Prairie Grouse/pheasant hunting in dakotas/montana

I'm sorry, Bobby, but I can't keep quiet on this one.

As a bird "hunter", I say spend your time researching the areas of interest, and go out and "hunt" the birds yourselves. With an outfitter, you are trying to nearly guarantee yourselves "shooting". If you are looking to get some "shooting", then, by all means, get yourself an outfitter. But, if you are "hunters", go out there and find them yourselves.

I don't know about big game outfitters so much as I do about the effects of bird "hunting" outfitters, and the people that hire them, on the rest of us. The outfitters make it their job, in most instances, to lock up the best habitat from actual bird hunters. Unless the state is paying for PUBLIC access to get at these animals, or the landowner/outfitter is supplying ONLY stocked animals, there should be no money exchanged for the opportunity to hunt them.

So, if you aren't after king eiders or snow cocks, or you aren't disabled requiring special accomodations, then you are fully capable of "hunting" these birds yourselves. I've heard the "dog" argument before also. If you believe that a dog is "required", then get a dog, spend the time training and building a relationship with it, and go hunting. This is all a part of "being" a "hunter". For this reason, I like how that the guides in Africa call themselves "professional HUNTERS". They are the hunters, while their clients, for the most part, are the "shooters".

There are probably many bird taxidermists that don't really care how their client "hunted" the bird they brought to them, but some of us do. I guess I won't get bird outfitters recommending my services to their customers, but I would rather know that my children will have bird hunting opportunities open back up for them, so that they may take their children.

Sincerely,
Steve Powers
Northern Flights Taxidermy

 

CLAP CLAP CLAP Steve!!! Well said! If you mean Prarie Chickens...You need to go to South Dakota!

 

If you are looking for Prairie Chickens i could point u in the right direction and u can walk for miles after them on public grasslands south of me two hours. If you are looking for Sharp Tail Grouse I could also point you in the right direction on public land not to far away ... It's the only way to have the true experience of hunting....is on public land..... I'm in central South Dakota...

 

deadhead, in your area, pheasants as well? I'll be going in nov. and 3 of us will be hunting public ground. thanks

 

i'm in central SD too and can tell you that there are plenty of birds here. PChicks, Sharp Tails and pheasants. That time of year you will probably run into a few bowhunters in the grasslands (me), but there is plenty of land out there.

 

well said steve ,but in my area farmers won't even talk to you ,,the big shots have a lot of fields locked up by leasing ,I'm only looking for one good day of duck and geese over corn ,and you'll drive by that field every day for weeks [the one's you can't get in] and see them there once or twice ,frustrating

 

" CLAP CLAP CLAP Steve!!! "

X2

access in NoDak has slowly gone downhill since the mid 90's
back then maybe 5% was posted, now closer to 90%
yes, some isn't guides locking up lands, but farmers frustrated with inconsiderate hunters (non-resident and resident both)

Ah for the good old days . . .
. . . just have to work a little harder now

 

I should clarify alittle. Iam in central south dakota where you can only find grouse and chickens on the public lands because of the grass easments on the land... But if anybody wants to come and get a full plowen guided pheasant hunt gaurntee your limit every day i can also do that, just cant gaurntee your will see or get any grouse. I know were they are but you will have to like to walk... Another thing is that there is no such thing is public pheasant hunting around me because of the cover of the crop fields...

 

I personally, see no problem with getting an outfitter. I would, if I could afford it. Whats the difference if you pay someone to put you on game or you have buddy that knows the lay of the land and where the game is and he shows you.

 

i have to say that i can see both sides here and will admit that to me nothing in hunting is more fulfilling than going out and pursuing your quarry and mwinning or losing on your own that is the thrill of the hunt. BUT, having been on both sides of this i agree with wildturkey here, i have had the opportunity to hunt several species in several difrferent states over the years and would not consider spending that kind of money to go and not have someone who knows what they are doing help keep me out of trouble. i wouldnt think twice about hunting ohio on my own, but i would never consider hunting sea ducks without someone who knew how to read the water and the weather. i love the hunt and i love the challenge, but i also love the kill and getting what i am going after, especially if i have spent hard earned money for it. for a once in a lifetime hunt i say go for it.it isn't guides and land leases that is destroying hunting in this country, it is us spending our energy bickering at each other so we are too distracted to notice to focus on the ones really causing the problems.

 

I live in Illinois but have hunted Pierre South Dakota for 16 years now, I started hunting the reservation for geese and 8 years ago started hunt Pheasants. Theirs is so much publick ground in the area I could never hunt all of it that I know in a week. I do know where one outfitter is but do not know his name that charges $150 a day per hunter and your hunt will be done in an hour and a half ( what do you do the rest of the day). Their are a lot of outfitters that charge $1000, a day and up (lodging included) B&B Guide Service 605-945-2645 is one I know of. Note you will be hunting a lot of pen raised birds.
My hunt in Pierre runs about $600 for the week, no fancy motel, meals, gas, license, complete hunt. But in all the years I have only seen grouse once and never relay had time to chase them or the chickens. I would like to meet up with deadhead to get a better idea as to where the chickens are, I have a general idea. I have hunted different week during their season and like the third week the best. The first week is the only time that I have run in to some real ignorant people. The second week is hard to book rooms. The third week everything starts to settle down. Starting November you start taking chances with the weather.
I will be in Pierre October 24th to the 30th this year with 5 or 6 other guys, I could help point you in the directions of the publick grounds as well as show you where the $150 a day outfitter is if you are up that way.

Deadhead I think I know what grasslands you are talking about, my question is do you have the chickens narrowed down to one area?

 

riverrat...

I do not have the chickens penned down yet but maybe by the end of the year i could..... I been working on getting the shaptail's pinned down and then i will move to the chicken's...
I am about two hours strait north of Pierre in Ipswich, SD... I hate to take you away from the place you've been hunting for 16 years but come up here and I could get you a mixed bag of geese,duck,pheasant,grouse,varmit's and even a doe or two if you come later in the year, then you wound'nt have to deal with so many pin feather's.....
For pheasant we run just about 3000 acres of mixed crop and tree's and some grass patches... The grouse are all on the du land which is public some times they will stray off the grassland but not to much.... But I would suggest if you are driving over 10 hours to hunt find a nice local or a guide...which you already know. We get 150.00 a day for pheasant with meals and might be able to even find a bed or the hotel in town would work too...

 

There is a big difference Nate. There is a place for Outfitters. Every situation is different, but there is nothing more satisfying than scouting, seeking out permission and if luck has it...Shooting a few birds. That's why they call it hunting...Not killing. Living in Minnesota, you have no idea the amount of land that is being tied up every year here in North Dakota. Out of state hunters use guide services, that to be honest...Prostitute my passion. And, in most cases they really don't need one.

Here's some math for you from a business standpoint. 99% of my clients in No Dak & Minnesota who come here don't use a G/O. I cater to them. What's the #1 reason people give up hunting nationwide? Not having a place to hunt. Why is that??? Just ask the Texas boys and their lack of opportunities. This is the last great freelance place in the U.S. We North Dakotans intend to hang on to it for as long as we can.

 

My guess is that most of your business comes through birds shot by the use of guides or commercial operations.


Bobby
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Your guess is dead wrong Bobby...At least in North Dakota anyway. South Dakota has gone the way of commercialized hunting, at least as far as upland game goes. How the Anti's really win is when we lose our hunters. Why do we lose them. Lack of places to hunt. Why is that? Well, you already said it in your state. Everything gets tied up and some average Joe on a teachers wage isn't going to be able to afford $300 bucks a gun or whatever to hunt. In the future, only the rich will hunt and our sport will be come even more obscure. To see further proof, just ask our British friends. Sorry if you felt people were jumping on you, I certainly get why you would want a guide in your situation...It's just a very touchy subject for the freelancers in not only North Dakota, but Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin & Montana.

We don't want to be like your state! It may be inevitable, but we are doing are best to slow it down.

 

Hey Rick,
I've been thinking (and it hurts! ;D), with the transnational redistribution of wealth that is on its way, either we will all afford leases and outfitters, or none of us will. I guess there is a bright side to making $14K/yr, when everybody else is also. :-\ Those outfitters will sure try extra hard to help us get our birds when their income is capped along with ours. You and I can get the guaranteed min/max anual salary for just doing taxidermy, and we can quit our day jobs. :

I like working hard for my birds and my money, even though I don't get much of either. You really hit the nail on the head with the "prostitute my passion" phrase. That's what happens when money gets directly involved. I've heard the argument about spending money to hunt "for fuel, guns, ammo, and lodging". None of these expenditures mean that you will get shooting. An outfitter that doesn't nearly always get you into the birds won't be in business very long. In most cases, if they didn't, nobody would hire them. That's where I seperate bird guides from western, big game, public land guides. If you are after elk on a public mountain range, most of them can't get you opportunities with nearly the same regularity.

If you don't hire an outfitter for the "once in a lifetime hunt", you can save the outfitter fees and possibly make it a twice in a lifetime hunt. That way, you will know the area better, or pick a different area, and learn from the first trip's mistakes. That's "hunting". You can make bonds with land owners out of respect and friendship, instead of just a business thing.

So far, my clients are DIY hunters, when it comes to birds anyways, but if any customer asks what I think about most bird outfitters, I will tell them. They can decide whether to do business with me, or not.

Hi Nate, again, WAY TO GO at the show! The difference with hunting with friends, verses a guide, from an area, is first you have to have friends (reward #1), next is that you get to share the experience, finally, the longer and more you hunt with them, the more you will see ways to improve the hunts enriching their knowledge. Hiring a guide is like paying somebody to be my friend. :-[

 

Hey good luck on your hunt Bobby! Go later in the year for those Chickens! They are pretty pin feathery in October.

 

Bobby, I hope you and your friends get a few trophies out west. Introducing new hunters to the sport is very commendable. I'm also glad you make guided hunts the exception, and not the rule.

It's a shame that money has so much power over your ability to hunt private land in the south and east. We are seeing the disease spreading to the core of the continent. When it comes to hunting, there are only a few things that I just can't keep quiet about (e.g., poaching, bird outfitters, and wetlands draining/tiling).

Thanks for the invite, but I get enough turkey chasing within a few miles from my house. You are certainly welcome to come up here for pheasants, huns, turkey, ducks, geese, and ruffed grouse. We may actually get skunked, but they are all here to be hunted. Now, if the planets all align just right for us, we may even limit out on some of these. Unfortunately, the waterfowl are usually very pinny until they leave the state. They taste the same though.