Upper Midwest Bird Camp 2026

[TheGreek]

Cocktail hour. Best part of bird camp.

 

[TheGreek]

Another beautiful sunrise here in SD.

We saw a few hundred pheasants yesterday. Even on the opener, a lot were flushing well out of range. They sure ain’t dumb.

 

[MNElkNut]

did you get a few?

 

[TheGreek]

did you get a few?

We killed 17 for six guys on the opener.

 

[TheGreek]

Today was slower than yesterday. 5 guys hunted and we killed 11 roosters. But I killed three and shot well so I ain’t gonna complain. I made one good shot on a rooster in front of the whole group which is always fun. Definitely shot better today than yesterday. The dog also had a couple good finds on dead birds downed in heavy cover so that made me happy as well.

 

[TheGreek]

Dog came up lame this morning. I’ve got it narrowed down to his right front pad, and the right side of his right front pad. Went through it pretty good but can’t find a thorn or burr lodged in his pad. He’s gonna stay in the box today and get a rest. We’ve got a lot of hunting left in front of us this trip that I hope he is able to recover for. Disappointing but that’s bird hunting for you.

 

[Ben Lamb]

A day off is much better than a season ending injury. Greta has a good abrasion on her left front wrist. We're taking the week off to heal up before 3 days of grouse camp.

Bio butter & short hikes make her pissy but so does being left behind.

 

[TheGreek]

Last day of pheasant hunting in SD. Morning started hot and heavy. I killed three roosters in the first 15 minutes, including a double, but couldn’t find the 2nd bird of the pair.

After the first morning push, things slowed down. We ended up with 11 roosters and 1 sharptail for the group of 6 hunters. But we probably had 5 or 6 roosters we killed and couldn’t find even with a lot of dogs on the ground.



Headed to ND tomorrow morning for a day or two of sharptail hunting.

I was hoping a day in the box would fix the dog’s foot, but he still had a good limp when we got done hunting and I took him out of his kennel. I went through his right foot again and am pretty sure there is something in the right lobe of his front right foot. That is where he winces and whines when I touch it. He doesn’t care when i manipulate the rest of his right leg, ankle and the other lobes/pads of his right front foot. Nothing to do but let him rest.

 

[Walkathon]

Hope your dog gets healed up. No fun to have a dog that is hurting. Good luck in ND.

 

[TheGreek]

We are breaking SD bird camp this morning and headed to ND.

Dog’s foot is improved but not perfect. The plan is to stop at a vet clinic en route to ND and get him checked out.

 

[TheGreek]

North Dakota!
Dog Got checked out by a vet in Pierre SD. Vet said it’s just a sprain and he should be able to hunt by Thursday or Friday. Got some anti inflammatory/pain meds for him.

Big shout out to Oahe Vet clinic in Pierre, SD. Had me in and out in 15 minutes and less than $100 bucks.

 

[TheGreek]

Bird camp is set in ND. Enjoying cocktail hour after a slow afternoon of hunting. We hit two different spots and flushed two birds in one and three birds in another, but all the birds flushed well out of range.

We had another 4 sharpies fly over us driving into a spot so a total of 9 sharptails seen for the afternoon but no opportunities.

Dog looks much better for just a single day of meds. Hopeful he will be back in the game on Thursday. He could probably hunt tomorrow but I don’t wanna push it.


Good to be back on the prairies.


ND grouse camp is set.

 

[Walkathon]

Glad your dog is doing better- good luck in ND!

 

[Bowmannate2000]

Your posts make me want to get into bird hunting!

 

[TheGreek]

The morning hunt in ND was a bit of a bust. Hit our best spot and didn’t put up a single bird until we were almost back at the truck. Half dozen got out from much thicker than normal cover, right next to corn. I had one fair shot at a bird in range and promptly missed.

Hit another spot down the road and three birds got up when we got out of the truck and flew into the adjacent corn.

Put up another two groups of three on that walk, but they were getting up at 500-1000 yards out. Birds are super spooky. And we are seeing a lot less sharptails than normal. We usually hunt up here in late September and we can really see the difference a few weeks make.

When we got done at the 2nd spot, I saw a rooster land in a big clump of brushy tangle about 50 yards from us. I sauntered down to him and he made me look like a fool by coming out the back end of bush when my view was obstructed. Classic pheasant stuff.

We are breaking ND camp and headed to MN this afternoon. My buddy and I both have a hankering for some classic, upper midwestern ruffed grouse hunting. Hopefully the leaves and the woodcock are down. Short prairie trip here in ND, but it’s always fun to go back to places that are special in your heart, even if the birds don’t play the game.

 

[MNElkNut]

Leaves should be down in northern MN. Still a few clinging on in west central MN. Saw a woodcock hunting last roosters last week. Weather is going to get cooler on Sunday, which will be fantastic for your hunting. Maybe a little moisture, but nothing in our forecast to suggest a washout.

 

[TheGreek]

Minnesota! Should be in the grouse woods this afternoon.

 

[Lmartin5]

Last day of pheasant hunting in SD. Morning started hot and heavy. I killed three roosters in the first 15 minutes, including a double, but couldn’t find the 2nd bird of the pair.

After the first morning push, things slowed down. We ended up with 11 roosters and 1 sharptail for the group of 6 hunters. But we probably had 5 or 6 roosters we killed and couldn’t find even with a lot of dogs on the ground.

View attachment 419975

Headed to ND tomorrow morning for a day or two of sharptail hunting.

I was hoping a day in the box would fix the dog’s foot, but he still had a good limp when we got done hunting and I took him out of his kennel. I went through his right foot again and am pretty sure there is something in the right lobe of his front right foot. That is where he winces and whines when I touch it. He doesn’t care when i manipulate the rest of his right leg, ankle and the other lobes/pads of his right front foot. Nothing to do but let him rest.

Excellent!