Recent content by Riverman

I only carry my shotgun. But I keep the bear spray at the ready. We are also making a fair amount of noise so that helps. No need to be quiet when hunting ruff grouse. I just finished a great year. Awesome ruffed grouse hunts, 3 amazing weeks in South Dakota, 7 total days in Nebraska (okay...

Thanks for all the good advice. I ended up hunting for 6 days out of Syracuse. A good hotel there—Boarders. Decent breakfast and they have rooms you can cook in with pots and pans. It’s a nice area. Had good weather for 3 days and 50+ mph winds and temps in the teens for two other days. One...

Thanks guys!! Just what I was looking for. I was planning to come regardless so this just helps me plan for the number of shells to bring!:) I’m in Salt Lake City, so I have to drive for good bird hunting every time I go. I have never hunted that part of Kansas so I’m looking forward to it. I...

I'm not looking for specific spots, just a general impression of all the walkin areas of SW Kansas. I usually go to Arizona each January to hunt quail, but the millenial drought has decimated quail in that state. Last year I got 5 quail in 8 days of hunting at three different areas in AZ, but...

It was another great year hunting ruffed grouse in NW Wyoming and western Idaho. I’m always amazed how good it can be. I went three times for 3 days each time and I was never disappointed. On two trips I never even saw anyone else. Gotta be careful of grizzlies but it is beautiful country. Bird...

Three of us just finished a 6 day trip 12/26–12/31. Started in Martin, then Winner, then Platte. Big storm hit on day 3… what a difference a day makes! Went from hunting shirtsleeves on days 1 and 2 to full on conditions days 3 and 4! 40-50 mph winds, 3 deg temps, and an inch of snow...

I hunted around Grant and Elise area a few weeks ago. Just hit walkin areas, no private. Cover was in awesome shape. Some of best cover I have seen hunting that area for 30+ years. But birds were few and far between. I got one each day for 5 days! Saw no quail or grouse, which was unusual. Also...

Been hunting pheasants (trained dogs, road trips just for pheasants, specific gun purchases, etc. ) seriously for about 35 years. Started when I was about 30, so that makes me 65, with probably 1,000-1.500 birds or so to date. I have seen my share of cripples for sure. Luckily good dog work...

I big game hunted for almost 25-30 years and was pretty good at it and lived in some good states, including Wyoming which I think is the best state to hunt big game (at least it was 20-30 yrs ago). Killed over 100 big game animals, deer, elk, pronghorn, caribou, moose. I also bird hunted more...

I have hunted SW Nebraska for over 35 years. 25-30 yrs ago it was common to get into 2-3 coveys of bobwhites every day. This was before the walkin program came along and we hunted mostly private land. More recently, if you see 1 covey per day then it is a pretty good hunt. I don't know what...

Over the years I have kept a large file of quotes that I liked from various sources. Some are from books and others are from speeches. Here are several that I thought folks might enjoy about grouse and pheasant hunting. I have left out Aldo Leopold quotes and will post them separately. I was...

65 yrs old. I hunt ruffed grouse in mtns if Wyoming, pheasants in SoDak, Huns in Idaho, quail in AZ and woodcock in Louisiana. Have used lots of boots—danners, Cabelas, Meindls, kennetreks, and muck boots. As mentioned above my feet have gotten wider as I aged. Danner and Kennetrek are too...

In Nebraska I like to wake those birds up at first light. Usually get a couple then hunt rest of day “death marching” looking for that .3rd bird. Usually get it in last two hours of day. SoDak has a lot more birds but I still like starting at 10 and getting those that are late getting up or...

My friends and I hunt a lot of ditches. Mostly in middle of state and see very few other hunters, if any at all. Not a lot of public land where we are hunting but lots of private land with hunters on them now and then. I agree that wild birds are no comparison to pen reared and much better to...

Meant to add some photos. Also meant to say my hunt was Jan 2-13.