Prairie Chickens

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DrahtsRock

New member
Anyone seen them this year while looking for pheasants? Or even bag a few? I have heard a lot of reports about quail, but what about chickens? Sure seems people are seeing a lot of hens and they sure can look like a hen pheasant. I am just curious after seeing them all over the eastern half of the state. Maybe they just follow me.
 
I think you are thinking of sage-grouse or mountain sharp tails. There is a season open through Jan. 6 in unit 97, 93, 98, 100, 101, and 102 for greater prairie chicken. There are a few sharp tails out east too, just no season on them. The populations are doing well and both seem to be on the incline, hope they keep doing so well.
 
Jake pointed some Sharp tail out by Fleming but no Prairie Chickens!
 
I seen a group of 4 Sharptail and a group about 3 miles away from them about 40 in that group, Most i have ever seen out there.
 
any ways, my son and i were out on some walk in property so.west of holyoke yesterday and i saw something i assumed to be a hen pheasant coast into cut corn field that was open to hunting so we walked over to where i thought it went in and as we got closer (about 150 yds) a large tan bird flushed out of there followed by 2 more about 2 minutes apart each.from the way they flew i assumed they were prairie chickens.i put the dog in the spot and she went off. there was lots of tracks and it appeared they had been rooting near some cut wheat stubble that had either volunteered in the corn or was left behind by the "no till" technique that's common nowadays.
i guess if i had question,im wondering how one hunts them things?ive read its not possible to really walk em up ,they pass shoot them out of blinds near the leks.ive seen old pictures where they stacked em up with sxs shotguns.
thoughts?
ps one hen pheasant seen flushed out of a cut wheat field.
the lady at the gas station said "it was too hot this summer for the hens to set on the eggs and they all dried up"
 
I've seen PCs out around Yuma the last two seasons but no shots. You're first reaction is "hens", then you watch a bit and say, "oops", PCs. When I've encountered them they normally flushed as a "flock,covey,group" and flew closely together to whereever. If a group of pheasant hens flushes they don't stick together as closely. When I've known about them, and they were in season, I've never had any come up close enough for a shot.
POL
 

i googled prairie chicken hunting and thought others might enjoy this
 
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