Iowa Pheasants
 

To all of the Iowa Pheasant hunters. How did your opener go?

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

i was too lazy to go. hopefully i can take my dog out this weekend. i been seeing a lot of them around

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

ONly hunted one public site. Our group of 4 got 4 birds, but actually saw more birds in those 2 hours than I saw all last year.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I was only able to go out for 3 hours on Saturday morning due to other obligations. There were 3 of us, two dogs, we shot 5 birds between us were unable to find one back and the other was missing feathers on it's sides and looked very sickly so we went ahead and left it lay there. I hope to get out in the next morning or two and see what I can come up with just me and the dog.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Went out opener sat and only got one, went out again Sun and got 2 more. Didn't see too many both days due to there still being some corn out in the fields which most are hiding in, and they are sitting so tight that I almost step on them before they fly off. Once all the corn is out of the fields and about 4 inches of snow is on the ground, there shouldn't be any problem shooting the limit in several hours.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Heard different stories of groups of hunting companions that were hunting throughout the state on the opener. Sounds like the Williamsburg area was very productive. Group of ten...all of them got their limit before noon.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I'm going to the Sioux City area this coming weekend and any information that anybody has on good spots would be greatly appreciated.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Im in the military and came home for the first opener in five years and was surprised to see so many non-residents and honestly was a little upset at first untill I realized the whole picture. AsI went to some of the old farms I used to frequent, I noticed a big decline in some of the cover I usedto hunt and being an outdoorsman, I then realized that it is the money Iowa receives from non-resident fees that help preserve some of the most precious habitat Iowa has to offer. So a big thanks to everyone who came to Iowa and happy hunting to every bird hunter out there this year.By the way, the three days me and my long time hunting buddy went out, our group got 10 birds. Cant wait to go home in another week or so.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Went with a group of 6 and had out limit in less then 3 hours on saturday then sunday it rained in the morning but 3 of us went out and limited out in 20 min. so i figured that was pretty good.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

well Rub it in why don't ya!!! LOL no really great to hear such good hunting conditions in our state!

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Went out today for only about 30 minutes. Saw 5, got 2. Only 3 were in range.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I went out again today with 2 of my buddies in 4 hours we had 3 roosters in the bag one cripple that we lost and saw about 6 other roosters that either got up out of range or got up with other birds and flew away. We saw at least twice as many hens. My GSP had some nice points andmy buddies lab had some nice flushes. One of these Weekends I will be able to hunt a full day without other obligations.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

It's awful quiet around here. Everybody must be out scaring birds. I'll be heading off to Northwest Iowa this weekend. I finally have my brace removed after some surgery and I'm looking forward to getting out. My dog is going nuts and frankly, so am I. I've heard that the birds are plentiful, but stay close to a water source. Good luck to all.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

where you goin porknbeans as i am a nw iowa native and may shed some light on your area

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

700bdl870exp

Just got back from Iowa. Sorry I didn't see your email before I left. We had really rough hunting conditions this weekend, but I think we still ended up with good results. We hunted within a 20 mile radius of Spencer. Friday it was 72 and windy and Saturday it was 50ish, rain and windy (oh and tornado warnings). I appreciate your offer and would still like to talk to you for next year.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

What a tough weekend it was in Iowa. Had great results. Seven pheasants on Saturday. Was dumb enough to go out on Sunday in the wind for about an hour and got 2 roosters, should have had my limit but the gun wasn't shooting very straight.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Friday we ended up with 7 between 3 of us. We probably saw 24 - 30more that either were too far in front of us or weren't shootable. On Saturday we brought back9 more and saw another 12-18 that we couldn't touch. Tough conditions both days, but a great trip none the less.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

hey porknbeans glad to hear you had some pretty good hunting and ya the conditions did kinda stink last weekend i went with another guy and we got 2 well actually i got 2 but o well. so thats 42 for me this year. but i never get tired of pheasant you can eat it in bout anythingwell im in aurelia iowa about 45 miles sw of spencer so you were pretty close if you make it back up this way again you may try the laurens area i have heard of good numbers up there. good luck on the rest of the year.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

One of my friends that I hunted with lives in Cherokee and works in Royal. That sort of splits the difference to Aurelia. 42!! Unless I go to a game farm there is no way I'll ever get that many birds around here. However, after hunting this last weekend, I can see how you can get that many. It was nice to get back to Iowa after being away for so long.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

well i went out after school today and it was actually snowing like a mother and got my limit in about 20 minets 45!!!!!!!! whos you friend form cherokee porknbeans? well got to get them in the oven if im gonna have em tonight good luck.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

700bdl870exp. Those are some great numbers. 45 for the year already. You have to be hunting almost everyday to post those kind of numbers. Keep banging away at the ditch parrots. How many do you usually get in a year? In eastern Iowa, where the bird numbers are not as good as other parts of the state, I'll usually average 75 kills for the year and I think those are great numbers. If you keep going at you pace you will be at or around 200 for the year. WOW!!!

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

75 is nothing to shake a stick at! I've got a good friend in the Northeast part of the state that I'm going to see if I can't get on the family farm. I can handle driving 2 hours more than 6 1/2.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Well I just went out this morning. I was out about an hour 1/2 and got 1. The newly fallen snow helped keep them tight...or so I thought. The one I got was in a little clump of grass on a ridge next to an old railroad bed that is part of a public area near my home.My dog pointed it and I flushed from the obosite side.Took is after a2nd shot and a little bit of searching on the dogs part.At the end of that path there is a field and a large pile of brush. The dog was searching one side and about 6 or 7 hens and roosters flushed from the other side. I coouldn't tell hens from roosters as they flushed and by the time I I.D.ed them they were out of range. I could have hunted a bit more but the icey snow was a bit hard on my dogs feet since I didn't condition her very well this year. I figured I will hit it again tomarowand see what I come up with.

Oh I also saw an Owl that the dog scared out of a tree. The thing looked like it was ready to attack. AS it swooped back an forth near me me. I think if it hadn't seen me it would have attacked the dog. Pretty neat I thought.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

hey all went out again and got 2 more so thats what 47 i believe well my highest # for 1 year was 2 years ago and had 113 for the season plus some cripples i couldnt find. the snow is helpful and ive found when hunting with my uncles dog if you take a seal skin sock the water proof ones and put a few slits in the top so you can tie it that it protects the dogs feet and keeps them warm and dry and i didnt really seem to bother th edog either.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

premade dog booties work pretty good too.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I need a job like yours where I can bird hunt everyday. That's a beautiful thing. I don't know what my status is for the rest of the year. I think my dog toar his ACL. I will find out tomorrow (Friday). That sucks because it looks like this is one of the better years to hunt pheasants.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

sorry to hear about you dog birdy thats a terrible thing in the middle of huntin season but take care of him and hell be ready next year. and as far as the job i think id pry trade you. school sucks during hunting season and well the rest of the year too. well good luck at the doc's.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I'm going to go out and find some quail tomorrow. Thank God I have another dog to use. That's the beauty of having two dogs.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

well ive added 19 since my last post. so im at ah lets see 66. good luck to all you.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

As long as you eat all that you harvest and hunt only to your limit, keep on hunting. If you are hunting to only see how many you can kill, I've got a problem with your approach. Just my opinion.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

another great weekend in Iowa. Took 12 quail and 1 rooster over the weekend. I love eating those quail.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

What part of the state are you hunting for quail?

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

I have a area in Scott County (eastern Iowa) that this farmer gives me rights to hunt his ground.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Good for you! I've got to work the local farmers a little bit more. Good luck.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

That's the problem. A lot of farmers don't let you hunt there ground anymore. Whether it be they are leasing their ground or they save it for a relative or friend, ect...I've heard them all. Some will not let you hunt for the fear of you getting hurt and then turning around and sueing the land owner.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

got another 2 this morning 3 yesterday and the 4 days before so 14 plus 66 is what lets see 80 not to bad for a youngin lol

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

700, Where are you hunting at? I want to come out and shoot some birds with you. Sounds like you have a great pheasant population where you live.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

hey birdy im in northwest iowa my hunting will pry be slowin down some cuz im starting to get my places limited on bird count cuz ive got so many so far.

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

Hey guys, is there a lot of public land to hunt in eastern Iowa? Im from Arizona and recently moved to IL. I live in the western suburbs of Chicago now. It would be awesome to make it out there while I am here!

thx for any info

Later!

Jared

RE: Iowa Pheasants
 

You can start at this link on the Iowa DNR website:

http://www.iowadnr.com/wildlife/wmamaps/pubhunt.html