5 day trip for pheasant in December. Where would you go?

[NR_Hunter]

So a good buddy of mine I’ve been pheasant hunting with since high school is gonna be stuck in Kuwait for a year starting January 2021.

Unfortunately, or maybe not unfortunately, the only time we both will be free isn’t until December. We are gonna leaving from Central MN and would be willing to drive a long ways.

I kinda wanna go to western ND/Eastern MT, but days of deep snow in December could be a doozie.

Southwest Nebraska or Kansas could be an option that is a haul.

There’s always SD, but I feel like any public land east of the River might be pretty ran through by December.

What do the bird hunters of HT think?

 

[huntin24/7]

One thing to keep in mind with pheasants is that public land is usually good for the opener, then it gets pounded and isn’t very good for a while, but it usually starts getting pretty decent once deer season gets going til end of season since there are much fewer bird hunters out from deer season til end of season. Also, landowners are much more likely to give permission after deer season to bird hunters if you stop and knock on a few doors. Do you have a dog?

 

[NR_Hunter]

Yup. My buddy has a Gordon setter that’s reasonably well trained, has his quirks but finds birds. You couldn’t pay me to pheasant hunt without a dog.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

So a good buddy of mine I’ve been pheasant hunting with since high school is gonna be stuck in Kuwait for a year starting January 2021.

Unfortunately, or maybe not unfortunately, the only time we both will be free isn’t until December. We are gonna leaving from Central MN and would be willing to drive a long ways.

I kinda wanna go to western ND/Eastern MT, but days of deep snow in December could be a doozie.

Southwest Nebraska or Kansas could be an option that is a haul.

There’s always SD, but I feel like any public land east of the River might be pretty ran through by December.

What do the bird hunters of HT think?

Sd is talking about extended the season this fall and increasing the bag limit to 4 birds in dec. so that may tip the scales.


Also, NE SD has a lot of public that a guy can walk and usually doesn't get hit too bad. Also if there is snow on the ground you can just look and see if someone has been walking it lately. Long story short, that's about my favorite time to hunt roosters here

 

[NR_Hunter]

Sd is talking about extended the season this fall and increasing the bag limit to 4 birds in dec. so that may tip the scales.


Also, NE SD has a lot of public that a guy can walk and usually doesn't get hit too bad. Also if there is snow on the ground you can just look and see if someone has been walking it lately. Long story short, that's about my favorite time to hunt roosters here

That is great info. December is my favorite time to hunt roosters as well, even when I’m hip flexors are destroyed from busting cattails lol

 

[huntin24/7]

When the snow is deep, I’ll cruise the county roads where good cover isn’t far off and wait til I find a lot of tracks along the road where they’ve come out to peck gravel. They’ll be in cover not terribly far away. Best time to hunt them.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

That is great info. December is my favorite time to hunt roosters as well, even when I’m hip flexors are destroyed from busting cattails lol

I know that feeling all too well!

 

[2rocky]

I think the answer is always the Dakotas when it comes to pheasants. You can hunt wild birds on farms and have a nice place to stay.

 

[fallfreak]

I gave hunted South Dakota for 12 yrs now. It is a blast. The pheasant numbers were better in the first few years than of late but I always have a great time. When December hits most of the crops should be out if the farmers have any luck. The pheasants will be more grouped up and once you get into them let the fun begin!!

 

[Irrelevant]

What do the bird hunters of HT think?

Quail in AZ
or
Chukar in the Hells Canyon area

 

[Dakota79]

Take this with a grain of salt because it is secondhand information but I hear South Dakota had a great hatch and numbers look to be doing fine.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Chukar in the Hells Canyon area

They're all dead. Go quail hunting in Arkansas.

 

[2rocky]

Chukar in the Hells Canyon area

Don't punish the poor guy!

 

[MTLabrador]

They're all dead. Go quail hunting in Arkansas.

I heard the wolves ate all the northeast MT pheasants too.

 

[Irrelevant]

They're all dead. Go quail hunting in Arkansas.

It's the limitless resource. Zero chance hunters could shoot them out. I mean you can only miss so many times before you take up skiing right?

 

[huntnpack]

I've always wanted to try a KS/NE prairie grouse tour. Probably earlier in the year though.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

My uncle lives in TX and goes after pheasant every year in KS. He’s hunted most of the plains and West and chooses KS every damn year so it’s that good.

 

[NR_Hunter]

I've always wanted to try a KS/NE prairie grouse tour. Probably earlier in the year though.

I’d love to spend spend a few days in the Sandhills chasing grouse and then a few days chasing pheasant, but I’m not sure I want anything to do with sharp tails in December, especially with a setter that likes to range reaaal wide at times.

 

[Bigjay73]

I have never hunted pheasant without a dog, havent bird hunted since mine passed away. Is it worth it to take a trip and hunt without a canine companion? Spending 2 or 3 days in the fields of SD sounds pretty good right about now

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I have never hunted pheasant without a dog, havent bird hunted since mine passed away. Is it worth it to take a trip and hunt without a canine companion? Spending 2 or 3 days in the fields of SD sounds pretty good right about now

I hunt often without one. Just limits the fields you're able to walk really