Eastern Montana Pheasant Hunt

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benellihunter

New member
It has been a long 15 years since my dad our 2 freinds from OK have met in Montana to hunt birds, we are going to change that this upcomming 2010 season!!!
We were no able to secure lodging where we did last time in Plentywood; however I was able to find lodging available in Scobey. Not knowing anything about that area ~ is there anyone out there that could let me know if we will find birds and public lands close in to Scobey ~ guessing along the Poplar river???
If there is a MT resident / landholder that wouldn't mind bird hunters and our dogs we'll bring PNW Special treats if you would like Salmon, Halibut & Oysters!!! We'd love to share your property ~ and we always treat others lands like our own...
 
benellihunter, Welcome.

PM me for some information.
 
I'm in the same boat Benelli. I live in Washington State where terrible habitat management has destroyed our Pheasant hunting opportunities. Starved to see more than one bird every 3 days I went to SD a couple years ago, lots of birds but it was very commercial with all the land being leased by corporate clients. I'm looking for some decent public hunts and have heard Montana might be a nice alternative and a heck of a lot closer to home.

I'm not a big money guy that can afford to buy my way on, if you stumble across any good public hunts please let me know and I'll do the same for you.
 
Hersh Response

We are in a similar boat "working stiffs" the only reason we dont go out of state year after year ~ we to hunt miles and miles for a few roosters a year in the SE corner of Washington - usually making 1 trip to a chicken ranch just to reward the dogs about mid season so they keepthem interested so they just dont give up on us...
I'll follow up after this season on what we have found...
***Washington habitat ~ all we need is for the state to take back the freeking roadside right of ways from the farmers and we would have over 1/2 the habitat the birds need...
And / Or compensate the farmers to plant but not cut to the road...
 
Scobey

You should do alright around Scobey and you can hunt closer to Plentywood as well, we used to hunt around there and it was good in years past. The Mt Fish,Wildlife and Parks release all around the area to help the wild population.The great thing about Mt is lots of private land enrolled in Block management so access is easy to obtain.If you need more info send me a message.
 
Some things to remember about Montana hunting.
Pheasant are very spotty, numbers are never like those in the Dakotas.
Habitat is along rivers and tributaries, tall grass CRP and good cover near grain fields.
All that sage and range land and short grass native prairies will hold very few pheasants.
Winters are very hard on Pheasants in MT. So much more severe then SD.
Open and milder Winters from about 02-06 made for great hunting. Now with a couple brutal Winters expect to work hard for the roosters.
 
montana

Montana hunting is great if you hit the right areas, bonus of hunting sage country is getting a chance at a sage grouse. We hunt n eastern Mt and see really high bird numbers every year. Talking to the farmers this year and so far they are seeing good bird numbers. Was there in May and saw lots of roosters and I am going there tomorrow and will give feedback on what I see
 
First time suggestions?

I'm also a Washington state hunter. In the last 20 years Washington state has become very frustrating to hunt (low numbers of birds.)

My wife was born in Montana, and we spend several weeks a year in the NW corner (Libby / Kalispell) lakes country. This year I'm thinking about taking my 2 yr old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon for a week or so in Eastern Montana. My neighbor at the lake goes somewhere near Choteau.

Any suggestions / ideas for a first time, one dog, one hunter pair to find some public or other available land?
 
montana

The Block Management program makes it easy to gain access in eastern Mt, if you seek out Crp, hedgerows etc you'll do just fine
 
Montana

Thanks Birddogguy10!

Is there a central mapping system for the blocks / crp fields on line somewhere, or any available at Fish&Game? In Washington, as few birds as there are, there's a mapping system on-line that shows which spots are in the program....
 
Wasguy, Choteau is in a good bird region. Good access too.
Block management will be available on the MT fish, wildlife and parks website about mid August. Order maps and region information.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. Here's a thought for anyone that likes to catch/eat Salmon. Maybe we do a little game adventure trading. I've got a boat that catches north of 100 salmon every year off the Columbia River bar out of Ilwaco. I'll be fishing from mid August in to September and would be happy to take someone out for a few days in trade for a pheasant trip in Montana. I can even put you up in a little beach house just 20 minutes away from the marina, you just need to show up and we'll have some fun yarding in fish for a couple days. PM me if anyone is interested.
 
Taking my son, who is a senior this year, on a week long bird hunt in E. Montana. I know where to find the pheasants but would like some information on Sage Hens and Sharp Tails. Neither my son or my current pack of Black Dogs, have either one on their life time list. We will be heading to E. Montana from Washington State probably via I-90/94 but could change our plans and come via the highline if the hunting warrented it. Any info without giving up your honey hole would be appreciated.


Thanks,

BD
 
Go a little east around Redstone and south of Outlook and hunt along the Muddy. Not sure how the birds fared up there, but the FWP does a good job of planting. Further south where I'm at around Miles City, the bird numbers are high. Anywhere along the Yellowstone or Tongue Rivers you will find lots of birds. Call the FWP office in Miles City to get a list of block management participants. There's lots of land to hunt.

Good hunting!

Scott
 
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