2018 Pheasant Reports

[Lee192233]

Hey guys, It's awfully quiet on this thread. Anyone else out hunting? I got out opening weekend. Saturday I checked out some of the glacial habitat restoration areas. Found some good spots for later in the year once all the crops are off. Didn't flush any birds but I think the dogs were chasing some. They just didn't want to flush in the 30 mph wind that day. Got out closer to home on a stocked area on Sunday and put up a hen, one rooster that flushed wild, missed a 20 yard chip shot and connected on the next rooster. It was a good opening weekend for Wisconsin. Good luck and be safe this season!
Lee

[Goosemaster]

I've been hunting a lot. I've been getting birds, but they are WAY down.I think central mt.is where I've seen the most birds.Ive been getting geese, and caught d 15lb. Like in ft.Peck, so that was awesome.I haven't paid anybody a dime to hunt.2, 6 packs if pbr, and 3 roosters, is all I've paid, and that's fantastic.

[Ranger Rick]

There aren't any pheasants up here in northern WI, but I've had a good season on grouse and woodcock. Woodcock reproduction was outstanding this year and with a pointing dog they're a lot of fun. Grouse isn't what it used to be, though.

My Iowa trip was canceled this year for a couple reasons. The future is in doubt, as my buddy's in-laws are selling off their properties with the best habitat, needing money to pay medical bills. We've had a good run there and it's sad to see it possibly coming to an end. In addition to their lands, we've received permission to hunt some others. But without the primary plots to hunt, there isn't enough quality ground to make a decent hunt. Hopefully we go again next year.

I've gone to SD with a couple of my golfing buddies. They just returned and had another good year. It's a bit pricey, $750 per guy, which covers the hunting and farmhouse to stay in. This year they shot a few quail and sharptails, too. That may be an option for me to consider again next year. My only issue, is that the rest of the bunch all have flushing dogs and me the only pointer. My setter doesn't like dogs busting in on his points. It's more fun hunting with other pointers that honor.

[Lee192233]

There aren't any pheasants up here in northern WI, but I've had a good season on grouse and woodcock. Woodcock reproduction was outstanding this year and with a pointing dog they're a lot of fun. Grouse isn't what it used to be, though.

My Iowa trip was canceled this year for a couple reasons. The future is in doubt, as my buddy's in-laws are selling off their properties with the best habitat, needing money to pay medical bills. We've had a good run there and it's sad to see it possibly coming to an end. In addition to their lands, we've received permission to hunt some others. But without the primary plots to hunt, there isn't enough quality ground to make a decent hunt. Hopefully we go again next year.

I've gone to SD with a couple of my golfing buddies. They just returned and had another good year. It's a bit pricey, $750 per guy, which covers the hunting and farmhouse to stay in. This year they shot a few quail and sharptails, too. That may be an option for me to consider again next year. My only issue, is that the rest of the bunch all have flushing dogs and me the only pointer. My setter doesn't like dogs busting in on his points. It's more fun hunting with other pointers that honor.

Ranger Rick,

Sorry to hear you're losing a hunting spot. That's always a bummer. Hopefully you find some different options.

I've been doing the public land thing in other states for the last 3 years. Did KS, CO, MN and SD. Going back to SD next week. Can't wait!

Sounds like you are having a good season in the northwoods. My wife and I bought some land in Lincoln County this summer so I foresee lots more grouse and woodcock hunting next year. Good luck for the rest of the season!

Lee

[Ranger Rick]

Lee:

I've also done the public land route through SD a couple times. Had great hunts. One one trip, with a buddy, we hit walk-in areas around Webster. Moved over to Aberdeen and hunted north of there for two days. Down to White Lake where I had permission to hunt one small farm. We saw plenty of birds, but worked hard for them. I'd not hesitate to do something like that again.

My SD group of golfing buddies has it too good. I suspect there are a lot of planted birds in that hunt, despite the farmer saying not so. Which is one reason I really don't push to go back. I'd rather work for my birds and know I earned them, than have a plant and shoot situation.

One of the reasons we didn't go to Iowa was because my buddy got promoted at work and couldn't take the time to go. Hopefully his schedule is better next fall and his in-laws still own most of their lands. Sad to see a families farm broken up because of health or other issues.

There are good hunting opportunities in Lincoln County. We have a family place in Langlade. My wife and I have our place in Vilas County. I hunt both areas for deer and birds. The Counties are more aggressive managing for early successional forest species [Aspen], but the State Forest up north has gotten better in recent years.

[Deweybagger]

We got out for the first time in Wi Thursday night for a couple hours, heading to a private piece we seen a new chunk of public, or at least we never seen it before, we took a short walk to check it out and my son shot 2 roosters in 20 minutes, we ended up at the private with 30-45 minutes left and I managed a rooster before close, we could hear a couple roosters talking across the road where we don’t have permission but once winter comes they are in the heavy cattails and fence lines where we can, so that looks promising.

This morning I walked my tail off, a little windy today. The birds were running 3-400 yards and flushing 50+ in front of my dog, mostly had given up on bagging anything then whiffed on a easy shot, ended up flushing several roosters and hens but left with nothing in the bag. Hopefully redeem myself in the morning lol

We skipped WI opener and went to North Dakota, numbers are down but it was a great experience being we’ve never hunted ND before. Dogs feet took a beating from the cactus and dry terrain, we walked a lot of mile the first couple days producing mine and my sons first sharp tails and Hungarian Partridge. Ended our trip with 37 birds with 14 of them being sharpies and 3 huns. Even with the low numbers I canÂ’t wait to go back.

[grossklw]

My golden and I have been hitting it hard and the numbers appear to be up quite a bit from last year. We've hunted hard, and have killed 12 roosters so far and haven't had an outing where we didn't at least kill one; all on public land in non-planted areas. Seems to be a disproportionate amount of roosters for some reason. I would guess 70% of the birds we've flushed this year have been roosters, have had 3 different days where we flushed 3 roosters and no hens; but law of averages say we're due for about a 10 flush hen day haha. Quite a few guys out opening weekend but the weather has knocked down the pressure quite a bit. Still baffles me how many people hunt really hard the middle of the day with all the crops up and then leave right before the birds come out of the corn.

Pup caught a hen Monday night that I thought for sure some idiot shot, but I felt the wings and legs and didn't appear broken to me, threw her up in the air and she flew away like nothing was wrong so I don't really know what was going on there, wasn't in horribly thick cover where you'd expect the dog to catch one.

Bird numbers in SD are up as well, 3 of us hunted last weekend in October all public land west of Aberdeen and went 27/27. I had one big brood flush that had 7 roosters all in the same group! Thought the dog's head was going to pop off, never seen him so confused and agitated. Headed back to SD first week in December. Happy hunting everyone!

[AtTheMurph]

Wi cocks.jpgWI cocks2.jpg

So went out yesterday with my wife and dog. Was not hunting, just hiking around and seeing what's going on on my property in East Central WI.

Drove the truck back to a place where i have a little pond and some cover and a fence row. Walked about 20yds, dog goes on point and wife flushed a cock.

Heading out to truck after a walk, saw two more cocks sneaking off the fence row and running through the neighbors yard.

Headed over to one of my other places and saw 4 cocks right off the road on the edge of the corn field. (pictures)

At one other place we just drove by and I noticed what I thought was a piece of garbage in the middle of the field. Didn't think much of it but thought I'd put the binoculars on it just to see. Bald eagle. There was a little bit of snow on the ground so couldn't make out the white head. Very cool.

Also saw about 30 turkeys and three deer. Not bad for about 1.5 hrs.

Wi is loaded with cocks!