Best place for birds?

C

cockerfan

New member
If you could live anywhere in the US, and were going to make that choice based strictly on upland hunting, where would you choose to live? Pheasants would be a factor, but so would all of the other upland species...quail, Chukars, Huns, Ptarmigan, etc.

I've often thought that I should find a way to live doing what I love, and someday I want to move to an area that provides me with the most opportunities to spend time with my dogs hunting birds. Maybe do some guiding, dog training, dog breeding, etc. Seems like in some of the more rural areas it wouldn't be too hard to scratch out a living doing odd stuff like that, since the cost of living would be substantially lower than more developed areas.

What would your perfect place be?
 
Well California has the best quail hunting on 3 species (valley, mountain, and gambels quail), definitely one of the top chukar (if not the best) states, 3 kinds of grouse (ruffs, blues, and sage grouse), pheasant, ptarmigan, band tailed pigeons, snipe, some but not many huns, and awesome dove hunting that should keep you in the field from September 1st thru January 30th each year. As long as you stay away from the big cities you'll find everyday honest Americans. I would set up camp somewhere in the northern part of the state.
 
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Like I said, stay away from the big cities and you'll find very polite, honest, hard working middle right Americans. The valley is conservative. The biggest hassle with the gun laws is a 10 day waiting period when purchasing a new gun.
 
Alright, for some reason I was thinking the gun laws were worse than that. A 10 day waiting period isn't the end of the world.
 
I also believe that you will find our quail hunting is perfectly suited for a close working, hard flushing, cover busting dog like a cocker.
 
Prolly depends on what your used to but I like both prairie/farmland hunt and forest hunting.

With that I'd take Minnesota or Wisconsin. Not the best pheasant hunting but good wild populations in both states. Might just have to work a bit harder. Best ruffed grouse and woodcock a person could ask for. Being in the upper midwest I wouldn't be far from n. and s. Dakota or even eastern Montana for prairie grouse and pheasants.
 
No stipulations on it...just where would you live if you were going to live there based solely on the bird hunting opportunities it provided. Specific part of the state would be interesting too.

No one for Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, or Colorado yet, huh?
 
To be honest I was kinda thinking Montana myself, but I had to give my vote to the best quail state in America. I would be lost without my precious quail. I also think Oregon may be a hidden gem.
 
If a guy picked the right part of North Central South Dakota you would have:

* Best pheasant hunting in the world
* An hour from good PC & Sharptail hunting in the Ft. Pierre Grasslands
* Legitimate shot at some Huns
* Excellent waterfowling opportunities
* 3-4 hours from great Ruffed Grouse & Woodcock hunting in MN
* Excellent fishing in the Missouri River & the Glacial Lakes

The cost of living is pretty low & the quality of life is pretty high. Winters are even very doable compared to Eastern MT & western ND.
 
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Lewistown Montana. 5 species of grouse out the back door. Best Hun populations anywhere, plenty of Ringnecks. Couple hours for chuckers.
Why do you suppose I spend 5-6 weeks out there.each Fall.:cheers:
Not to mention most of the lower 48 big game species after work type close.:)
 
Wirehairs said:
Kansas:D

(If you read another thread in the KS section you will know why the huge grin.)
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I wanna hunt w/ you someday smart@$$! You got wirehairs and mad jokes....what else could a guy ask for in a hunting partner?

KANSAS.....I'd just stay in KS. I like the dynamics of a quail hunt w/ a chance of pheasants. IF I were to leave KS it would be for MT or SD, but most likely MT.
 
cockerfan said:
No stipulations on it...just where would you live if you were going to live there based solely on the bird hunting opportunities it provided. Specific part of the state would be interesting too.

No one for Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, or Colorado yet, huh?
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20 to 30 years ago IDAHO hands down, today Ive got my place for sale and heading to the Dakotas " Land of last freeroming Indians and BIRD Hunter's" As long as you don't freese to death haha
 
it be hard to tear me from ks quail being my fav then a ditch parrot and always a shot at a chicken but im very open minded montana would be awesome if i knew where to go
 
Interesting replies. I don't have any answer to the question myself...I'm just enjoying reading all of yours. I think somewhere in the west would be really cool, like Wy, Mt, Id, or Co, but I ever never hunted there and wouldn't even know where to start.

I wonder how hard it would be to get employed by a guiding service if I had 2 or more well trained dogs and a truck?
 
arizona with 3 types of quail. 4 month season. hunt in a t shirt or light jacket in jan and feb. tons of public land
 
Lewistown would work for me, but I'm an old Montana boy.
 
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