Should you be considering a SoDak duck or pheasant hunt

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
Might want to call ahead. I just returned from the annual family pheasant hunt/event and man oh man is it ever dry. Some of the sloughs where I have hunted ducks for years are completely dry. The bigger lakes are WAY down and the water's edge not close enough to cover for reliable in range shooting.

I think I am still picking cattail seeds from my nose and eye sockets. That crap was everywhere and since there is no more corn up anywhere, these were the places to hunt. Every step exploded one of those timebombs sending their seeds drifting right into your nose, mouth, eyeballs and even ears. I still have this stuff all over the inside of the Jeep. It was like it was snowing on a 70 degree day. Very strange indeed.

In the water that was still around the ducks were thick and I mean thick. Too bad I didn't have a duck license as it would have been one of those hunts you remember for a long time. Saw funnel clouds of ducks many times over.

All this was in eastern SoDak. Can't speak for anything farther west than DeSmet.

Mark W
 
Took a drive a month ago threw the center of the state. Same way, all our ducks migrated down there in August, I swear. Never saw a blade of grass ove 8", tons of dried sloughs plowed or cattails mowed. Hope it not a bad winter pheasants will have a hard time with no cover.
 
Numbers were fair, nothing special. It was easier to find them since there were no crops up anywhere.

Mark W
 
Might want to call ahead. I just returned from the annual family pheasant hunt/event and man oh man is it ever dry. Some of the sloughs where I have hunted ducks for years are completely dry. The bigger lakes are WAY down and the water's edge not close enough to cover for reliable in range shooting.

I think I am still picking cattail seeds from my nose and eye sockets. That crap was everywhere and since there is no more corn up anywhere, these were the places to hunt. Every step exploded one of those timebombs sending their seeds drifting right into your nose, mouth, eyeballs and even ears. I still have this stuff all over the inside of the Jeep. It was like it was snowing on a 70 degree day. Very strange indeed.

In the water that was still around the ducks were thick and I mean thick. Too bad I didn't have a duck license as it would have been one of those hunts you remember for a long time. Saw funnel clouds of ducks many times over.

All this was in eastern SoDak. Can't speak for anything farther west than DeSmet.

Mark W
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Well, Mark, this seems to be something that must be reckoned with. All the signs of the existing drought are there and now we must begin not thinking of today or tomorrow but what will next year be like? My personal opinion is that it (the drought) will continue on for a while. I hope not but if you have been following the maps of the United States that outline all drought areas, it is an awakening.
If there is not much of a snow pack or spring rains how far north will the ducks have to migrate before finding a suitable area for breeding next spring? All we can do is hope for the best.
By the way, I remember only too well what it was like in 1956. Your description of walking through dry sloughs for pheasants was perfect.
Al
 
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