Pheasant hunting with Royal Hunt Club question.

[jetjockey]

Does anyone hunt with the Royal Hunt Club out of Royal City?  Its $300 per year and there is 25,000 acres to hunt pheasants on.  We used to hunt Royal City about 15 years ago on public land and always did pretty well, but we always saw the signs for the Royal Hunt Club.  My brother and dad are thinking about joining this year and doing some pheasant hunting.

[bonneylakebowman]

One of our friends did it a few years ago and he said it is not worth the money.  He said we can get into more birds on public land then there

[penhuntsbirds]

Jet, I joined yesterday so I hope it is OK, I have heard both good and bad but the price was good and I think they have a lot of people that renew. She told me when I signed up there was about 75 folks signed up. I was going to do Deadmans but that is just to dang far to get to often enough. So this year we will do both Royal Hunt Club and some FFH as well as wildlife areas and see if it is worth it.

[teal101]

Is this the booster club?  Well worth it IMO.  Gets you tons of access to private land that only the booster club has permission to hunt.

[royalhntr]

My brothers and I have joined in the past, they have a lot of property to shoot, we have several fields that we hunt adjacent to some of their fields. Some of their properties are consistent producers, pheasants and geese, others are just brought into the program to get it posted so farmers dont have to be bothered. They use to do a realease for their hunters a couple times a year not sure if they still do. Total war zone, but our lab got onto 5 or 6 birds and found a few others wounded by other hunters. Only time I have ever limited on pheasants

[follow maggie]

If the hunting is a bust, at least the cash goes to good use instead of lining someone's pocket.

[HoofsandWings]

It was better when the farm practices did not till everything. The tilled fields are good for geese.
You need to find the fields that have some cover left.
As for upland birds, it is best if you hit them early in the season. I have seen groups of up to 8 hunters and lots of dogs hit a field.
Not much left to hunt after they go through.
So the trick is to be first at a field.
I was a member a couple of times and found it worth while.

[Ellensburg]

How has the hunting been at the royal hunt club this year?

[Birdguy]

Well, with the season wrapping up could we get a few words as to how it went form the participants ? I am certain there are a few on here that would like to know. If you do not want to post openly please PM me.

[gasman]

Jet, I joined yesterday so I hope it is OK, I have heard both good and bad but the price was good and I think they have a lot of people that renew. She told me when I signed up there was about 75 folks signed up. I was going to do Deadmans but that is just to dang far to get to often enough. So this year we will do both Royal Hunt Club and some FFH as well as wildlife areas and see if it is worth it.

All right Dave, now spill it. How was the hunting 

[penhuntsbirds]

I thought it was pretty bad, however don't hold it against the club just not a good year for wild birds, which of course I should have figured out when they advertised they release 500 birds over the season. The standing corn did in fact have some birds but it is 7 feet tall and dense but I think with all the corn up the birds stay in it. We did get some on the edges of corn fields. There is a lot of land to hunt with different crops and some with really good canals and ditches with cover. I ran into several other members and they were reporting the same thing.  However keep in mind there are a lot of fields I did not hit so don't want to paint a horrible picture based on my little bit of trying.

On a good bird year I think I would do again. We talked to some old timers that said Royal City really died off about 15 years ago.

Maps were good and some fields were really well marked some were not

[jetjockey]

Thats good to know.  Im not sure why the farmers in our state haven't figured out what the farmers in S.D have figured out.  Ive read where pheasant hunting brings more money into the state of S.D. then their crops do.  They farm for crops, but they also farm for birds.   So much money could be made in WA state with pheasant hunting if someone would take the lead, and have other farmers follow.

[dscubame]

Thats good to know.  Im not sure why the farmers in our state haven't figured out what the farmers in S.D have figured out.  Ive read where pheasant hunting brings more money into the state of S.D. then their crops do.  They farm for crops, but they also farm for birds.   So much money could be made in WA state with pheasant hunting if someone would take the lead, and have other farmers follow.

So True!

[ORCA_SIX]

They definitely need to work with the farmers more so we can gain some ground on the pheasant populations. I will be doing a combo Antelope/Pheasant hunt in October in Wyoming and N.D. It should be great and cannot wait to get in on all those birds.

[jetjockey]

Were going back to SD in November.  The sad thing is we will probably see twice as many birds in 3 days as you would see in a full season hunting in WA.  I love my state, but their heads are burried when it comes to pheasant hunting.   WA could be a mini SD, but unfortunately, farmers just haven't figured it out.  People spend a LOT of money to hunt private land in SD.

[ORCA_SIX]

There is plenty of public land to hunt in N.D., I am not sure why you would want to hunt private. You can be just as successful on the PLOTS. I am sure there are quite of bit of places in S.D. to do the same.

[ORCA_SIX]

Private is definitely the way to go if you can. I was referring to a paid hunt for pheasants in places like ND where they charge you quite a bit for 3 birds on private or leased land. I do paid hunts in WA out of season, but I am not sure I would join a club or pay during the season.

[freberd]

We were so disappointed last year even the dogs were depressed.  We were thinking about going to SD.  I have no idea where to go?  can you get an out of state license?

Where do I start?

Thanks

[Old Dog]

Go here for SD. http://gfp.sd.gov/  Check out the hunting atlas for access.  Wildlife production areas, waterfowl production areas, and walk in only areas have produced for me, but it does take some searching to find the good ones.  Road side ditches also produce well. 

[freberd]

Thanks I will check it out