NE pheasant opener results

bergie · October 30, 2000, 05:50 PM

Sat. was the opening day of the Nebraska pheasant season. I awoke to fog and drizzle, the start of a miserable weekend. Actually it wasn't that bad, aside from getting totally soaked and muddy, seeing few roosters get up within range, going home for lunch and watching our beloved Huskers get their behinds kicked, going out to get totally soaked again. Repeat the process for Sun., only leaving out the football and adding in that a good part of the state was in tornado warnings and watches with several being spotted around the region, and a lot of the roads were getting muddy and slick to the point of impassable, the clay up here is about like grease - when it is wet and you will literally slide right off the side of the road, even with 4-wheel drive.
Really, I had a pretty good time, I always do when I am hunting, no matter how miserable I am. Our group consisted of an uncle from Illinois, my dad (whose health is now preventing him from doing much, he blocked on a couple of passes and drove one of the trucks around), my brother and his son (his first season), and 2 friends that are members of our Pheasants Forever chapter.
Speaking of PF, the raffle was held Sat. evening, the shotgun was one by a hunter from Iowa, the print by a local, and the case by another out-of-stater. Again, my thanks to the TFL members who bought tickets, we made a little bit on the deal and it all goes to benefit all types of wildlife through habitat improvement, and a couple of other projects like our youth/mentor hunt. I would have liked to see a TFL member win something (actually I would like to win something, over the years I've bought enough of those darn tickets that I could have bought that Browning.)
We did get some roosters on Sat. two of our guys got their limit (3) in the morning, and I finished mine up in the afternoon hunt. The wet breezy conditions made it pretty tough hunting, it seemed that a lot of the roosters ran, some did sit tight, but you almost had to step on them to flush them. I think the wet weather was washing a lot of the scent out of the air, and if the dogs didn't pass fairly close to the birds they couldn't smell them.
As I said, Sunday was worse than Sat., the rain was heavier, and we didn't get any birds out of the first field that we worked, a 1/4 section of CRP that was mostly switchgrass that was about midchest high. Completely soaked and somewhat discouraged, we went back to town and hoped for a break in the weather. About midafternoon 3 of us went back out and did manage to end up with 3 birds in the bag.
Anyway, we had a good time with family and friends, introduced another generation of family into our little get-togethers, and got a few pheasants for the table. (And for some of you guys, the only thing missing was the Shiner, its kind of hard to find up here, besides, I prefer Lienenkuegels)
bergie

Kingcreek · October 30, 2000, 07:49 PM

Bergie,
Thanks for the report. You didn't say what part of the state you hunted.
I have many fond memories of busting roosters in Clay County in south/central NE where my grandfather was born and raised. Hunted there many years but haven't been back to hunt there for maybe 12-15. I'm told there are very few birds in that area now.
My Grandfather hunted with us until he was 75 years old. He used to take the truck down to post the milo and stubble fields with his old model 12. If that 32" gun ever missed, I don't remember it. I have an old photo from '73 of my cousin and me getting ready to clean the opening days bag. 39 roosters for 13 hunters. Everybody else was watching the Huskers and it was the 2 of us and a big pile of birds.
Yes, I have many great memories of Nebraska. not just the birds,but some of the nicest folks on the planet live there.

October 30, 2000, 05:50 PM	#1
bergie Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 1999 Posts: 567	Sat. was the opening day of the Nebraska pheasant season. I awoke to fog and drizzle, the start of a miserable weekend. Actually it wasn't that bad, aside from getting totally soaked and muddy, seeing few roosters get up within range, going home for lunch and watching our beloved Huskers get their behinds kicked, going out to get totally soaked again. Repeat the process for Sun., only leaving out the football and adding in that a good part of the state was in tornado warnings and watches with several being spotted around the region, and a lot of the roads were getting muddy and slick to the point of impassable, the clay up here is about like grease - when it is wet and you will literally slide right off the side of the road, even with 4-wheel drive. Really, I had a pretty good time, I always do when I am hunting, no matter how miserable I am. Our group consisted of an uncle from Illinois, my dad (whose health is now preventing him from doing much, he blocked on a couple of passes and drove one of the trucks around), my brother and his son (his first season), and 2 friends that are members of our Pheasants Forever chapter. Speaking of PF, the raffle was held Sat. evening, the shotgun was one by a hunter from Iowa, the print by a local, and the case by another out-of-stater. Again, my thanks to the TFL members who bought tickets, we made a little bit on the deal and it all goes to benefit all types of wildlife through habitat improvement, and a couple of other projects like our youth/mentor hunt. I would have liked to see a TFL member win something (actually I would like to win something, over the years I've bought enough of those darn tickets that I could have bought that Browning.) We did get some roosters on Sat. two of our guys got their limit (3) in the morning, and I finished mine up in the afternoon hunt. The wet breezy conditions made it pretty tough hunting, it seemed that a lot of the roosters ran, some did sit tight, but you almost had to step on them to flush them. I think the wet weather was washing a lot of the scent out of the air, and if the dogs didn't pass fairly close to the birds they couldn't smell them. As I said, Sunday was worse than Sat., the rain was heavier, and we didn't get any birds out of the first field that we worked, a 1/4 section of CRP that was mostly switchgrass that was about midchest high. Completely soaked and somewhat discouraged, we went back to town and hoped for a break in the weather. About midafternoon 3 of us went back out and did manage to end up with 3 birds in the bag. Anyway, we had a good time with family and friends, introduced another generation of family into our little get-togethers, and got a few pheasants for the table. (And for some of you guys, the only thing missing was the Shiner, its kind of hard to find up here, besides, I prefer Lienenkuegels) bergie

October 30, 2000, 07:49 PM	#2
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	Bergie, Thanks for the report. You didn't say what part of the state you hunted. I have many fond memories of busting roosters in Clay County in south/central NE where my grandfather was born and raised. Hunted there many years but haven't been back to hunt there for maybe 12-15. I'm told there are very few birds in that area now. My Grandfather hunted with us until he was 75 years old. He used to take the truck down to post the milo and stubble fields with his old model 12. If that 32" gun ever missed, I don't remember it. I have an old photo from '73 of my cousin and me getting ready to clean the opening days bag. 39 roosters for 13 hunters. Everybody else was watching the Huskers and it was the 2 of us and a big pile of birds. Yes, I have many great memories of Nebraska. not just the birds,but some of the nicest folks on the planet live there.