Significantly less habitat. Fewer birds. More assholes. If you're coming here to hunt wild birds think twice. Some local "Clubs" are now releasing birds to help fill the bars and motels with hunters or is it to restock the wild bird population to help fill the bars and motels. I forget which. However driving hunter traffic in areas with significant losses of quality upland habitat only creates crowding and over hunting and I might add safety issues in the field for you and your dog's. But anyway oil development and increased commodity prices for crops have changed the landscape in North Dakota and not in a good way for the upland hunter. Everything trumps habitat these days. The CRP program was the dam for decades but it's broken and the resulting flood of pressure on habitat is destroying everything in it's path.
Fish and Game don't forget is in the business too. Of selling licenses that is. So any forecast is aimed at sustaining those sales and keeping the finger pointed at someone else when revenues drop due to a decrease in hunter (asshole) traffic. And don't believe everything you hear as they are very dependent on non resident license revenue's.
So if you travel in a group used to going home with a "limit" of birds forget it. Give the local hunt club your business this year. Rent a motel. Shoot em up! Then have a few drinks and play some cards with the gang reminiscing about the days when you could shoot that "limit". Then go home and sit in front of the television with your overweight labs and wives. Maybe you'll reminisce yet again. About the days when it was just the two of you. You and the dog I mean! Either way they'll enjoy your company much more than we will! Asshole's!
Note: The term asshole does not apply to "fair chase" hunters.
