Samuel R. Mclevie National forest

jfreeman

jfreeman

New member
Anyone have any experience hunting grouse here how are the numbers
and is it usually crowded around the 21 of Sept., I am condidering a trip
for grouse and looking for advice in this area. I have heard there is some
cabins on lake Merritt for rent next to the forest.Also how wild are the
grouse at this time of the season and will they hold for pointers, any
advice would be appreciated very much.

Thanks in advance
 
sharptails

See the transfered post above yours. As far as " the Trading Post", at Merritt Res., great place, pricey, but has everything you want, only gas for 25+ or minus miles, approximately 25% above normal lower 48 normal. They have a web site. Grouse population varies, due to rainfall, and range conditions, taller less grazed grass translates into better hunting. The forest leases the pastures to cattle grazers during the growing season, usually they hay the road sides also. If it's dry, better hunting on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, between Thedford and Valentine, no grazing allowed. Can also try the Bessey division of the Nebraska national forest, between Halsey and Thedford. It allows grazing also, but conditions vary year to year, place to place. Both Thedford and Valentine have gas, food, and dog friendly lodging. Pasture units are large, from 3000 to 7000 acres, and managed as units, some will have better range than others, some grazing is good, stimulates lush growth, to much reduces the diversity of plants, and leaves very low range conditions, grouse still use them, but extremely alert, and wild. Dogs will have to adjust to the birds, and more importantly to the conditions, cactus, sand burrs, spanish bayonet ( yucca), rattlesnakes, porcupines, dry, low scent conditions. My experience is they will handle about a third of the sharptails encountered, they will do better with prairie chickens. Area is vast, and habitat is subtle, take note of where you contact birds and seek like conditons.
 
thanks for the helpful info OLDandNEW it was very helpful. my biggest
concern is the grass burrs do the dogs need boots or not I guess it depends
on how thick they are, thanks again.
 
sand burrs

I have never used them, but have been tempted. The burrs predominantly around the blow out areas, or where ever there has been high traffic from livestock, trails, around windmills, at gate crossings, and two lane tracks. In the hills, where the birds are 90% of the time, you will normally not find a lot. My dogs have learned to drop and pull them out, and go on. Ocaasionally, some are gimpy for a few days, but keeping boots on, even with the duct tape trick, is a miserable experience, and generally they still pick up burrs higher up than the boots, or when they sit down etc. campgrounds are also prime burr country. I usually fight my own war with the damn things, and have had to pull out many from a pant cuff, along with prickly pear, and the ever present yucca spears. Some areas have a really nice dwarf version of pig weed also, kind of like sand burrs only twice the size needle. Usually found together in the same damaged or worn areas, as they are the first pioneer plants to sprout and begin to stabilize the sand soil. by the way, years ago in the 1970's and 80's it used to be possible in the low spots in canyons, to literally dig down by hand and hit water in 3 -5 feet! A lot of the windmills in those days had been drilled with a spear point and a hammer. Fascinating country, and I wouldn't trade the experience for anything, or change the country one iota. The dogs will adjust with or without boots, as far as hunting pressure, some on opening weekend, and a few days after, very little after that. Lots of room.
 
thanks old and new
this has been very helpful information if I go it will be around the 21 of
sept.
 
good luck, it will be like west Texas hunting, except trade out a lot of cactus for sand burrs, which most dogs struggle with....if they get in a patch, it really slows them down. i would recommend boots, homemade out of rubber motorcycle inner tubes, cut and tape, they will stay on and turn the burrs, allowing the dog to hunt instead of stopping all the time and picking...also, if you hunt for 3 or 4 days straight, that dog will have sore feet, guaranteed...unless he has conditioned pads...again, have fun and let us know how you do........
 
:)I have hunted 5 straight years there. Its really an incredible place to experience. The vastness is amazing. Make sure and GPS your truck as all the land looks the same. The topography, amazing food sources, unbelievable insect life(I've never seen so many multcolored grasshoppers anywhere), and, yes, rattlesnakes, porkys are all there. I got lost there once in a storm and got totally turned around. Took me forever to find my truck that day!:cheers:
Nebraska sharptails are very wild. They don't hold well for points compared to sharpys in some other states; but, that's what makes them such a challenge.
The prairie chickens hold much better for my pudelpointers. There is also very good dove hunting there and we have done that many evenings.
Shoeing. I do not shoe my dogs; but my friend shoes his springer spaniel. The country is tough on dogs; but, my dogs deal with it as they know that there are lots of birds. I carry hemos, tape and a small first aid kit while hunting. Also, I've seen longer haired dogs get covered with sand burrs and handlers are continually brushing the stuff out. My pudelpointers are slick coated and that kind of coat does well in the sandhill environment.
If you haven't experienced sandhill hunting, I highly recommend it for those of you who really like to walk a lot.

arkrivco
 
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