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Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
#4513280
08/26/13 06:07 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 264
Hobbs McAvoy
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 264 |
I'm heading to Southeastern Montana in late October to hunt mule deer. The upland bird seasons will be open as well. I would like to hunt some if I fill my deer tag early in the trip. Has anyone hunted there before? Can it be done without a dog? The only birds I've hunted are ducks, geese, and doves so I'm not sure what to expect. I think there will be plenty of public lands to hunt. I will call the region 7 biologist and see what he has to say about the populations in the area. I sure would like to take a few birds as an added bonus to the trip but the first priority will be shooting a mule deer. Thanks for any tips or advice.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: Hobbs McAvoy]
#4513548
08/26/13 07:39 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,929
blanked
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,929 |
sharptails will be coveyed up by then and near impossible to get within gun range. lots of walking if your dogless
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: blanked]
#4516667
08/27/13 04:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,868
Chet
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,868 |
Big country, tough without dogs..........
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: Hobbs McAvoy]
#4517493
08/27/13 09:33 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,068
NorthTXbirdhunter
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,068 |
Why would you want to do it without the dog? The dog makes the hunt. Bird hunting is always about the dog. Anything short of this is shooting. The dog completes the circle. It is much more fulfilling with a dog.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: NorthTXbirdhunter]
#4517514
08/27/13 09:41 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,805
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,805 |
Why would you want to do it without the dog? The dog makes the hunt. Bird hunting is always about the dog. Anything short of this is shooting. The dog completes the circle. It is much more fulfilling with a dog. Great if he owned one........ To the op, great ready for lots of walking, but very rewarding if you do flush a few
Bottom line, never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals.-Sen Joni Ernst
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: NorthTXbirdhunter]
#4518222
08/28/13 01:59 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 264
Hobbs McAvoy
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 264 |
Why would you want to do it without the dog? The dog makes the hunt. Bird hunting is always about the dog. Anything short of this is shooting. The dog completes the circle. It is much more fulfilling with a dog. I guess you didn't read the post. I will be going to hunt mule deer and if time permits, try to shoot some birds. I apologize if I have somehow offended the upland bird hunters by wanting to shoot some birds without a dog. So I guess if I shoot a bird without the aid of a dog it is not sporting.? I'm sure it is a blast to watch the dogs work but like Bobo said, I don't own a bird dog. Odds are I will not shoot a mule deer the first or second day anyway but if I do I'll spend at least one day walking and trying to flush and shoot some birds I otherwise would not have a chance to hunt.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: Hobbs McAvoy]
#4519009
08/28/13 12:09 PM
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,068
NorthTXbirdhunter
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,068 |
Why would you want to do it without the dog? The dog makes the hunt. Bird hunting is always about the dog. Anything short of this is shooting. The dog completes the circle. It is much more fulfilling with a dog. I guess you didn't read the post. I will be going to hunt mule deer and if time permits, try to shoot some birds. I apologize if I have somehow offended the upland bird hunters by wanting to shoot some birds without a dog. So I guess if I shoot a bird without the aid of a dog it is not sporting.? I'm sure it is a blast to watch the dogs work but like Bobo said, I don't own a bird dog. Odds are I will not shoot a mule deer the first or second day anyway but if I do I'll spend at least one day walking and trying to flush and shoot some birds I otherwise would not have a chance to hunt. No, I read your post. You missed my point. I would not even consider it without a dog. That is big country up there and to think that you could be just aimlessly walking around looking for an upland bird just baffles me. I would bet that there is a guide with dogs up there that could make your experience a lot more fulfilling.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: NorthTXbirdhunter]
#4519119
08/28/13 01:02 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 56
Indymac
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 56 |
I hunted the first 20 years of my life without a dog and loved every minute of it. You will run into an elitist every now and then that says it's not worth it. But I say GO FOR IT! You'll have more stories to tell back in camp than the deer hunters. Don't get lost though!
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: NorthTXbirdhunter]
#4519232
08/28/13 01:35 PM
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,523
changedmyname
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,523 |
Beats sitting around doing nothing.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: NorthTXbirdhunter]
#4519866
08/28/13 04:54 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 511
TWarren
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 511 |
Why would you want to do it without the dog? The dog makes the hunt. Bird hunting is always about the dog. Anything short of this is shooting. The dog completes the circle. It is much more fulfilling with a dog. I guess you didn't read the post. I will be going to hunt mule deer and if time permits, try to shoot some birds. I apologize if I have somehow offended the upland bird hunters by wanting to shoot some birds without a dog. So I guess if I shoot a bird without the aid of a dog it is not sporting.? I'm sure it is a blast to watch the dogs work but like Bobo said, I don't own a bird dog. Odds are I will not shoot a mule deer the first or second day anyway but if I do I'll spend at least one day walking and trying to flush and shoot some birds I otherwise would not have a chance to hunt. No, I read your post. You missed my point. I would not even consider it without a dog. That is big country up there and to think that you could be just aimlessly walking around looking for an upland bird just baffles me. I would bet that there is a guide with dogs up there that could make your experience a lot more fulfilling. I lived in North Dakota for a full hunting season and spent many hours chasing pheasants and sharptails without a dog. Rarely did I return without a limit, sometimes of both species and that was well into December. Yes, it will require lots of walking but there are certainly birds to be found. Get out there and enjoy the experience and scenery, you won't regret it.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: TWarren]
#4520810
08/28/13 10:15 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 13
bc993
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 13 |
Not sure where in eastern MT your deer hunt is and the exact dates. However, if Fort Smith is in driving distance I'd recommend that destination. You can catch monster size trout in the Big Horn river below yellow tail dam and renting a drift boat is very affordable. The surrounding area is loaded with pheasants,sharptail and huns. MT has the block mgt plan so access to private land is fairly easy. We did a cast & blast trip 10 years ago and it was the best trip I've experienced. It's big country but so is Texas so if you're used driving it's no big deal. Good luck on filling your tag you'll find pheasants without a dog just walk the ditches and edges. I have a gsp and bird hunting is much more fun with my dog but it's still fun and good exercise without one. Good luck filling your deer tag and enjoy Big Sky country.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: bc993]
#4521879
08/29/13 03:35 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,450
Aggieduck
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,450 |
I like to just laugh when folks say its not worth it without a dog. Gonoutbthere and walk what do you have to lose? It will be cool scenery and you never know what you might walk up on. If you kill one bird I'd call it a success and laugh at the ones said it can't be done because the country is too big.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: Aggieduck]
#4522225
08/29/13 12:21 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 147
MSU
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 147 |
I like to just laugh when folks say its not worth it without a dog. Gonoutbthere and walk what do you have to lose? It will be cool scenery and you never know what you might walk up on. If you kill one bird I'd call it a success and laugh at the ones said it can't be done because the country is too big. Yep.. beats workin any day
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: MSU]
#4546637
09/07/13 09:54 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 374
fishminer
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 374 |
We hunted dove on Weds. (I know there is know dove in MT., but I limited out by 8:30 AM and got a bonus grouse.). The group got a total of 5 grouse and we saw a few more. We did not have a dog.
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Re: Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant in Montana?
[Re: fishminer]
#4547380
09/07/13 05:40 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 374
fishminer
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 374 |
Got another 13 dove this morning and my partner got 2 grouse.
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