I had to work all day. Hoping to get out for a few hours tomorrow. Cold and snowy here. Will see what happens.
Anyone get any birds today?
- Thread starter DooBi
- Start date
Are bird counts still way down Doobs? I live in SW Michigan and we have a few stragglers here and there but not worth going out. In the early 90’s the last Saturday in October was my favorite day of the year. I forgot how much I miss that ☹️
Went out this morning. First walk was not great, missed a couple but didn't see a lot. I got my limit and saw a bunch of birds in the next spot. I can't remember the last time it snowed opening day. Was happy to be home and out of it by 1.
I dont think so. I just started hunting a few years ago. The dnr says the numbers are better than they have been in many years the last couple years. I will say I haven't seen a lot just driving around like I have the last two years so maybe it is down this year.
The ground. Loss of habitat
Early 70s when Dept of Ag decided big corn and it’s syrup was the only way to go.
Yeah it might not be the same as 50 years ago like I said. The numbers are much better than they were 10 years ago I think.
How old are you?? I hunted in the 80s and 90s, even the early 2000s were glorious
CRP isn’t what it was in the 70’s & 80’s, and once crop prices swelled 15 years ago a lot of farmers cut trees down and removed fence rows so they could plant every square once of their property. As a result pheasants don’t have many hiding places and are subject to more predation. If I remember correctly some of those icy winters we had in the 2010’s were really hard on the birds as well.
I'm 46. I've been hunting for 3 years. I'm just repeating what the dnr is saying.
Same dudes complaining about the price of grain…keep planting more
My son and a friend of his drove down from Wisconsin this morning, they got 5 seen a good number of birds. Northeast Iowa.
Everything must be cut chopped and tilled. Farming practices are crazy
Yeah, I got flipped off twice on the way to mass tonight.
I prayed for their redemption, though.
I think you are confusing pheasant hunting with hogging in Alabama. If you consider pheasant hunting, hillbilly, you clearly didn’t grow up in Iowa. Not saying you have to enjoy it or agree with it, or if you are a tree hugging peta member; but hillbilly, it is not.
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With the loss of native prairie to farmland, Iowa alone has lost over 500 species of birds. Then if you add the poisoning of the waterways and wetlands, that number goes up.
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It's wet springs that do the most damage. It floods their nests. Coons, opossum, fox, coyote and feral cats aren't any help. After the whole fur ban, it took a toll on populations. Farming actually helps. For half the year it gives cover. Provides food for the little devils. They have wings and will fly to cover. Yes, farming right up to the side of the road takes cover away from where you can easily see them. There is a lot of set-a-side land, they love that but it's not right next to the road where you can see them.
My guess is that the loss is urban sprawl. Winterset was a small farm town when I was a kid. Same with Bonderant, North Polk, Woodward, etc. They were all 1A schools.
It’s habitat/thread
Thank you. I had no idea which birds were being discussed in this thread.
Thanks for posting this, Doobs. Lost my dad in 2014 and one of my best memories was getting up with him crazy early to go hunting, especially opening weekend. We had a draw that ran through our farm ground, just west of Le Mars. I swear he couldn't sleep the night before. When I was a kid, he packed a cooler. Towards the end, big ole coffee thermos. I could sit and listen to him and his friends tell stories and break balls all day.
Best times were 50’s 60’s and 70’s
Hard winters around 75 or so was the start of the demise.
Farmers were putting in tile and planting up to fences instead of 10’ out.
Dad and I hunted a lot back then as meat for the table and exercise.
Hard winters around 75 or so was the start of the demise.
Farmers were putting in tile and planting up to fences instead of 10’ out.
Dad and I hunted a lot back then as meat for the table and exercise.
Both pheasant and wild turkey numbers seem to be very high in our area this year based on walks nearby.
Bow hunted in the morning, bird hunted the afternoon with the boys. They each shot 1. I'm content to let them do most of the shooting now when they're with. Bird numbers are generally moving the right direction but still way down from the 90s when I did most of my bird harvesting. Thanks ethanol.
Well run for office and ban farming. That'd be the right thing to do. Ban hunting too. See what happens to the Iowa economy. It'll be like the iron ore ranges in northern Minnesota. Everyone is unemployed and strung out on meth.
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