Nebraska sharptails

[RK Special K]

I've hunted for sharpies around Martin, SD and it was good. I'd like to try Nebraska just south of Martin between Gordon and Merriman. Is this area rolling ravines filled with plum thickets(like Martin) or is it open grassland?

 

[oldandnew]

Sandhills Country, BIG hills, open country, very few thickets comparitively, sharpies may be out on the range or in creekbottoms depending upon weather, mostly eating rose hips, and your either going to step on them to get them up or your going to see wild flushes at a great distance. Wrong time of year.

 

[RK Special K]

Thanks, Oldenew.

Nebraska extended the season for grouse this year to 1/31 so I'd like to try it - although this may be a tough time of year - but, hey, they gotta be somewhere - and I'm up to the challenge.

I hunt by myself without a dog. I don't like hunting open grassland - they hunker and hold so much better in "the thickets". Do you know what part of Nebraska has good #'s of grouse AND huntable thicket areas?

 

[oldandnew]

If you go east of your original target, toward Valentine, and south along the Hiway to Cresent lake wildlife area, and the Halsey national forest, you should see some "fen" country to hunt, wetter bottoms with taller grass and small tree areas, plum thickets, in the flats. In the Halsey forest on the east side lots of pine windbreaks along the roads throughout, they sit in there as well. This late I would try those, bonus is a more than average chance of pheasants as well. Snow cover helps. The Sharpies and chickens burrow into it for the night, leaving just an air hole, sure helps track the roosters through the cattails. Let us know if you go and how you did. Good Luck.

 

[RK Special K]

The Cresent Lake area is in Garden County, north of Oshkosh and the Halsey Forrest area is in Thomas County, just southeast of Thedford. Is this correct?

Also, "east towards Valentine": would this be the Cody/Crookston area along Hwy 20?

Would Thedford or Mullen be a good place to "set up camp".

Thanks so much, Oldenew, for your help.

 

[oldandnew]

I mis spoke, I have shot birds at cresent lake, but I actually was refering to Valentine Ntional wildlife refuge, between thedford and Valentine. Either thedford or valentine would be good to stay at. thedford has the Arrowhead Motel, dog friendly, and a newer Hotel, to cater to the golfers who play at the fancy links course toward Mullen, ( Lord what has the world come to!). Valentine also has dog friendly motels. You can hunt both areas easily from Thedford. Number of cattail skulking roosters on the Valentine refuge will surprise you. Sharpies will be real unpredictable, sometimes they sit in pretty good sized trees, flush wild 100 yards out, but remember for some reason there is always a late flusher that sits.

 

[RK Special K]

10/4 . . . . . I read you load and clear.

Would like to put up a mile high fence along the eastern borders of ND>SD>NE>KS>OK>TX to keep the swanky eastern influences OUT. Let's keep the EAST out of the WEST so the WEST stays the Wild WEST.

Ok, it's settled then. I'm head'n for Thedford, NE. I'm probably going the last week of January for 5-6 days. I'll give you a report upon my return.

Thanks Oldenew.

Over and out . . . . .

 

[RK Special K]

Oldenew,

10/4 . . . . I read you LOUD and clear - not LOAD and clear. My gosh, I must be thinking about load'n up my Benelli Monty 20 and hunt'n up them sharpies!