Prairie grouse trip

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
I realize this is the pheasant forum, but I don't think there's a prairie grouse forum and this might cover a few different states. I'm thinking of trying a trip before roosters open up to hunt for prairie grouse, probably mostly sharptails. If I get lucky maybe some gray partridge. After I won the prairie chicken lottery last year in MN and got lucky and stumbled into some on my last day of the hunt and tagged out, it got in my blood a little bit. I really enjoyed that hunt and seeing the different cover versus pheasants. There's something special about walking the wide open country, where you can see for miles into a limitless horizon. I'm a bit of a history buff, and thinking of it now, America is such a special country. The tall grass prairie of eastern SD, Iowa, MN is home to me. I hit a spot in Iowa last year where the big bluestem was over my head. I never did move a bird there, but it was neat to have the opportunity to walk it. I'm sure they were in there, but it was windy and tough to hunt. The short grass prairie is a whole 'nother deal. Regardless of the cover type, I love being in the middle of nowhere away from all traces of modern civilization with just me and a good bird dog. I'm planning on trying camping on this trip. Spending a few precious days walking and sleeping on the prairie, regardless of the results, sounds like time well spent to me.
 
Sounds pretty fun to me! For what it's worth, if any of you find yourselves in central Iowa, check out the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, about 1/2 hour east of Des Moines. It's a fantastic restoration project. It's incredible, to me, that settlers were actually able to cross tall grass prairie as they headed west. It was a formidable undertaking.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/neal-smith
 
Did our first sharptail specific trip last year. Had a great time and while we aren’t going back this fall already making plans for next fall to go again. Can’t wait.
 
Sounds like a good time , I’d say do it.
I’m thinking about Nebraska , that heats a killer and sounds like porcupines are a real possibility but I still may do it. Maybe hit some chickens in Kansas on the drive home. I’m with you there’s nothing like walking those hills you feel like your on top of the world
 
I'll never forget my buddy's dad when I told him I was out at their ranch hunting grouse. He snickered and said, "Seriously? People hunt those things?" They certainly don't possess the cunning and wiles of a mature rooster, but if the difference between hunting and not hunting is a grouse, then I say go for it. And they have some of the very best meat. Pan seared rare with a red wine reduction sauce and some risotto is many delish.
 
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Golden Hour said:
I'll never forget my buddy's dad when I told him I was out at their ranch hunting grouse. He snickered and said, "Seriously? People hunt those things?" They certainly don't possess the cunning and wiles of a mature rooster, but if the difference between hunting and not hunting is a grouse, then I say go for it. And they have some of the very best meat. Pan seared rare with a red wine reduction sauce and some risotto is many delish.
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don't forget, marinade for 24 hrs.
 
Been doing a sharpie trip for several years running. The first year was _rough_. As a pheasant hunter getting the idea of good pheasant cover out of my head was a challenge. Have done MT and ND (several areas). The birds are there if you put in the work, and pay attention to the cover. Biggest problem is the early season heat can be really, really hard on dogs. We usually concentrate on hunting a couple spots in the AM, scout and relax after lunch, and maybe hit a small spot before sunset if the temps are good.
 
Makintrax73 said:
Been doing a sharpie trip for several years running. The first year was _rough_. As a pheasant hunter getting the idea of good pheasant cover out of my head was a challenge. Have done MT and ND (several areas). The birds are there if you put in the work, and pay attention to the cover. Biggest problem is the early season heat can be really, really hard on dogs. We usually concentrate on hunting a couple spots in the AM, scout and relax after lunch, and maybe hit a small spot before sunset if the temps are good.
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A couple of decages ago, I used to help with a PF mentor hunt each fall. One year one of our regular dog handlers had to back out. He had just lost both his Weimaraner's to hyperthermia while out west on a prairie chicken hunt.

I have a pretty flexible work schedule and an understanding wife. If the temps are reasonable this year, I will go. Last year was hot, I stayed home.
 
Bob Peters said:
I realize this is the pheasant forum, but I don't think there's a prairie grouse forum and this might cover a few different states. I'm thinking of trying a trip before roosters open up to hunt for prairie grouse, probably mostly sharptails. If I get lucky maybe some gray partridge. After I won the prairie chicken lottery last year in MN and got lucky and stumbled into some on my last day of the hunt and tagged out, it got in my blood a little bit. I really enjoyed that hunt and seeing the different cover versus pheasants. There's something special about walking the wide open country, where you can see for miles into a limitless horizon. I'm a bit of a history buff, and thinking of it now, America is such a special country. The tall grass prairie of eastern SD, Iowa, MN is home to me. I hit a spot in Iowa last year where the big bluestem was over my head. I never did move a bird there, but it was neat to have the opportunity to walk it. I'm sure they were in there, but it was windy and tough to hunt. The short grass prairie is a whole 'nother deal. Regardless of the cover type, I love being in the middle of nowhere away from all traces of modern civilization with just me and a good bird dog. I'm planning on trying camping on this trip. Spending a few precious days walking and sleeping on the prairie, regardless of the results, sounds like time well spent to me.
Click to expand...
Been sharptail hunting in ND for several years. Great way to start the season. Only down side is the likelyhood of heat. Always hard to remember when you flush a covey; one of the birds closest to you is often the last to flush!
 
I used to hunt on the res near Norris SD every year. We started out in late Sept, but we started seeing so many phez we moved our start date back so we could take phez too. Lots of heat! Dry! sunny! White colored dogs help tremendously. Like was said before, most days start at daylight & hunt till it gets hot & then maybe a little bit in the evening. If you can hunt along a creek it helps a lot. Pray for a rainy day!
 
My first PC hunt in many, many years was probably 4-5 years ago. (No sharpies in KS, just PC) It was all about getting some early season practice for my dogs and an opportunity to follow the dogs with a shotgun and "intent" before pheasant season. It has begun to get into my blood too. It used to be that PC hunting was second place to many other late-September and October alternatives, but not now. It's much higher on the priority list. Hopefully I can make it out at least 3 times before heading to SD.

Someday I'd like to go north for sharpies and huns. (Yes I realize huns aren't a prairie grouse, but they're another bird that will hold for a point)
 
hunter94 said:
don't forget, marinade for 24 hrs.
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When I got my two prairie chickens last year, I threw them in a cooler with ice, drove straight home, and 3 hours later my buddy cleaned them on the tailgate (I did help). No marinade and they were fantastic. I mean really really good. I will say I'm lucky to have a hunting buddy that enjoys cooking and is good at it. When I text him pictures of the birds, he started looking up recipes. I stopped at the panther distillery in alexandria to pick him up a bottle of bourbon, because he likes whiskey, and he's the kind of friend I would never be able to replace. I did also stop and let Skye the golden retriever jump off the dock into lake Osakis and swim for a while, because she was covered in prairie dust. It was such a great hunting trip, because we had to work against the heat, hunting new birds in unfamiliar territory, and wild flushes. Not to mention it's often considered that prairie grouse are birds best hunted with a pointer. That may be true. Either way, when at the eleventh hour, on our final walk of the whole trip, Skye worked up two birds perfectly and put them each up off the end of her nose, flush, shot, retrieve... well it was like I got to spend a few minutes in heaven. I wished I had it on video to share, but I know that I'll never forget it as long as I live. My buddy has a preference point for this season in MN. I told him that I likely won't draw again, but I'd be just as happy to travel with him and walk alongside him and the dog.20220926_111624.jpg
 
Prarie grouse live in a big beautiful habitat. I love hunting them. Probably a little less than pheasant or quail but it’s still a very cool hunt. I recently went to the north shore of Minnesota and saw my first ruffed grouse. In fact my Britany Piper was with us and pointed it. Now I’d love to give them a try.
 
Westok said:
Prarie grouse live in a big beautiful habitat. I love hunting them. Probably a little less than pheasant or quail but it’s still a very cool hunt. I recently went to the north shore of Minnesota and saw my first ruffed grouse. In fact my Britany Piper was with us and pointed it. Now I’d love to give them a try.
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North shore is a good place for ruffed grouse….Gunflint trail very good.
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
Sounds pretty fun to me! For what it's worth, if any of you find yourselves in central Iowa, check out the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, about 1/2 hour east of Des Moines. It's a fantastic restoration project. It's incredible, to me, that settlers were actually able to cross tall grass prairie as they headed west. It was a formidable undertaking.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/neal-smith
Click to expand...
I bet it was a walk in the park compared to the rockies!
 
In the early 2000's the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission attempted to reestablish prairie chickens in the northeast part of the state. One of the flocks took up residence on my parents land. You could get 3 free tags for the birds in this part of the state. I didn't do a lot of bird hunting at that time, but once I was able to double on them. I sent one home with a friend, and kept the other for myself. That night my buddy called and said that that bird was the best tasting gamebird he had ever eaten. I cooked mine the next night, and I thought it was delicious. Must have something to do with the different diets???

Those birds hung in there for 8-10 years. The flock on my parents land probably numbered around 30 at its peak. Sadly, after the brutal winter we had in 2009-10, we never saw another one.
 
I did pretty much exactly what your describing last year and had a blast, so much so that I’m going back this year. I had never seen a sharptail or hun but shot limits multiple days. Saw some amazing new country, camped out on the open prairie with just me and the dogs. It was certainly one of the highlights of my hunting career. Heat was the only real downside for me but at least I didn’t have to worry about being cold at night in camp. I highly recommend that you take advantage if you have the opportunity.
 
If you want to mix some history in it the Teddy Roosevelt in ND would be a good destination. Went there 1st week of Oct last year and while not crazy bird numbers there we did get into them and huns every day.
 
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