River birds

dean nelson · Nov 28, 2016

Well a snow storm wouldn't normally have a ton of impact on the honkers but with as deep and waterlogged as this snow this may really throw a wrench into the next month's hunting. certainly won't be a total wipeout by any means but it may be big. just fear that as wet this snow is that even out in the bean fields this snow may crust over as soon as we get one cold night making it much harder for them to feed. hope the wind when it does pick up can blow at least some of the ridges clear or we get a good warm up before the whole group arrives or the competition for what blocks are still left in the coming week.

Reprobait · Nov 30, 2016

When I got out of town a little yesterday, it appeared that there was enough blowing to maybe clear off some hilltops. Getting into the fields could be a problem.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

Crist right now getting down the road is going to be a problem.

pluckem · Nov 30, 2016

yeah maybe this is too negative of thinking, but the snow totals looked to have peaked right in the MO River and Sak area. up to 24". With the lows temps coming early next week I think central SD might be holding all the geese. Some will stick around, but with all the pressure this time of year there will be lots of pickups and eyes on every flock.

fnznfwl · Nov 30, 2016

I agree Pluckem. There will be huntable numbers no doubt, but access will be a real challenge. Better have a sled or ATV with tracks or be willing to work hard for em.

Not to mention, once next weeks cold front hit that wet stuff underneath will freeze solid and feeding will be tough.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

I would definitely agree at this point with both of you. it will come down to how much ground got blown clear nd if there are any corn or sunflower fields yet to be cut. I think best case scenario he's still pretty bleak at this point and the SD boys may for the first time in a few years get a decent season. last time we had a real winter like this a bunch of birds started using CRP fields that were drifted in so will be interesting to see if they do something similar this time. one thing is for sure hiding the blinds in three feet of snow will be easy.

fnznfwl · Nov 30, 2016

The last tough winters we had there was alot of standing corn and flower fields which blew clear. Corn saved the season for us as birds were landing in or near it and feeding off the cobs.

There's very little sunflowers period or much standing if any standing corn. The only thing I see saving the season is the soybeans which have blown clear in alot of places.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

Buddy and his wife hunting the river got their ten mallards and two bonus ducks along with seven geese in 50 mins this morning. apparently a fair few gads and Spooners on the river right now. geese are still holding strong but would guess as the weather clears out so to will many of them.

- - - Updated - - -

fnznfwl said:
The last tough winters we had there was alot of standing corn and flower fields which blew clear. Corn saved the season for us as birds were landing in or near it and feeding off the cobs.

There's very little sunflowers period or much standing if any standing corn. The only thing I see saving the season is the soybeans which have blown clear in alot of places.

Kind of figured that might be the case but not having been north of the Wilton ramp since September wasn't sure on. Farmer I know that year you speak of left a couple full sections of corn standing and when I went up riding the fields in the spring for sheds it was like you said the geese had hit it hard and there wasn't a cob left. I at first i attributed it back to deer activity but after talking to the farmer found out it was pretty much all goose activity. The real crazy part was he had baled up entire section of barley and the damn geese tore the bales apart which explained why the mountain of sheds I expected to find around the bales didn't exist.

fnznfwl · Nov 30, 2016

dean nelson said:
Buddy and his wife hunting the river got their ten mallards and two bonus ducks along with seven geese in 50 mins this morning. apparently a fair few gads and Spooners on the river right now. geese are still holding strong but would guess as the weather clears out so to will many of them.

C'mon a great migration mind such as yourself should know that the river hasn't even seen a sniff of whats to come yet.

Reprobait · Nov 30, 2016

For what little time that I spent outside today, I saw a fair number of geese heading south. One flock snows and the rest were Canada's

Migrator Man · Nov 30, 2016

Lots of geese in the air. Not many flying too high so maybe just the locals are moving

NodakBuckeye · Nov 30, 2016

3geese4me said:
I thought about bringing the snowblower and clearing the field entrances. Or, I'm gonna have to put NodakBuckeye to work and have him clear the entrances out lolol.

Bring the snowblower and I will! Or a rope and I will just pull the pickup through

- - - Updated - - -

All moot anyway, I saw 5 forward thinking flocks headed NW today.

wby257 · Nov 30, 2016

Kind of figured that might be the case but not having been north of the Wilton ramp since September wasn't sure on. Farmer I know that year you speak of left a couple full sections of corn standing and when I went up riding the fields in the spring for sheds it was like you said the geese had hit it hard and there wasn't a cob left. I at first i attributed it back to deer activity but after talking to the farmer found out it was pretty much all goose activity. The real crazy part was he had baled up entire section of barley and the damn geese tore the bales apart which explained why the mountain of sheds I expected to find around the bales didn't exist.[/QUOTE]

A Farmer left a couple of full sections of standing corn??? That's 1280 acres of corn ground at say 60 bushels to the acre easy figuring and 4.00 a bushel that $307,200.00. Not many farmers can take a hit like that. Plus the Barley at 25 Bushels to the acre at 3.50 and 640 acres is another $56,000.

You sure it was sections???

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

Yep....well one of them is a section and a quater. he has 7,000 something acres with five thousand acres in crops much of which is in one huge block north of his place around the dam they have. he only ever had the one combine so he used to have crops make it into winter fairly often till he started leasing it all out to prices.

NodakBuckeye · Nov 30, 2016

That's alot of grain or D & D dice were used in the construction of this thread.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

Yeah he has a big spread. if you hunting around Washburn you likely would know his place since he owns much of the stuff on top west of the Hensler road and often has allot of birds.

wby257 · Nov 30, 2016

dean nelson said:
Yep....well one of them is a section and a quater. he has 7,000 something acres with five thousand acres in crops much of which is in one huge block north of his place around the dam they have. he only ever had the one combine so he used to have crops make it into winter fairly often till he started leasing it all out to prices.

Im sure he knows what custom combiners are. Leaving that mush cash in the fields will put him in the poor house.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

The year I was speaking of had little to do with his speed of harvest it was due to weather making it hard to harvest. can't remember what all was up with the weather that year but what ever it was standing crops were pretty much the norm. might of been 08 with all the corn that couldn't be harvested since it wouldn't dry down.

Traxion · Nov 30, 2016

I hope the birds make it to Pierre as the last several years have been dismal. But, we have a long wait ahead. I have not seen a good push of birds yet. Next week the cold will move some I bet. Season will be over other than most of the river before we get our birds, just like the last few years.

dean nelson · Nov 30, 2016

Yeah the river is likely going to start icing up which will undoubtedly give the birds a push but then again so will this much snow!

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