South Dakota

[mikeschneider]

15 degrees and a bit of wind first thing here in SD…moved 65-70, mostly hens…lots of wind yesterday as I drove here…birds seemed to be hunkered down, roosters held tight, all flushes were pretty close…quick hunt…hens were a bit more inclined to flush, but they were bunched up….nice day. Stopped in Lennox, SD yesterday to see my 2day old pup…yellow female, 3 to pick from…fun stuff!!��

[Harold Pickens]

Wow, a great day. Although we would see that many or often more birds each day, we had the opposite. Hens would hold over point, but roosters got up 50-200 yds out in front of the dogs. Very few roosters getting up in range, had to make shots count. Hope your week continues to go that good.
New puppy, that's exciting, would like to have a yellow lab female but 3 setters are enough for now. Got home after an 18 hour drive yesterday, and still putting stuff away until next fall.

[mikeschneider]

Last trip, about 2 weeks ago, birds were quick to vacate…especially if cover wasn’t heavy. I’m sure things will change as it warms up and wind subsides…

[mikeschneider]

53 today, wind gusting to 35, can’t hear birds flushing…took longer, had some sloppy hunting between birds 1 and 3…ended on a nice note, a double…goofed up on a potential double 25 minutes earlier and was kicking myself…staying positive is important for me, I can vacillate between darkness and light!

[mikeschneider]

Hunted with a group yesterday…not my cup of tea, but good guys, had good dogs, and were good shots…good day all in all…

[Wes Stueber]

Anyone have a rooster flush 40 ft. behind them this year? I had one I assume my two dogs passed over along a tree line in SD just before the season ended this year. Maybe we were moving too fast..?

I heard him flush, but I THINK he played this game earlier this past year?

Good season anyway!

[mikeschneider]

I had several of those! Usually there are multiple birds, scent aplenty, and I’m following the dogs…I’m chuckling thinking of at least 2 situations where I went too fast, usually after several hens had flushed, and the dogs are heading South, so South I go! Only to hear a bird flushing a bit North of me…yup, rooster!! One of those was during the last week of the season…had 3 days in the 50’s…another day or 2 in the 40’s…I’m 58, may never see another full season with no snow!

[Wes Stueber]

Mike,

Same conditions, exactly here! I had TWO such flushes on the LAST day, in fact!

I'm 76 and NO snow was nice once this season! I doubt I will ever see that again..?

Thanks for your reply.

[mikeschneider]

You bet, Wes…I made it a point to hunt small, even micro, covers this season, as I hunted solo much of the time…had a partner some of the time, but we usually were hunting solo, but in the vicinity of each other…been reflecting on the season a whole lot, it was fantastic! Not even thinking of birds bagged…good dogs, great scenery, great friends….and yes, good/great hunting…nothing I love more than logging the miles, following the dogs, carrying a gun that makes me smile…7 months til
sharptails and guns!!!!