seems like a lot though.

Quote:

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no matter what you hear from the upcoming pheasant survey, there are no roosters in west central Minnesota.

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Putz,
If you ever need a partner to walk with. Let me know, have truck and a descent pointer, both will travel

Ron

Quote:

---

no matter what you hear from the upcoming pheasant survey, there are no roosters in west central Minnesota.

---

Putz,
If you ever need a partner to walk with. Let me know, have truck and a descent pointer, both will travel

Ron

The birds in the Marshall, MN area are way down too.

There are tons of birds out here. The new pup and I flush 10-25 birds every time we go out training. I just hope that some of the crops stay up for a couple weeks into the season. That will protect some of the birds from getting pounded those first couple of weekends.

To all IDAers:
I have a new pup and know a lot of the public lands around here. Bring your guns and maybe a more experienced dog and we can blast some birds this fall.

The birds in the Marshall, MN area are way down too.

There are tons of birds out here. The new pup and I flush 10-25 birds every time we go out training. I just hope that some of the crops stay up for a couple weeks into the season. That will protect some of the birds from getting pounded those first couple of weekends.

To all IDAers:
I have a new pup and know a lot of the public lands around here. Bring your guns and maybe a more experienced dog and we can blast some birds this fall.

Why do we need dogs. YOU are the best flusher I have ever seen.

Bigfife and myself hunted last year behind 3 pointers. The dogs got hot and sure enough they all went on point. Well as we walked up to flush the birds, nothing would flush. The dogs left the spot and continued to search, we walked about twenty feet and a hen gets up at Bigfifes feet. Startled to say the least, I think that Dan his pants.
Thanks Dan for tagging along with me the last few years hunting and fishing

Ron

Why do we need dogs. YOU are the best flusher I have ever seen.

Bigfife and myself hunted last year behind 3 pointers. The dogs got hot and sure enough they all went on point. Well as we walked up to flush the birds, nothing would flush. The dogs left the spot and continued to search, we walked about twenty feet and a hen gets up at Bigfifes feet. Startled to say the least, I think that Dan his pants.
Thanks Dan for tagging along with me the last few years hunting and fishing

Ron

Ron,
I need a little hastling from time to time, and there is nobody else I would let get away with it. If I fight back too hard, you might not take me hunting or fishing again. You’ll have to come down this fall so I can try to put you and Star on some birds. It would be fun to walk one of the pressured WMAs with a good dog and flush some birds. I mean, Star can point them and I will do the flushing.

Now if I can only get you to quit chasing the green carp and go back to the mighty walleyes.

Ron,
I need a little hastling from time to time, and there is nobody else I would let get away with it. If I fight back too hard, you might not take me hunting or fishing again. You’ll have to come down this fall so I can try to put you and Star on some birds. It would be fun to walk one of the pressured WMAs with a good dog and flush some birds. I mean, Star can point them and I will do the flushing.

Now if I can only get you to quit chasing the green carp and go back to the mighty walleyes.

Quote:

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If I fight back too hard, you might not take me hunting or fishing again.

---

Never have to worry about that, you are always welcome to tag along, that way I can shoot your birds too

OH By the way that is a nice smallie you are holding, where did you get that

Ron

Quote:

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If I fight back too hard, you might not take me hunting or fishing again.

---

Never have to worry about that, you are always welcome to tag along, that way I can shoot your birds too

OH By the way that is a nice smallie you are holding, where did you get that

Ron

From the Outdoor News

GREAT FORECAST. Despite concerns earlier this summer that a wet June may have hindered ringneck production, the state’s pheasant numbers are 68 percent above the long-term average this fall. For more on this story see the Pheasant article below.

Pheasant outlook: Banner year could be in store

Joe Albert

Staff Writer

Pheasant outlook: Banner year could be in store

Thursday, September 8, 2005 3:03 PM EDT

Joe Albert

Staff Writer

St. Paul – Since the early 1960s, there have been only three seasons during which Minnesota hunters killed more than 500,000 pheasants. DNR officials say this year could well be the fourth, as the agency’s annual August Roadside Survey revealed pheasant counts up 75 percent from last year, and up 68 percent from the 10-year average.

“All in all, it looks great and we should have a great harvest,” said Sharon Goetz, the research biologist in Madelia who coordinated this year’s counts.

Hunters topped the half-million mark in 2003, 1991, and 1981. The 10-year average is about 357,000. The survey results and hunting outlook jibe with field reports that Pheasants Forever biologist Matt Holland has heard.

“Hunters are going to like what they see,” Holland said. “I think this year we have a good chance to improve on last year (when 420,000 roosters were killed), and maybe even surpass what we did two years ago (when more than 500,000 were killed).”

Roadside counts are conducted during the first two weeks of August and are meant to track pheasant population changes and trends. Pheasants are the priority, but other animals, like gray partridges and cottontail rabbits, also are counted.

The index is based on the number of pheasants observed per 100 miles. This year, about 102 pheasants per 100 miles were counted; last year was 58, and 2003 was 109.

Additionally, the number of broods observed per 100 miles increased 70 percent from last year. Hen survival was good over the winter, Goetz said.

“And most all of them were able to bring off a brood,” she said.

A fourth consecutive mild winter, warm spring, and abundant habitat helped out the pheasant population, though officials were surprised with the magnitude of the increase, Goetz said. Temperatures in April were above average, May was cooler than normal, and June was rainy, but warm. Once the rain ended in mid-June, the rest of summer was good for brood-rearing, she said.

There was concern the June rains could hinder reproduction.

“I was very worried about reproduction,” Holland said. “But it seems like we had OK early reproduction, then after mid-June we had ideal conditions.”

Habitat in the pheasant range is at its highest level since the mid-1990s, according to the report. There are more than 1 million acres enrolled in farm programs, and another 600,000 are state wildlife management areas or federal waterfowl production areas.

Hunters working the best habitat will have the best chance at shooting birds, Holland said. Though the DNR report includes a map with areas where hunting prospects are best, local habitat is most important.

“You can have fantastic pheasant hunting in a county that, on the map, shows poor pheasant numbers,” Holland said. “If you’re hunting good habitat this year you should find an abundance of birds.”

The map shows the best hunting prospects are in the southwest, central, west central, and south central regions of the state.

This year’s pheasant season opens on Oct. 15 and runs through Jan. 1.

Other species

€The gray partridge index was similar to last year, but 32 percent below the 10-year average and 47 percent below the long-term average. The best hunting opportunities are in the southwest, where the index increased 126 percent from last year.

€Cottontail rabbit counts were similar to last year, as well as 10-year and long-term averages. Jackrabbit counts were similar to the 10-year average, but down 82 percent from the long-term average.

€The white-tailed deer index is down 22 percent from last year, but comparable to the 10-year average, and 58 percent above the long-term average.

€Mourning dove populations held steady compared to last year and the 10-year average, but are down 23 percent from the long-term average.

From the Outdoor News

GREAT FORECAST. Despite concerns earlier this summer that a wet June may have hindered ringneck production, the state’s pheasant numbers are 68 percent above the long-term average this fall. For more on this story see the Pheasant article below.

Pheasant outlook: Banner year could be in store

Joe Albert

Staff Writer

Pheasant outlook: Banner year could be in store

Thursday, September 8, 2005 3:03 PM EDT

Joe Albert

Staff Writer

St. Paul – Since the early 1960s, there have been only three seasons during which Minnesota hunters killed more than 500,000 pheasants. DNR officials say this year could well be the fourth, as the agency’s annual August Roadside Survey revealed pheasant counts up 75 percent from last year, and up 68 percent from the 10-year average.

“All in all, it looks great and we should have a great harvest,” said Sharon Goetz, the research biologist in Madelia who coordinated this year’s counts.

Hunters topped the half-million mark in 2003, 1991, and 1981. The 10-year average is about 357,000. The survey results and hunting outlook jibe with field reports that Pheasants Forever biologist Matt Holland has heard.

“Hunters are going to like what they see,” Holland said. “I think this year we have a good chance to improve on last year (when 420,000 roosters were killed), and maybe even surpass what we did two years ago (when more than 500,000 were killed).”

Roadside counts are conducted during the first two weeks of August and are meant to track pheasant population changes and trends. Pheasants are the priority, but other animals, like gray partridges and cottontail rabbits, also are counted.

The index is based on the number of pheasants observed per 100 miles. This year, about 102 pheasants per 100 miles were counted; last year was 58, and 2003 was 109.

Additionally, the number of broods observed per 100 miles increased 70 percent from last year. Hen survival was good over the winter, Goetz said.

“And most all of them were able to bring off a brood,” she said.

A fourth consecutive mild winter, warm spring, and abundant habitat helped out the pheasant population, though officials were surprised with the magnitude of the increase, Goetz said. Temperatures in April were above average, May was cooler than normal, and June was rainy, but warm. Once the rain ended in mid-June, the rest of summer was good for brood-rearing, she said.

There was concern the June rains could hinder reproduction.

“I was very worried about reproduction,” Holland said. “But it seems like we had OK early reproduction, then after mid-June we had ideal conditions.”

Habitat in the pheasant range is at its highest level since the mid-1990s, according to the report. There are more than 1 million acres enrolled in farm programs, and another 600,000 are state wildlife management areas or federal waterfowl production areas.

Hunters working the best habitat will have the best chance at shooting birds, Holland said. Though the DNR report includes a map with areas where hunting prospects are best, local habitat is most important.

“You can have fantastic pheasant hunting in a county that, on the map, shows poor pheasant numbers,” Holland said. “If you’re hunting good habitat this year you should find an abundance of birds.”

The map shows the best hunting prospects are in the southwest, central, west central, and south central regions of the state.

This year’s pheasant season opens on Oct. 15 and runs through Jan. 1.

Other species

€The gray partridge index was similar to last year, but 32 percent below the 10-year average and 47 percent below the long-term average. The best hunting opportunities are in the southwest, where the index increased 126 percent from last year.

€Cottontail rabbit counts were similar to last year, as well as 10-year and long-term averages. Jackrabbit counts were similar to the 10-year average, but down 82 percent from the long-term average.

€The white-tailed deer index is down 22 percent from last year, but comparable to the 10-year average, and 58 percent above the long-term average.

€Mourning dove populations held steady compared to last year and the 10-year average, but are down 23 percent from the long-term average.

Steve,
Don’t go around telling everyone, they will stop fishing and start shooting the pheasants.

Ron

Steve,
Don’t go around telling everyone, they will stop fishing and start shooting the pheasants.

Ron

Quote:

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no matter what you hear from the upcoming pheasant survey, there are no roosters in west central Minnesota.

---

Thanks for the info Putz. That is what I heard too. I guess they all went to South Dakota. Probably not even worth buying a MN license this year huh?

Quote:

---

no matter what you hear from the upcoming pheasant survey, there are no roosters in west central Minnesota.

---

Thanks for the info Putz. That is what I heard too. I guess they all went to South Dakota. Probably not even worth buying a MN license this year huh?