The Hunt of A Lifetime

The Hunt of A Lifetime (article written by a past client at Rolling Plains Adventures - 2013 season)


Yes, I had the hunt of a lifetime last year but this is a new hunting season and besides you are suppose to look forward aren't you? This years hunt will be in North Dakota and after going back to teaching full time I have been looking forward to a hunt with my friends. I didn't realize how much I was looking forward till I noticed I was in full protective mode for at least a week before we flew out of New Bern. Full protective mode means not picking up anything heavy, avoiding snotty people that want to shake hands, not eating unusual food ( OK, there is not much that I consider unusual!) and in short doing all I can to stay healthy. It must have worked because I'm starting to write this story aboard the flight to Bismarck, ND. Not all that easy to type in coach without elbow room but I can manage. The plan is to write a little at the end of each day so I don't miss anything.

I want to say this trip started to be planned on the return flight from South Dakota last year but that would be only a partial truth. The real story would have to start over 50 years ago when a sun burned little boy would sit on the dock with his worms and cane pole and look up at those DC 3 planes of Piedmont Airlines coming in to New Bern. Long summer days, a home on the peaceful river and nothing to do but discover wonders around me made an ideal setting to daydream. The roar of those huge planes stirred the imagination even more. What would it be like to be lucky enough to go places and do things? My Mother was always telling me how lucky and blessed we were to have our home on the river but just knowing there were other places to be seen was fascinating to me.

A few years later my life of daydreams was changed forever  when I was flung through the doorway of puberty. Daydreams turned into plans and schemes that never quite worked out but it always lead to another plan. A short time later I was married and climbing telephone poles for a starting salary of $68 a week (before taxes!). It was not the daydream I had lying on the dock and watching the planes fly over when I was a boy. I had bills to pay and there just wasn't any money left over for foolishness.

My first chance to do something other than work came from an unexpected source. I joined the National Guard to keep from getting drafted and to get a little extra money. When they asked me to go with the rifle team to shoot in Butner one weekend I thought they were crazy! Travel that far to shoot a piece of paper? Then they told me we  would spend the night at a Days Inn and I knew that they had lost it. At the time I was 22 years old and my only motel experience was one night at Atlantic Beach and that was my wife's honeymoon! I decided if the National Guard was  crazy enough to send me I would have to go so I became a shooter. After doing well in the match at Butner I got a real surprise  when I was told I would be flying to Little Rock Arkansas to shoot in the National Guard championships. I was finally going to fly somewhere and do something!

There have been a lot of of years and a lot of great trips added to my memory since then but I don't ever want to lose the thoughts of those summer days and idle daydreams because those memories are what keep me convinced of how lucky and blessed I am to be the one living the dream!

On to the hunt! This years hunt of a lifetime will be in Bismarck, North Dakota. We will be hunting with Rolling Plains Adventures. They are a hunting outfitter located just outside Bismarck. There are seven of us in the group from New Bern and surrounding area but this will be the first time for all of us when it comes to hunting North Dakota. Picking a hunting outfitter can be a little scary. All of us want the best deal but we also want great memories and stories we can tell about the hunt of a lifetime. We needed comfortable lodging, ample hunting area, guides with good personalities, good food and enough game to hunt. After a lot of phone calls, Internet searches and forum readings we decided on Rolling Plains Adventures. We booked a three day hunt for ducks and pheasants. We were wondering if it was the right choice!

After a challenging flight schedule we arrive in Bismarck and wait outside for our guide to pick us up. He said to look for a dirty red truck and a man with an orange hat. We soon discovered he had described at least half of North Dakota! Luckily he spotted us and we were loaded and on the way to the lodge in a few minutes. We were happy to find the lodge exceeded everything we had read and seen on the Internet. Beautifully remodeled, spacious and clean. We got orientation about how we would hunt, where we would hunt and the guide handled our purchasing of our out of state hunting license. We settled in our comfortable rooms after filling up on North Dakota cuisine and hospitality.

It grieves me more than I can explain to say I think the South has to give up the king of hospitality title to the Dakotas. I have been to most parts of the US and nobody beats the Dakotas for making sure you feel welcome. This trip only reenforced that feeling from the moment we arrived.

Hunting Day 1
The morning hunt was ducks over decoys in a shallow pothole and flooded field. After a quick breakfast we loaded in our guide's truck and headed to the pond well before sunrise. It was a classic prairie pothole less than knee deep. I was wishing I had brought my dog Sammy! He would probably start looking for clams like he does at Cedar Island! After we waded out a short distance and the guide arranged our decoys we settled in and waited till legal shooting time to arrive.

While we waited we were treated to something only duck hunters experience, dawn in a duck blind! As the eastern sky turned from dark cherry red to orange the early flights of teal buzzed by the decoys that were sitting silent on the dark water.  Teal are the smallest of ducks but maybe the hardest to hit on the wing. When shooting time arrives we have ducks swarming like bees and I get to enjoy one of the best duck hunts of my life. We all get our limit and then watch as several flocks come into land. It is an awesome sight!

We are the first group to get back to the lodge for lunch which gives us bragging rights that we don't dare waste! We tell about all the hard shots we made and how our young guide is the best! After a great lunch in the lodge we sit in the sun on the porch and recount the morning hunt before loading on the bus for the afternoon pheasant hunt.

The pheasant hunt let's us know just how soft we have become. After a couple miles of walking in heavy cover we finally manage to get enough roosters to quit for the day. Although it was hard on legs and knees for us older guys it was still great fun. We retire for the day after enjoying another great meal and lots of story telling at the lodge.

Day 2

We rise early, eat a light breakfast and head back to the pothole for more duck action. We are not disappointed and have another super hunt. Mallards, gadwall, widgeon and teal are steaming by like feathered rockets but we manage to get our limit again. Actually it seemed a little slower than the first day but it made it more fun by giving us more time at the pothole. Flight after flight of honking geese and chattering sandhill cranes never came into range but were fun to see and hear as they made their way from resting areas to feeding areas. It made me realize that even if I hunt something else I'm always a duck hunter at heart. We get back in time for lunch and change into hunter orange for the afternoon pheasant hunt.

This pheasant hunt was a lot easier than the day before. We hunted standing crops of corn and sunflowers. The huge dried sunflowers were like walking through a field of disc sanders but it was easier than the heavy cover the day before. We had better shooting too and ended up with a lot of beautiful cock pheasants. Mike Mills from Vanceboro NC tried to claim his cock was the largest but we didn't pay him any mind. The day ended with a beautiful western sunset and more good food at the lodge.

Day 3
We hunted ducks at the same prarie pothole and again we had a great hunt. Not as many as the day before but still enough ducks to keep us smiling. It was not our preferred weather for duck hunting but we enjoyed not having to face death to hunt. Pop use to say "If the weather is  bad enough to kill a duck it will kill a man"! We also got some unexpected additions to our game bag, 2 redhead ducks and a Canada goose. The redheads are diving ducks and are usually found on large bodies of water. They are the preferred duck for the table around Cedar Island and I hope they live up to their reputation! The goose is my personal favorite and I picked him as soon as we got back to the lodge in preparation for our evening meal. My brother's shot on the goose was so spectacular that it attracted the attention of a Federal Game Warden watching from a mile away. He had laid in wait like a cat in the grass and walked up as we were wading out of the pothole. I think he was convinced that we were using illegal ammunition to be able to bring down a goose from that height! After he checked everything and found nothing wrong we questioned him about guns and ammo. It was apparent that he didn't know enough to pass one of my Gunsmithing I test on shotguns!

It was lucky for us that we didn't get checked by one of our local Game Wardens. North Carolina game wardens have always been tougher than any others. One use to stick his finger in the rear end of the duck and pull it out to smell and tell where the duck came from. He would smell his finger and say "this duck came from Virginia, you got a Virginia license?" I heard he quit doing that  when he asked a hunter where he was from and he bent over and said "You tell me!"

For the afternoon hunt we talked our guide into an afternoon goose hunt. We decided it was just more fun to play in the water, shoot bigger shells see ducks and geese and getting a beautiful duck or goose was better than shooting at a dusty old pheasant! OK, the real reason was my foot was hurting so bad that the thought of walking all afternoon made me cringe. When I told my wife how bad it hurt the night before and she said "after what you spent to hunt you better cut it off and walk on the bloody stump! Not much sympathy at my house for sore hunters!

When we got to the field next to the pond I volunteered to lie down in the grass and hide instead of standing in the tall marsh grass. Turned out to be a good decision because it kept me off my sore foot and I got to shoot 3 ducks that were out of range from the decoy spread. It was warm and a soft southern breeze was just enough to make the decoys move and look natural. As the sun started to set the huge flocks of geese that we dreamed about never came but we were treated to another spectacular sunset rivaled only by those I see from Ocracoke. It was a fitting end for a spectacular trip.

My hunting friends and I have learned the hard way that these "trips of a lifetime" will end one day. That knowledge is what makes us try to make it memorable whenever we get a chance to savor time together and enjoy our wonderful storehouse of hunting memories and funny stories. We all agreed this was our best "trip of a lifetime". The outfitter, the guide, the amount of wild game and the beauty of North Dakota all helped to make it special but the most important ingredient was supplied by us, the desire to have a good time and enjoy good company. I won't hesitate to do this trip again. Maybe it's time you tried a "trip of a lifetime"! If you have never had one what's stopping you?



Timothy P. Whealton

How to Cook Venison

Steps

1. 
    
   Use only venison that has been field-dressed correctly. The longer the meat stays on the deer carcass after the animal was shot, the tougher it becomes. Choose only deer meat that was cut, skinned, wrapped and refrigerated promptly.
2. 
    
   Marinate the meat for several hours before cooking it. A good marinade can be as simple as a mixture of salt, vinegar and water, or something more sophisticated, such as French or Italian salad dressing, Worcestershire sauce, tomato juice or sauce, or a citrus juice, such as from oranges, lemons or grapefruit. The marinade will tenderize the meat and add flavor to it, removing the "gamey" taste.
   • Although you can soak the meat in a brine mixture to marinate it, you should not add salt while cooking, as this keeps the meat from browning.
3. 
    
   Trim away all visible fat. The more deer fat that remains, the worse the meat will taste.
   • You could render the deer fat into tallow and use it for a project, or form it into a suet cakes to feed birds in winter.
4. 
    
   Substitute the removed deer fat with another fat source. Although the deer's own fat will affect the flavor of the venison adversely, venison is so lean, lacking "marbling", that it needs another fat source to give it flavor when cooking.
   • Possible substitute fats include butter, margarine, cooking oil, bacon or ground beef.
   • Laying other fat on the meat is called "barding"; poking it into the meat is called "larding". Larding may be healthier in adequately fattening the inside without over-fattening the outside.
5. 
    
   Keep the meat moist when cooking. Because it is so lean, deer meat is prone to drying out when cooked, making it tough and chewy. Cooking with a method that keeps venison moist, such as frequent basting, braising, sauteing, roasting or slow cooking, will preserve the flavor and keep the meat tender.
   • When cooking deer meat in a pan, roaster or on a grill, wrap it in foil for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. This will let the juices distribute themselves evenly through the meat without evaporating.
6. 
    

Tips

• Good seasonings for cooking deer meat include parsley, thyme, garlic and onions. Powdered soup mixes often include these and other spices.
• Deer meat can be served as steaks and roasts, cubed for casseroles, soups and stew or ground to make patties or put into chili. You can find specific recipes online or in books published by state conservation departments or hunting associations.

How to Cook Duck

How to Cook a Duck

 

Duck has a stronger, richer flavor than other poultry, since duck flesh contains more oil. Duck meat is often reserved for special occasions, but it's quite simple to prepare and provides a versatile base for many flavors. Read on for information on how to select duck meat and roast a whole duck, pan-sear duck breasts, and braise duck legs.

 

Ingredients

Whole Roasted Duck

• A whole duck
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Water

Pan-Seared Duck Breasts

• Duck breasts, skin on
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Braised Duck Legs

• Duck legs, skin on
• Salt and pepper
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth

Steps

1. 
   Decide how many people you will be feeding. A standard adult serving is 1/3 lb of duck (.15 kg).
    
2. 
    
   Look for duck meat that has a high quality grading, such as USDA Grade A. This grade of duck meat will be a 6-8-week-old duckling raised indoors and fed with fortified corn and soybeans.
3. 
    
   Select your preferred cut of duck meat. A whole duck with skin on is the most popular and commonly found selection. However, you can have the meat divided, de-boned and the duck skin and fat layer removed by a butcher.
    

Method 1 of 3: Whole Roasted Duck

1. 
    
   Place the duck on a cutting board. Cut off the tips of the wings. Remove any excess fat from the neck and inside the body cavity.
2. 
    
   Rinse the inside and outside of the duck with cold water. Pat it dry with a paper towel.
3. 
    
   Pierce the skin and thick fat layer of the duck. Use a knife or skewer, and make piercings at one-inch (2.5 cm) intervals. Be sure to pierce all the way through the fat layer just below the skin, but not into the meat. You will feel resistance when you get to the meat layer. You can skip this step if you purchased duck meat with the skin and fat layer removed.
4. 
    
   Put the prepared duck, breast side up, on a rack inside a roasting pan. The duck will not cook properly if it is not on a rack where the fat layer can drain off the meat.
5. 
    
   Pour 2-to-3 cups of boiling water over the duck. Allow the water to collect in the bottom of the pan. The boiling water will begin to melt the fat layer and help the skin to crisp while cooking.
6. 
    
   Rub salt and pepper on the inside and outside of the duck.
7. 
    
   Open the preheated oven and insert the duck and roasting pan. Do not cover the duck.
8. 
    
   Roast the duck for about 3 hours, turning the duck every 30 minutes.
9. 
    
   Remove the roasting pan from the oven and test to make sure the duck is finished cooking.
   • Insert a cooking thermometer into the thickest portion of the duck meat, either the breast or thigh. Be sure the thermometer is not touching any bones. A fully cooked duck should have an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius).
   • Check to see if the duck skin is crispy and the fat layer has fully melted and drained from the duck. If so, your duck has finished cooking. If not, switch your oven to broil and return the roasting pan and duck to the oven. Broil for about 10 minutes.
10. 
     
    Transfer the duck to a cutting board. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
11. 
     
    Served.

Method 2 of 3: Pan-Seared Duck Breasts

1. 
    
   Remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator. Rise them in cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Use a knife to score the skin in a cross-hatch pattern on both sides.
   • The cross-hatching will help the skin get crispy. Avoid cutting into the meat.
2. 
    
   Salt the breasts on both sides. Set them on a plate and allow them to come to room temperature.
3. 
    
   Scrape the moisture from the duck breasts. Use the blunt side of a knife to scrape off the moisture that has emerged from the salted breasts. Excess moisture will prevent the skin from getting crispy.
4. 
    
   Heat a cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Lay the duck breasts in the pan with the skin sides down. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts.
5. 
    
   Turn the breasts to the other side with a pair of tongs. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
   • After you flip the breasts, salt the now-exposed skin. This will help the skin get even crispier and more flavorful.
6. 
    
   Stand the duck breasts on their sides to cook the edges. Lean the breasts against each other so the edges can cook for about a minute on each side.
7. 
    
   Remove the breasts from the pan. Place them on a cutting board and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

Method 3 of 3: Braised Duck Legs

1. 
    
   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius).
2. 
    
   Heat a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Place the duck legs in the pan with the skin sides down. Sprinkle the legs with salt and pepper and allow them to cook until the skin is brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the legs over with tongs and cook them on the meat side for another minute. Place them on a plate.
3. 
    
   Pour the fat from the skillet into a container. Add 2 Tablespoons of fat back to the skillet, keeping it at medium heat.
4. 
    
   Add the vegetables to the skillet. Saute them until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
5. 
    
   Place the duck legs back in the skillet.
6. 
    
   Pour the chicken stock into the skillet with the duck legs and vegetables.
7. 
    
   Place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and cook for another 30 minutes.
8. 
    
   Remove the skillet from the oven. The duck legs are done with their meat is tender and the liquid surrounding them is reduced by half.  

Tips

• Side dishes for duck may include rice, beans, pasta, soup, vegetables, etc.
• If you have to broil the duck to continue crisping the skin and melt the fat layer, watch the duck closely as it can easily burn on the broil setting.
• Save duck fat to use for frying potatoes or other vegetables. It lends a rich, hearty flavor to any fried dish.

Warnings

• Raw duck meat should not exceed 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) until preparation and cooking to retain freshness and prevent bacteria growth.
• The oven and duck meat will be very hot while cooking. Use proper oven mitts to prevent burns.

How to Cook Pheasants

Wild game has a tendency to beckon a little extra attention in order to behave desirably for its ultimate trip into your mouth. This needed attention does not mean cooking pheasant will take any more effort or time from you. What it does mean is that the time you spend with the pheasant should be purposeful. Do not let your fears of a gamey taste or dry meat keep you from preparing and enjoying this delicacy. Remember a few pointers on how to cook pheasant, and you will not be disappointed.

1. 
    

1. Avoid dryness. Pheasant is a very lean meat and because of that, if prepared carelessly, can make for a dry, chewy meal.
2. Keep the heat lower, longer. Retain moisture in the meat by cooking the bird at around 275 degrees. Indirect heat is also a good choice, especially when grilling, to longer cooking at low heat. Cooking the bird in a crock pot is another option. If you choose to cook your pheasants at a higher temperature, keep the time short as to not cook them too long.
   

• Add additional fat. Cook your birds with a layer of bacon strips across the top or rub the outside of the bird with butter before putting it in the oven.
  
• Baste the meat frequently while cooking to add moisture to your meal. You can select a sauce or marinade like you would for other poultry. One nice option to creating juices in the pan is the potential for making gravy with it after the pheasants are finished cooking.
  
• Put the bird in a bag. To retain moisture, roast pheasant in the oven in a closed baking bag. You can also wrap your pheasant in aluminum foil. For a browned, crisp top, open the foil about 10 minutes before the pheasant is done cooking.
• Keep the skin on. Leave the skin on the bird while it cooks to create a protective layer that holds moisture in the bird while it cooks.

1. 
2.  
3. Reduce pheasant's gamey taste.
4. Get filling. Fill the cavity with stuffing and seasonings of your choice. One recommendation is to insert some onion, apple, butter and fresh herbs into the bird before cooking. This helps with moisturizing the meat as well as providing flavor to mask any of the wildness left behind.

• Soak the birds. Place the birds in a brine solution for several hours before cooking. For the brine, mix a strong salt water solution and add a teaspoon of baking soda.

 

1.  
2. Choose younger pheasants. Younger pheasants will be more tender than older birds, but you will not always be able to determine the age of the bird.
3. Use pheasant in casseroles and soups where the bird will be cut into small pieces.
   

• Avoid over-cooking the meat. Cooking your birds too long will not only make them tough but also dry them out.

Pheasant Ecology: Nesting Cover

 

Throughout the pheasant range, nesting cover is the single most important limiting factor for wildlife populations. Thankfully, it remains one of the few factors we can directly impact by establishing the right vegetation and managing it correctly. Hen pheasants start nesting beginning in April within residual vegetation from the previous year and conclude by mid-July. It is during this time pheasants need secure and undisturbed cover.

Ideal nesting cover is:

• Secure - cover providing overhead and horizontal concealment from predators
• Undisturbed - cover free from both human (mowing, dog training) and weather related (flooding) disturbances

Pheasants live out their lives within a home range of about one square mile, requiring all habitat components (nesting cover, brood habitat, winter cover and food) to be in close proximity. Ideally, 30-60 acres, or about 5-10% of this range should be nesting cover. Larger blocks of cover are preferable to narrow linear strips. However, linear cover, like waterways, roadsides, and field borders, is important to wildlife on a landscape level.

Points to consider

• Linear cover is easier for predators to search during nesting; however, it benefits pheasants significantly after nesting by providing travel links between fragmented agricultural habitats. Hint: Southern Minnesota studies have shown that for linear cover up to 60 feet wide, nesting success for pheasants goes up 1% for every 1-foot increase in strip width. Wider is better
• Research tests have shown 20 acre blocks to be the target size for maximizing nest densities
• Roadsides are mowed and burned far too frequently. Delayed mowing, and spot mowing or spraying accomplishes weed control in roadsides at less cost and does not disturb nesting hens
• Roadsides provide important grassland habitat, with up to five acres of potential nesting cover along each mile of rural Midwest roads. In some areas, 40% of pheasants in the fall population are produced in roadsides

Establishing Nesting Cover

Providing proper nest cover should be the cornerstone of all pheasant management plans. Establishing nesting cover requires land, funds, and manpower. Consult with a Pheasants Forever chapter if you have questions about grass seed mixes or other nest cover concerns.

Cool or Warm Season Grass

Cool-season (non-native) grasses like timothy, orchard grass and tall or intermediate wheat grass begin growth in the cool, spring months. They reach maturity by early summer and then become dormant until cooler fall temperatures stimulate growth again. Cool-season grasses are generally easier to establish, cost less, but require more intensive management to retain their productivity. Single species stands of cool-season grasses are of little or no value to nesting pheasants.

To realize their potential as nesting cover, cool season grasses need to be mixed with legumes such as alfalfa, alike, and red or sweet clover. Even with maintenance, most cool-season grass stands must eventually be replanted because the legumes are out-competed by the grass and eventually die.

Warm-season (native) grasses such as indian grass, switch grass, big and little blue stem begin growth much later in the spring, reaching full maturity in late summer or early fall. Warm-season grasses produce high quality cover when cool-season grasses lie dormant. If left undisturbed, these grasses may provide good winter habitat and residual nesting cover for the following spring. Warm-season grasses are generally more difficult and costly to establish, but are easier to manage. Typical management includes controlled burning on a 3-5 year rotation.

Diversify your plantings

Single grass stands may be easier to plant; however, mixed stands of cool or warm season grasses complemented with Forbes will provide greater diversity and consequently be more attractive to wildlife. Inter seeding legumes or planting separate plots of cool-season and warm-season grasses can also improve nesting and brood-rearing cover.

• Cool-season grass/legume mixes typically contain tall or intermediate wheatgrass, orchardgrass, timothy, redtop and alfalfa or one of several clovers
• Warm-season mixes usually contain switchgrass, indiangrass, big blue-stem, little blue-stem and 4-10 forbs such as butterfly milkweed, prairie asters or clovers, coneflowers, sunflowers, indigo, and stiff goldenrod

Managing Nesting Cover

The wildlife value of grasses generally declines as vegetation ages, and the vigor of the cover is diminished. It is for this reason that managing nesting cover is usually more important than what species you choose to plant.

Burning

Controlled burning (in early spring) is a critical tool in the management of grasses. Woody plants and other unwanted vegetation can be eliminated by proper use of fire. Burning also releases the nutrients bound in the plant litter, stimulating vigorous new growth following the burn. Burning can be very dangerous if not done properly as grasses produce extremely hot fires that spread rapidly.

• Before you burn, make sure to contact your local biologist, fire department and NRCS office to receive the necessary burn plans and permits
• Burning should be done every 3-5 years

Mowing

Mowing of any type of cover (for haying, weed or brush control) should be delayed until after the nesting season has concluded (mid-July). In newly established areas, mowing the first year is a good idea if weed competition is severe. After cover is established, mowing segments of a field on a 3-4 year rotation will keep the vegetation rejuvenated. Leave 10-12 inches of cover after the last cutting, particularly with warm-season grasses. This is a sufficient height to provide some residual cover for nesting and to protect plant vigor.

• Whenever possible, use spot mowing rather than blanket cutting for weed control
• Remember, there is absolutely no reason to mow (disturb) nest cover during the nesting season

Discing

Light mechanical discing in the early spring can also restore plant vigor by opening up a stand of grass and reducing the effects of crowded root systems. This practice is more attractive for wildlife because it effectively increases diversity by creating a seed bed for annual herbaceous plants.

Where to find help

Various federal, state and private conservation programs may help defray some of the cost of establishing nest cover. Contact your county USDA Farm Service Agency office, state wildlife agency or local Pheasants Forever chapter to start. These same agencies oftentimes rent specialized planting and maintenance equipment. Habitat design assistance is available from state wildlife agencies, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, or your PF regional biologist.

A measure of success

There are many good types of nesting cover. A simple field exercise to test the adequacy of your nest cover would be to throw a football 20 feet into your habitat. If it disappears and there are several species of grasses and forbs around the ball, you likely have adequate cover. Conduct this test in mid-April and then monitor the field to ensure there is no disturbance for the next 3 months. Finally, remember that nesting cover is dynamic. If the cover looks great this year, chances are it won't look that good in 2 years. Plan ahead to manage grass cover successfully. In all likelihood, it is the very best thing you can do for pheasants in your area.

Still confused about nesting cover?

Then try the Pheasants Forever Essential Habitat Guide - a handy reference on all kinds of pheasant cover, including shelterbelts, food plots and nest cover. And, be sure to check with your local Pheasants Forever chapter, where you will find cost sharing, planting assistance, or just advice from a friendly chapter volunteer.

Rolling Plains Adventrures 2013 Hunting Season Highlights

Deer numbers and Health Look Strong

  Went out scouting yesterday and seen various deer herds on the prairie.  One herd in particular was located right behind Rolling Plains Adventures Grand Lodge.  The herd size was about 200 and had plenty of mature bucks within it.  There is no sign of antler loss yet, but they should lose them any day.
  As the deer started moving around, I noticed a few of the big bucks I had been watching all fall.  They made it through another season!  Those bucks were very impressive to see again.  Their antlers spread way past their ears and are very tall.  I am in high hopes of finding the sheds soon. 
  All the deer look very well conditioned and healthy.  There is plenty of food around, so they should remain strong.  I will check back in a couple of weeks and hopefully find some sheds.