Huntindude

[NeMont]

This is why I am so against ethanol turning over the prairie.

There is nothing like good CRP to hunt in.

You can shoot huns out of the CRP

Sharptail love it also

but the pheasants can be outstanding as well.

Sometimes I even have to tell the guys I take hunting to cover their dogs eyes so they don't know how to get back to the CRP field we just hunted.

I just cherish the big open and the increased birds opportunities that come with CRP. I hate to see it go because of a short sighted energy policy.

Nemont

 

[huntindude]

I won't argue that the bird hunting in your area benifits from CRP and I love bird hunting more than anything, but I don't think ethanol will be the end of it. corn produces about 450 gallons to the acre and switch grass about 1350 per acre, not only is switch grass more productive it takes less nitrogen and is a perennial that only needs the ground worked every 10 years or so. just give it a little time and don't panic, we may be able to have our cake and eat it too once the science of biofuel catches up with the demand.

 

[timberline_shedfreak24]

Cool Pics!

Timberline

"Live for somethin' or die for nothin'"

 

[driftersifter]

If you look real close in the 5th picture you see some sage brush growing up in the crp That field needs to be turned over and planted to wheat. Rotation will keep the sage from coming back and sage will reduce the productivity of both pheasants and cattle that graze that land. The concept of crp nwas to rest the least productive land and use it when it is needed the price of a commodity will determine if the land is needed. I like and hunt pheasants in Montana as well as the dakotas. Common sense must prevail here. What is the best use of that land for the most people and wildlife?
I think that there should be no fall tillage on crop production land should be allowed. That practice takes all the cover and spilled grain away from the wildlife that needs it. I personally think that one practice would improve pheasants and quail hunting more than crp currently enrolled in america today.
Now you can have your cake and shoot it and eat it too.
Driftersifter

 

[Forthewall]

Bird dogging pics are very cool. That Shorthair looks like it might know a thing or two about pheasant hunting. I got one of those fat chocolates, used to have G. Shorthair, that dog could bounce through fields all day long.

Most labs were meant for water, they do pheasant, quail, and doves as side-jobs.

 

[CAelknuts]

If you look at any of the writings of Ducks Unlimited, you'll see that they are promoting switchgrass as the best alternative for biofuel. I hope they can help move it along, sooner rather than later.

 

[overton]

Nemont

Screw ethanol. Can I come hunting? Promise not to be a smart ass.


Ransom

 

[NeMont]

>If you look real close in
>the 5th picture you see
>some sage brush growing up
>in the crp That field
>needs to be turned over
>and planted to wheat.
>Rotation will keep the sage
>from coming back and sage
>will reduce the productivity of
>both pheasants and cattle
>that graze that land.

Drift,

Killing off the sagebrush again in this particular piece is not something the landowner wants to do. He has seen a fairly good population of sage hens return here and they are his babies. I could shoot every pheasant off of this place and he would be happy for me but if I shot one sage hen he would cancel my hunting privileges. I agree that in most cases getting rid of sagebrush would improve grazing and cover but that isn't in the cards for this land. It may even come off the tax rolls are farm land.

Nemont

 

[driftersifter]

Hey thats why we as private citizens own land so we can use as we see most fit. If you visited my land you would notice that I raise Deer and Pheasants as well as grouse I dedicate 5 acres each Spring for fall habitat and cover. This year it was corn soybeans and Imperial whitetail clover. What a difference a few acres left for wildlife makes. I love your shorthair pointer I use to have one that owned me I hope to have another own me soon. For now Conway the mighty yellow lab has my complete devotion.
driftersifter

 

[NeMont]

Just to set the record straight I don't have a shorthair. I have a black lab that is mostly hunting dog but also family pet. The short hair pointers belong to a guy I hunt with from Washington. The chocolate labs belong to guys I hunt with as well.

Here is my boy in action.

 

[huntindude]

Switch grass or something like it is the answer, the problem they're having with it now is it's hard to break down and extract the ethanol from it. they're working hard to solve the problem and I have no doubt they'll get it, even if it takes breeding a plant easier to work with.

If we only looked at what's best for wildlife there is no end to what we'd do different, removing houses from the winter range would be a good start.

Those are great pictures, nothing better than a good dog (GSP's are my choice as well) and a cool clear fall day upland bird hunting. it doesn't get any better than that. I have had bird dogs my whole life and the 4 year old male GSP I have now is the best yet, we hunt mostly chuckar and huns but I have got to get him back into that country before he gets too old.

 

[Trophymossback]

>If you look at any of
>the writings of Ducks Unlimited,
>you'll see that they are
>promoting switchgrass as the best
>alternative for biofuel. I
>hope they can help move
>it along, sooner rather than
>later.


Great to hear that you recognize Ducks Unlimited's role in promoting CRP program to the Government. I was there at DU in the beginning and many do not know that without ducks Unlimited activity at a Federal level to get this program adopted, it would never have come to be.

TM

 

[mtmiller]

>If you look real close in
>the 5th picture you see
>some sage brush growing up
>in the crp That field
>needs to be turned over
>and planted to wheat.

Actually it's called native prairie. Silver sagebrush, fringed, yarrow and native grasses. Loss of native prairie in my part of Montana is a concern. I would be entirely against turning native prairie into wheat fields.

>The concept of crp nwas
>to rest the least productive
>land and use it when
>it is needed the price
>of a commodity will determine
>if the land is needed.

Incorrect. CRP is utilized to protect lands from erosion, protect water quality, improve riparian systems, improve wildlife habitat.

 

[huntindude]

Not really, the Conservation Reserve Program is to reserve land for future needs and is part of the food security program by the NRCS. everything else is just a side benifit, that's why in times of need the government can let producers out of the contract, they say we aren't there now and I agree.