My phone rang from a good buddy of mine who just got back from hunting Canada in September. “Chris, you’re not going to believe the amount of juvies!” If you’re a snow goose hunter, I’m sure you’ve heard this a few times or at least variations of it. This is a call [...]

Diver Duck Hunting

Most of my days afield are in some form of stubble field or shallow pothole, but every once in awhile I like to get deep and get some chance at some divers.  While many people I know grew up in MN and it was a way of life, it wasn’t something I did [...]

At the last minute last week, I called my good friends Greg and Taylor Ells who live down in S. Central ND to do some hunting down that way.  I try to get down there at least once a season as it’s always a good time.

It was an interesting weekend to say the least.  Kent [...]

I got a chance to sneak out today with Jon Mitzel from Dakota Country Magazine for a couple hours on the Missouri River on the edge of Bismarck.  Spent most of our time pitching jigs/crawlers with a little bit of cranking mixed in (which wasn’t effective).  Released around a dozen walleyes and about an equal [...]

This past weekend marked my last major fishing trip of 2008 before the hunting season gets into full swing, and my second trip this month to Devils Lake. Fishing picked up right where it left off 2 weeks ago, and with the water temp down another 6 degrees (from 66 degrees to 60); the [...]

It was right around first light when I ventured outside of our sleeping quarters at J. Clark Salyer National Refuge Headquarters near Upham, ND last week (in early September). I noticed the picnic table was still full of grills, empty plates of goose, and some empty beer cans. Luckily, I packed it in [...]

North Dakota’s roadside pheasant survey conducted in late July and August revealed lower bird numbers than last year. Total pheasants and brood observations were down 31 percent statewide from last year, while average brood size was down 13 percent, according to Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the state Game and Fish Department.
Pheasant observations [...]

Pheasants Forever Pheasant Hunting Forecast
Save for Iowa, where devastating weather negatively impacted the pheasant population, the remainder of the core pheasant powerhouses – the Dakotas, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska – will provide great opportunities for you to slide roosters into your vest this fall. The good news is easy to digest: South Dakota has its [...]

Normally my falls are reserved solely for hunting.  With so much going on and so many outdoor options to choose from, it’s hard to really do it all.  Typically, I only take out the boat to fish a couple times after hunting starts.  This month, I already have 7 days scheduled on Devils Lake and [...]

Spent about 4 hours on the Missouri River south of Bismarck, out of Fox Island.
We fished a lot of spots and pitched jigs and ran some cranks.  We caught about a dozen smallies and only one 16″ walleye (although extremely healthy and thick).
What surprised me the most was the amount of gizzard shad we saw [...]