Nice morning in the high country of MT

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BrowningCitori

Member
I had a nice morning in the Montana high country hunting blue grouse. My shooting left a little to be desired but still managed to put two in vest. Fall color change is in full swing as you can see. :D
 
That's really nice! Thanks for sharing.

Hey, I just goot off the phone with a friend who's in western MT for a few days. He kept yelling out he's seeing pheasants then hung up so he could take a picture and send it too me. He sent me a text with a photo of a few dozen birds in a stubble field:confused:

Then he called back saying he saw about 60 roosters. I didn't know they had wild pheasants in that part of the state:confused:
 
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That is some great looking country. Congrats on the Blues.

I am headed to central MT for my first out of KS bird hunt. Can't wait. But will be hunting flatter ground than that :thumbsup:
 
1pheas4 said:
That's really nice! Thanks for sharing.

Hey, I just goot off the phone with a friend who's in western MT for a few days. He kept yelling out he's seeing pheasants then hung up so he could take a picture and send it too me. He sent me a text with a photo of a few dozen birds in a stubble field:confused:

Then he called back saying he saw about 60 roosters. I didn't know they had wild pheasants in that part of the state:confused:
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There are pheasants in the Bitterroot, Missoula, Mission and Flathead Valleys (maybe more areas that I don't know about). In the 1950s the old timers tell me there were lots of pheasants in all of those valleys (less intensive agriculture/more waste/odd areas). Access isn't easy and the public areas are hunted hard in my experience. Some amazing mountain back drops for photos! :D
 
SetterNut said:
That is some great looking country. Congrats on the Blues.

I am headed to central MT for my first out of KS bird hunt. Can't wait. But will be hunting flatter ground than that :thumbsup:
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I think you are going to enjoy central MT, bird numbers are good from what I am hearing and seeing.
 
Great photos, but you made me miss my home state even more. And yes, there are Pheas in SW MT; not the numbers in the central & eastern part of the state, but they are there.
 
BrowningCitori said:
I had a nice morning in the Montana high country hunting blue grouse. My shooting left a little to be desired but still managed to put two in vest. Fall color change is in full swing as you can see. :D
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where would you get the grouse up at in that thin grass or in the cedar trees ? How do you huint them? Do dogs point them obviously with your lab i know he flushed them but do pointing dogs point them?
 
only a pointer said:
where would you get the grouse up at in that thin grass or in the cedar trees ? How do you huint them? Do dogs point them obviously with your lab i know he flushed them but do pointing dogs point them?
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Pointing dogs do point them and them damn things can be anywhere!!! Sage, Aspen, Grass in the clearcuts and down falls and in the timber!!! Like Pheas, hunt the edges of all those to create your best chances. BrowningCitori, very nice!!! Great to get out in the High Country!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!:coolpics::thumbsup:
 
only a pointer said:
where would you get the grouse up at in that thin grass or in the cedar trees ? How do you huint them? Do dogs point them obviously with your lab i know he flushed them but do pointing dogs point them?
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They will hold for a pointing dog. The are often in the edge of the grass/brush/trees. Sometimes they are in the wide open/thin stuff. No fun to hunt, when they are in the thick trees. In the trees they will often flush and land in the trees, they don't do that if flushed in the open. Challenging shooting most of the time. Some of the best table fare on the planet. :D
 
Nice job on the pics and congrats on a great time.

Bet the Blues are on the edges feasting on hoppers and green shoots this time of the year.:thumbsup:

Tell you what:) those irrigated mountain valleys all through Western Montana are prime pheasant country. Climate out West is sooooo much better then that to the East in MT. But you sure enough won't find any where the Blues are.
 
Sweet! <I am so jealous. Big sigh> You and pooch nailed em.
 
been out chasing blues and ruffs twice in sw montana , due to fire danger in my local area, have had to travel some to get out. my labs have smelled some fresh scent , but no flushes to date.

Great sport, great eating, and great not having to worry about rattlers this time of year.
 
:cheers::cheers:
BrowningCitori said:
They will hold for a pointing dog. The are often in the edge of the grass/brush/trees. Sometimes they are in the wide open/thin stuff. No fun to hunt, when they are in the thick trees. In the trees they will often flush and land in the trees, they don't do that if flushed in the open. Challenging shooting most of the time. Some of the best table fare on the planet. :D
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