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North Dakota Pheasant Hunting

Credit: (PF)

2010 North Dakota Pheasant Hunting Forecast

Forecast: North Dakota was expected to check in around a 500,000 pheasant harvest last year, and exceeded that with a 650,000 bird take. And though crowing counts were down six percent this spring, overall nesting conditions improved by June across many parts of the state this spring and early summer, which should give NoDak pheasant hunters plenty of optimism heading into fall. Although more snow fell this winter as compared to last, pheasants pulled through very well and populations were stable as spring approached. There were snow showers into May this spring, but as pheasants prepared to sit on nests, conditions were good. With a wet spring and many rain showers, North Dakota greened up quickly. Rain and hail showers at the peak of the hatch likely washed out some nests and will tame numbers in the southeast part of the state, though there will be pockets of excellent habitat and birds. Results from North Dakota's annual August roadside survey notwithstanding, it looks like the southwest region of the state will retain its status as a perennial pheasant power, followed by the northwest region. The south-central and central regions will check in about the same as last year. Season Dates: October 9 through January 2, 2011 Daily Bag Limit: 3 Possession Limit: 12 Field Notes: Habitat and hunting access will be under the microscope in North Dakota the next couple years. In 2011 and 2012, approximately 50 percent of the state's CRP acreage is slated to expire. Many of the 1 million P.L.O.T.S. (Private Land Open to Sportsmen) acres in the state are also enrolled in CRP, so CRP losses have the potential to negatively impact the amount of places to hunt.

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North Dakota Pheasant Hunting Directory

View our comprehensive directory of North Dakota Pheasant Hunting lodges, guides, outfitters, preserves and places hunt in North Dakota.

Outlaw Ranch Outfitters Self Guided Pheasant Hunting
1468 50th St NE, Rugby, ND 58368
Phone: (701) 542-2500
Outlaw Ranch Outfitters offers self guided pheasant and upland hunting. The grouse, pheasant and partridge habitat encompasses a range of rolling hills, draws and CRP that provides for excellent bird hunting. These birds are everywhere. Call for prices.

More listings here along with the full North Dakota directory.

North Dakota Pheasant Hunting Information

North Dakota's pheasant population was hit hard by last winter's brutal conditions - the worst pheasant winter mortality since the record-setting winter of 1996-97. The harsh winter exacerbated CRP loss in NoDak – 570,000 acres have expired since 2005, while another 236,000 acres are set to expire in September and nearly 1.7 million acres are set to expire by 2012. Crowing counts indicated a 25 percent drop in the index from last year, and North Dakota's roadside pheasant survey conducted in late July and August revealed the lowest bird count in more than five years. Total pheasants were down 50 percent statewide from last year, brood observations were down 46 percent, and average brood size was down 13 percent. Overall, a season similar to 2002's 500,000 rooster harvest is expected. Though numbers are down about 40 percent from last year, the southwest part of the state will still likely have the best pheasant numbers. * Season Dates: Youth season is October 3 & 4; Statewide is October 10 thru January 3, 2010 * Daily Bag / Possession Limits: 3 / 12