New Guy...intro

S

Sapphire

New member
Just wanted to say hi and I'm glad I found the forum. I spent a fair bit of time bird hunting with my dad when I was a little kid, shot a lot of dove, band-tailed pigeons, mountain grouse and a "few" pheasant and quail in Washington. Then he got into hounds and we shifted to bears and cats!

Anyhow, after a long, long break, I am back at it. Last winter I picked up a little springer pup from a rancher in Forsyth and this fall he proved to be well worth it. I couldn't find any "good" spots to pheasant hunt this fall, but we still knocked down and retrieved a few birds and right towards the end of the season he basically went batty over birds... so I am really looking forward to next season.

This is him with his first pheasant ever....(I guess I'll see if I know how to post a pic???)
GD1stBirdrs.jpg


I do have some questions... I am in Billings. Within a "couple" hours drive of here, can I expect to get into decent numbers of birds without having to pay for access??? Couple hours... gives me a radius going to Lewistown, Grass Range, Miles City, Hardin... and back along the Yellowstone to say Big Timber, then up into that Harlotown country along the Musselshell...

Thanks for any insight here!
 
There is some great pheasant hunting on the yellowstone, you just have to knock on doors. I tried the Fort Keough reserve around miles city ,and although i didnt find birds on my one attempt there, it does look like with that much habitat you would have to find birds there.

North to Lewistown region has traditionally been good hunting, but due to spring rains, and tough winters , not so good lately. Like the yellowstone knocking on doors will eventually lead to some opportunities.

I know it is farther than you want to hear but in years past the Plentywood area, Froid, Culbertson and the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation have been good. Again , tough spring, and winters have hurt that area.
There are still birds in the pheasant strongholds, but spotty is the term i hear mostly, however with that good looking springer at your side, the fun is the trip! good hunting , welcome
 
Yep, I want to kill some birds, but mostly I just like to have this guy out for a walk with me! Thanks for all the good info. Is the Fort Belknap res the one right there at Wolf Point? I wasn't aware hunting was allowed there. I actually have some inlaws that have land up there, farmers... maybe some opportunity there.

Thanks again,

Ernie
 
The best pheasant hunting in MT now is along the main rivers and tributaries. [always has been to]
If I lived in Billings I would get to know landowners irrigating/farming in good bird habitat areas in the Yellowstone Valley. Offer help during the busy times like calving or with crops, fencing etc.
You have the best pheasant country in MT right near by.
 
I will definitely be trying to make some friends along the river. It seems like this year there weren't near as many birds on the river ( I work, fish and deer hunt along the river alot).. but that wet spring was pretty hard core of course.
 
have a friend that hunts ft. Belknap, and quit hunting in the dakotas... not sure this would have been the year to try it though/
 
Welcome from a displaced Montanan. Enjoy the forum.
 
You in Washington now Koja? Thats where Im displaced from... I like the placement though!

That Ft. Belknap deal... do you have to get some sort of tribal permit? I'll have to give the in law a call and see what he's seeing for pheasant. i know a few years ago when i saw him he had a boat load of huns hanging around his place... or it could have been sharpies, I'm not sure I remember correctly?!?!
 
The FT Belknap would not be a bad choice for Huns and Sharptails. Good Sage Grouse populations in the heavy sage country. Pheasant are limited because of habitat. North along the Milk River has a decent population. There are some drainage's from the Little Rockies that have good pheasant habitat.
You will need a tribal permit.
 
Sapphire said:
I will definitely be trying to make some friends along the river. It seems like this year there weren't near as many birds on the river ( I work, fish and deer hunt along the river alot).. but that wet spring was pretty hard core of course.
Click to expand...

Yeah, pheasants were more in pockets this year. Best hunting was near or in the heavy cover where Winter survival and food sources helped. The big grasslands didn't do so well and will take several years of good weather to get the pheasant populations back.
 
Does anyone know if the area around the musselshell, from Roundup to Harlotown is any good? What about up near Grassrange?
 
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