Birds Around Rugby?

FlushingSetters1724

FlushingSetters1724

Active member
I was wondering what the bird numbers (sharptails, huns, pheasants..) are like around Rugby.. My family typically goes there around the middle of October to duck hunt, and while I'd go along to duck hunt a day or two, I'd love to break away for a few days if I can get into some other birds. I'd rather not bring my setters along if there aren't many birds, and I didn't feel like combing through all the threads to find info on the area. Any info would be awesome. I'm not opposed to putting on some miles for a few opportunities. Worst case scenario, South Dakota is on the way home.. Thanks in advance.
 
I've only hunted ND the past 3 seasons, so I'm no expert on ND. But my guess is that there are probably decent to good numbers of sharptails around Rugby, but marginal for huns and phez. If you went an hour or so NW, W, or SW you'd be in better territory.
ND game & fish website has range maps for various species.

The first two years I went to ND, it was early-to-mid Oct, and it was a challenge to get close to the sharpies. Not impossible though, I did get some birds. Went for the opener in Sept last year, and the sharpies definitely hold better in the early season. Mid-Oct is great too though, it sure is fun knowing you can get into 3 different birds at any time.
 
You definitely will find sharpies in that area…all 3 species, not so much…but hunting sharpies is fun, that’d be enough IMO. Lots of PLOTS ground in all directions from there…I’ve hunted grouse many times in that general area, all around there, say within 30 miles…great fun!
 
benelli-banger said:
You definitely will find sharpies in that area…all 3 species, not so much…but hunting sharpies is fun, that’d be enough IMO. Lots of PLOTS ground in all directions from there…I’ve hunted grouse many times in that general area, all around there, say within 30 miles…great fun!
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Same as my experience in that area. Lots of PLOTS to check out.
 
Chessie 67 said:
What’s the likelihood of running into rattlesnakes in that neck of the woods?
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zero... look at a map...rugby is about as far north as you can go in the us
 
Depending on how early in October , PLOTS may not be open to non residents. Still plenty of other public lands in that area. Id have to say the furthest north I've seen a rattler was around Buffalo Wyoming.
 
Rattlers are common enough SW of the Missouri River. I would say Flasher, Glen Ulin, and Hettinger all have rattle snakes. Patchy distribution through. I have seen or heard them in September and early October near all towns noted above. They tend to like outbuildings.

Go into the badlands and that is definitely rattler country. Couple in prickly pair and that part of ND is not very bird dog friendly.
 
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Rugby is not really a pheasant area in ND. Mild winter or two and they will be around.

Per KY Setter ... 50 miles is a stretch. I would say 75 - 100 miles from Rugby would put you in an area where pheasants are common if winter has been kind.
 
We get into a very good amount of pheasants every year. We are west of Rugby. Always have had sharpes and huns too but the last couple years those have almost doubled.
 
I don’t understand the rattle snake fear, I have never seen one while bird hunting, antelope, deer bow yes.
They really are not that common in most of ND.
 
On this site it is mostly the fear of rattler meets bird dog.

I have seen (well heard) rattlesnakes in ND while bird hunting. Especially sharptail hunting in far SW ND. I have seen them in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park (baby snakes actually).

Rattlesnakes den and some tend to migrate to these dens in September.

ND Game and Fish article:

Rattlesnake Health Check | North Dakota Game and Fish

Rattlesnake Health Check Ron Wilson
gf.nd.gov gf.nd.gov
 
BRITTMAN said:
On this site it is mostly the fear of rattler meets bird dog.

I have seen (well heard) rattlesnakes in ND while bird hunting. Especially sharptail hunting in far SW ND. I have seen them in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park (baby snakes actually).

Rattlesnakes den and some tend to migrate to these dens in September.

ND Game and Fish article:

Rattlesnake Health Check | North Dakota Game and Fish

Rattlesnake Health Check Ron Wilson
gf.nd.gov gf.nd.gov
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That was interesting but no thanks. Years ago back in the 70’s there were a fair amount of them on a large park not far from us. They would have a rattlesnake roundup every spring. Now they have built houses up there. Most of those were timber rattlers.
 
carptom1 said:
That was interesting but no thanks. Years ago back in the 70’s there were a fair amount of them on a large park not far from us. They would have a rattlesnake roundup every spring. Now they have built houses up there. Most of those were timber rattlers.
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I have been hunting around Kulm in Dickey County for almost 20 years and the pheasant hunting has gone from great to terrible. Waterfowl is outstanding and enough Sharpies around to keep going back to Kulm. Is it worth driving about 2 hours to hunt around Wing to try and see more pheasants. Thanks in advance. Buck
 
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