It's Quiet Around Here

[sprig]

Looks like we need a waterfowl/hunt topic thread also to go along with the hockey season:)

And I know there is enough room for nr's. From a NDaks point of view, however, most of us grew up with no hunting competition, just walk out of town and hunt anywhere with noone else around.

Last season, NR licences numbered about 37K, with only 30K residents. Can see why NDakers are feeling a bit crowded while all the MN city folk feel like there is hardly anyone around when they come to ND.

The primary worry is that many places that may have been posted but were accessible to whomever asked, are now posted and paid for by NR's with lots of bucks, who are buying exclusive hunting rights to private land. NDak's are a bit worried that this will get carried away in the future. If it does, there is little any of us can do about it.

With that, I'll quit with the off topic stuff

[mksioux]

I was on the Ralph's website and noticed that the home games next year are now scheduled for 7:05 pm rather than the 7:35 starts we are used to.  Does anybody know the reason for this?  I know it's only a half hour earlier, but it just makes it that much more difficult for those of us who live out-of-town to make it to Friday games.

[The Sicatoka]

The 7 pm start is correct.

Yes, it will be harder to make a Friday game.

[dagies]

Hey, the topic is "It's quiet around here" not "let's talk hockey"

Seriously, Sprig.  I can understand where residents are coming from.  I grew up in Milbank SD, a little town of about 3500 ppl in northeast SD.  Any of the rest of my life was spent in Fergus Falls MN.  Pretty rural stuff (and much preferred to my Mpls location, too).

Anyway, I wouldn't want a lot of citified hunters around my territory either.  I will say that I do not believe I and my bro-in-laws fit the citified hunter stereotype.  Yes, one has a Tahoe but hey, you need that to haul 3-4 guys and 2 dogs on a 3-4 day trip.  Other than that we are pretty down home, beer budget hunters.  We get a tired of seeing land that is leased and unavailable, and have pretty much quit going to SD now because of the costs to hunt on land.  Iowa and ND are still pretty accessible.  I even hesistate to mention on this site that we like to go to ND just because I hate to publicize it myself.

I will state for the record:  We ask for permission, we close gates, we leave the land the way we found it, and we offer game to our hosts.  

That land is being leased and paid for to hunt on exclusively is a tragedy, IMO.  However, if that is what I would have to do one day to have a chance to hunt, I would probably do so.  I am not ready to give up hunting yet.

[sprig]

Well, I guess it's not quiet, so I won't quit yet. Goon, can't believe you admitted to bagging a brace of Minniesota mallards.

I've little problem with most of the hunters that are around, except a few who screw up and demand they be allowed to because they are bringing their bucks to the small ND communities. And yes, that is exactly what they say.

Our area tends to get more out of the area pheasant hunters than waterfowl hunters, although most jump shoot ducks in the afternoon.

The problem with that for those of us that like morning decoying is, that, after scouting out a good pond for the morning, getting up early, and setting up the dekes, we find shells laying around that were obviously from a jump shoot that occurred after we scouted. All they are doing is road hunting, which is primarily how the same people hunt pheasants in the morning. (Don't have a problem with road pheasant hunters, there are always lots left for December when the hunters are gone and upland bird hunting is best).

If we ever get back to the migrations of the past, that won't be a problem, duck numbers have just been a little short here in the fall for several years. Still good though, but always looking for better.

Good time for dog training right now if you want him ready by this fall. Mine was trained during spring and summer, 1993, and was a nasty bird dog at 9 months. Nearly 10 now so everyday December hunting doesn't work any more. He needs the day off (but so do I)

[Goon]

Well, I guess it's not quiet, so I won't quit yet. Goon, can't believe you admitted to bagging a brace of Minniesota mallards.

I am not sure that I understand your question, however, we did shoot a duck from Minnesota that was banded from over by fargo, when it was shot out of the air it hit the water by Michigan, ND. So Mallard ducks do travel quite aways after they are banded.

As far as my brother who happens to be from Rogers Minnesota, and I spend most of our time decoying ducks, in fact I would rather hunt that way. Nothing beats a nap in the duck blind in the early summer heat.

The problem with the Blue Liscense plate syndrome is that it is not all Minnesota hunters, a good number of them are great, but it comes from the people that are acting like A$$es because they have money, or somehow feel they are entitled to hunt ducks because they spent 100 dollars on a liscense. These are the same yahoos that ruin the hunting for the rest of us, because they show no respect for others or some how think the locals are a bunch of rubes and hold a grudge. I am sure most of us have had something horriblle happen to us because of some Horses A$$ that did something really stupid I sure as #### did...

I am not however, for limiting the number of hunters in ND, it will kill towns like Lakota, Michigan and others. I also have lots of places I can go hunt that I am not going to share with others because I don't want to share. It takes time but there is land out there....

As far as the out of state huntgers, why not charge them a little more money. I sure as he!! haven't had any trouble finding land to hunt on... I just stay out of places like Devils Lake and go to other towns... Also I hear that Manatoba hardly gets any hunting pressure at all.

[dagies]

Sprig, I've never trained a dog and wasn't quite sure what to expect.  She's 13 weeks now and unless she's worked up she does a great job with stay and come and no, and pretty good with stay.   I think she is learning to drop though I've only worked on it about 3-4 reps and don't know if it is coincidence.  Doesn't seem to show much inclination to fetch however.  Lots of time to work on that.

She's a yellow lab.  Great kid.

[sprig]

Goon,

Spoonies=MN mallards in ND talk. Sorry, know you're from there. And you're right, it's just the few bad ones (always get the feeling chris!!!! and darin would be in that group if they were hunters), and we have more than a few bad ones with ND plates also. No problems with places to hunt in this corner either. Manitoba, ok, Saskatchewan, even better. Worked at Devils Lake WMD also so I'm familiar with all the small towns. That area has generally been a bit better for fall migration the last few years, although you can't beat NW ND for producing ducks.

Dagies,

Sit, stay, and come are all you need for starters (once you've learned those, then you can teach the dog). I hunt with a few different hunters from Williston. Heading there tomorrow for some truck work.

Lived in SD for 7 years, north of Aberdeen at Sand Lake NWR. Maybe I'll run into you this fall.

[Goon]

Lived in SD for 7 years, north of Aberdeen at Sand Lake NWR. Maybe I'll run into you this fall.

Sprig,

I hunt by bryant SD just south of Watertown SD, you pretty much have to drink beer with the locals and you spend a lot of time finding land to hunt, but most of the time the hunting is really good. Lot of guys from SD never get out of their trucks though, not uncommon to see a shot gun pop out of a truck and pop a Rooster.

Two years ago our hunting party went to a party with some of the locals that we are friends with in the Bryant area and they had a ritutal of eating raw pheasnt hearts as they cleaned their birds. Story goes that one guy ate 9 of them one night. They then drink beer after eating the jucy morsel to wash them down. It made me sick to watch this...

A few of the people I hunt with actually bought a nice quarter of land that is primo pheasant land so we spend most of the opening day marching through that.

[sprig]

Know that Watertown area also. The area around Madison has been great for all hunting and last season was one of the best waterfowl seasons ever. They loaded up as all the birds left Canada and went right by us. Bummer.

Too bad we don't have the pheasant numbers that were here most of the 90's. Will be time to have a northwest ND Sioux alumni hunt if we ever get them back.

The Panzer bros. rather liked the hunting up here for the past several years. Cleaned up on the ringnecks on a chunk of our land (FWS) just south of Crosby on their last trip out. Goon, maybe you could drum up a few players that would like to take part. Dagies, assume you do the early season hunt out here? Our group hunts of the past have generally been arranged for December. But, need an improvement in the population before it's even worth talking about. (Although the Williston bottoms have plenty).

[PCM]

Lot of guys from SD never get out of their trucks though, not uncommon to see a shot gun pop out of a truck and pop a Rooster.

Is there any other way to hunt?   As a SD native, this seems like the perfect opportunity to brag about shooting a jackrabbit on the run with a .22 out out of my moving Bronco while I was driving.  

Oh ,yeah, and I was on the cell phone at the time.  

[dagies]

Sprig, this last year was the first year we have been back out that way.  Distance means that we blow almost an extra 2 days of vaca in travel time.  That's 2 less days of hunting in Iowa, or S. MN.  But we had such a great time that we are seriously thinking about making it out regularly.

This last year we were out during October.  We have hunted Iowa and SD in December to avoid the crowds.  Mixed results because if you don't know the snow conditions ahead of time, and cover availability, you can waste a lot of time in December.  I don't think we would be against coming out in Decemberl, however.  Just depends.  We'd like to figure out how to make it work to take the train up from Mpls.  What a great way to get out there.  Just what do you do when they drop you off?  

PCM, that brings back memories of hunting gophers in the hills west of Milbank, hanging out the sliding door of the van.  

[Goon]

Is there any other way to hunt?

[Goon]

Know that Watertown area also. The area around Madison has been great for all hunting and last season was one of the best waterfowl seasons ever. They loaded up as all the birds left Canada and went right by us. Bummer.

Goon, maybe you could drum up a few players that would like to take part. Dagies, assume you do the early season hunt out here? Our group hunts of the past have generally been arranged for December. But, need an improvement in the population before it's even worth talking about. (Although the Williston bottoms have plenty).

Sprig,

I have heard it is hard to get an South Dakota waterfowl liscense. I guess they only give out about 2000 of them to non residents.

As far as the Watertown area, your right, we have hunted over west of Bryant a few times in a town called Bancroft or something like that, its litterally a grain elevator and a post office, they might have a bar too. We got onto some prime hunting land.

Ussually the farmers land we hunted on is mainly CRP and is the best hunting I have ever seen.  We walked into this field and the dogs went nuts, there must have been 200-300 pheasants in the air. One push across the field and we had shot a lot of birds.

ITs really not that hard to get land to hunt in Sodak if you do some PR work, we bring gifts and send Chrismas Cards, we take this one farmer from the Lake Norden a case of Miester Brau (or some off name brand of beer) to him every year and we ussally clean up there too.

I don't know any of the hockey players, except one. I have met Andy Kohlar in passing and he does play in our tuesday night golf league at Valley though, rumor has it that he can smack the ball a long ways. Andy is pretty quite and doesn't say much.

[sprig]

Dagies,

You'll have to take Amtrak and rent a truck at Minot or Williston (don't know if Williston has rentals). Don't know Amtrak's rules on dogs, however, you may have to get dark glasses and a cane (then hope that the pup doesn't jump into anyone's lap) Would guess kennels in baggage are allowed though. That is a long haul, I hate the trips from up here to Fargo, another 200 to the cities.

Goon,

Sounds like pheasant numbers we had here in the early 90's. The three of us in our office bagged 250 that year. Partridge and grouse were thick also (i prefer partridge hunting when we have them). We have, however, lost that upland bird population and getting 10-20 pheasants in December takes a lot of effort and the right weather conditions.

Didn't know SD had limited the nonresident waterfowl licenses. I expect that will eventually happen in ND also (there is a limit now but it's a very large number, the 14 day hunting limit is the only real restriction in ND). Recent GFD swing through the state at advisory board meetings was specifically to get info from hunters on that subject. An online form for making suggestions was also available (not sure that it is there anymore).

The SD road ditches are open to the public, which makes pheasant hunting a circus during the opener. Some walk the ditches, while others drive and jump out of vehicles to shoot the birds. Unbelieveable. No doubt you've seen it.

The locals where I grew up bought old beater cars and chased fox cross country. Think this had turned into snowmobile chasing now, although eventually most get caught (the hunters, not the fox). Deer hunting is a road hunt affair for almost all NDak's still. Just too may roads around sections. Lots of deer chasing.

I have federal LE, by the way, so everyone follows rules when we have group hunts. In other words, party hunting (everyone shooting until the group limits) doesn't fly, which means some go without limits. Course, limits are rare here the last few years anyway, and hunting by yourself is better than with even 2 or 3 people, since there aren't enough birds in one area for a group.

Hockey comment. Beaut of an empty handed Statue of Liberty by Roy in game 6. Appeared to carry over into game 7 last night. Boring game, the Avs didn't look like they belonged on the ice in an NHL venue.

Have to put that hunt on hold, maybe things will improve here in the next couple years. Also have trouble hunting pheasants in October, since that's time for ducks. Have done it in waders, however, on the way home from a duck hunt.

BTW, the Panzer brothers ended up here with Tom Philion, who grew up in Crosby and brought them here to hunt. Don't guess we'll see much of them for the next few years as they try to get a chance in the NHL.

[sprig]

Dagies,

You'll have to take Amtrak and rent a truck at Minot or Williston (don't know if Williston has rentals). Don't know Amtrak's rules on dogs, however, you may have to get dark glasses and a cane (then hope that the pup doesn't jump into anyone's lap) Would guess kennels in baggage are allowed though. That is a long haul, I hate the trips from up here to Fargo, another 200 to the cities.

Goon,

Sounds like pheasant numbers we had here in the early 90's. The three of us in our office bagged 250 that year. Partridge and grouse were thick also (i prefer partridge hunting when we have them). We have, however, lost that upland bird population and getting 10-20 pheasants in December takes a lot of effort and the right weather conditions.

Didn't know SD had limited the nonresident waterfowl licenses. I expect that will eventually happen in ND also (there is a limit now but it's a very large number, the 14 day hunting limit is the only real restriction in ND). Recent GFD swing through the state at advisory board meetings was specifically to get info from hunters on that subject. An online form for making suggestions was also available (not sure that it is there anymore).

The SD road ditches are open to the public, which makes pheasant hunting a circus during the opener. Some walk the ditches, while others drive and jump out of vehicles to shoot the birds. Unbelieveable. No doubt you've seen it.

The locals where I grew up bought old beater cars and chased fox cross country. Think this had turned into snowmobile chasing now, although eventually most get caught (the hunters, not the fox). Deer hunting is a road hunt affair for almost all NDak's still. Just too may roads around sections. Lots of deer chasing.

I have federal LE, by the way, so everyone follows rules when we have group hunts. In other words, party hunting (everyone shooting until the group limits) doesn't fly, which means some go without limits. Course, limits are rare here the last few years anyway, and hunting by yourself is better than with even 2 or 3 people, since there aren't enough birds in one area for a group.

Have to put that hunt on hold, maybe things will improve here in the next couple years. Also have trouble hunting pheasants in October, since that's time for ducks. Have done it in waders, however, on the way home from a duck hunt.

BTW, the Panzer brothers ended up here with Tom Philion, who grew up in Crosby and brought them here to hunt. Don't guess we'll see much of them for the next few years as they try to get a chance in the NHL.

Bobby Knight is usually here yearly. I've also been appointed in the past to take Bud Grant out when he's at the Kenmare Goose Fest, although normally there are plenty of Viking fan landowners that want to do it. Great guy, I was grumbling because we ran into a wetland that mallards were pouring into while hunting pheasants. He didn't hear me grumble, but immediately wanted to drop the pheasant hunt, get the dekes from his Suburban, and set up in the wetland. Didn't have to say it twice, we did so right away. Didn't realize he was a ducks first guy also

[Goon]

Sprig,

I have heard that the Kenmare Goose Festival is one good time.

Today when I was at the Golf Course I was giving some kids with gopher hats a hard time. They didn't seem to undestand that 7 > 4. I also asked them if they had bought the hats before or after the Gophers won the national title. They didn't seem to understand the logic.

[sprig]

Sprig,

I have heard that the Kenmare Goose Festival is one good time.

Today when I was at the Golf Course I was giving some kids with gopher hats a hard time. They didn't seem to undestand that 7 > 4. I also asked them if they had bought the hats before or after the Gophers won the national title. They didn't seem to understand the logic.

Hunting hasn't been too good at the Kenmare fest but the free feeds and kegs apparently make up for it. I've been over to work the hunting competitions, but not for the festivities.

GF kids with Gopher hats? Ought to be sent across the river

[Goon]

GF kids with Gopher hats? Ought to be sent across the river

East side kids, I asked them if they bought that hat before or after the Gophers won the national title.

[dagies]

I read a post on the BCHL message board that said the BCHL board of governors voted to do a one year trial sans the red line.

Not monumental by any means, but can't hurt getting guys used to the D1 game.

Just in time for Brady Murray to get up to speed if they implement it in 2002.  

[dagies]

Lots of talk in MN that a significant "name" player for the Gophers lacked grades this spring and fall eligibility is in jeapardy.  That could really put a hurt on their team the first half of the year.

Regardless, can't worry about what is happening to other teams.

[Goon]

Lots of talk in MN that a significant "name" player for the Gophers lacked grades this spring and fall eligibility is in jeapardy.