Well, that is some dismal news for the Missourri Coteau wetlands

Its pretty bad, the sloughs are drying before the fledglings can fly. Predators are having a feast.
I told my buddy's not to come this year, but they are die hards. Early Canada goose starts this Sunday,
I doubt I'll go, calling for 99 degrees. Probably saw 2 dozen geese between Minot and Rugby, along Hwy 2, last week.
Drove west to Glendive, Montana 2 days ago besides dry and hot, the grasshopper blight is unreal.
Had to stop and wash the front of the truck off, they are thick. Stopped at a local store and they flushed off the pavement,
reminded me of bird hunting.
 
I was looking at the map seem the central and western flyways will take a hard hit. Us guys on the east side of things might be ok.
 
This is bad news combined with with higher corn and bean prices and a weakened CRP program. Drought creates the opportunity to get a trackhoe into places they couldn't and permanently drain water off
 

When Devils Lake went almost damn near dry years ago, folks thought the end was near...

Plows did what plows do, and have done since the grasslands were thought of as wasteland. Lotta folks gotta eat and farmers feed us folks. Thank goodness,


Then hell and high water hit. Dikes built to keep the town itself intact, farms wiped out and under water. Who Da Thunk?!

The cycle continues. Enjoy the fat times while they last, and endure the lean times. Cuz time waits for no man.


Grasshoppers?

In good years (lots of Grasshoppers) the farmers and ranchers of Montana would gladly allow us hunt Range Roosters. Always dropped a brace off at the house when we ended the hunt each day.

Years of few to no Grasshoppers, they would ask. PLEASE do not shoot the pheasants. We would always comply. Sharptails, and Sage Grouse were not as deeply impacted. Huns, where ya find em and walk till ya loose the fat on yer bones.

Dry years always meant lots of scouting, walking, sweating, tending dogs and wild wonderful upland birds. Ya earned em, no gimmes.

Ya hunt what the Good Lord and the cycle of life gives ya, and be thankful.


my 2 cents





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Vince, the era you describe was one where the climate factors that influenced game populations were random, semi-cyclic events, which mounting evidence indicates is not the current case. What once was theoretic and criticized as conjecture and speculation has now progressed to substance.

As Jerry Garcia succinctly stated, "Ya ain't gonna learn what you don't wanna know!"

Time to go to the farmer's market and buy as much of what we need locally, from folks who work their land with an eye toward sustainability. Take care!
 

RL,

No matter how it happened, and why it's a little late. Cuz we are living in the now, and the now forever changes. Reasons being endless.


I saw the Dead at Three Rivers Stadium. Jerry must a never learned that smack could kill em. But what the hell, artists will do what artists do, and folks believe what they want to believe.


Good to read that ya support the local farmers market. We do the same here.


You take care as well.

Vince
 
RL sorry took so long was camping in the badlands. Still seems to be a substantial amount of pheasants and huns. Early Canada goose started yesterday, a little early but shot a few.
 
Hoping for the best this year with all the dry conditions, fires, predator reports and so on. This morning I went out to the islands to put up deer stands and funny to see how healthy the Mississippi river looks in my area. So many years of high water and mud flats devoid of food sources and this year looks like a bumper crop! Sure hope something comes down the flyway to see it.
 
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