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Sage Grouse Hunting For Non-Residents

panfisher

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Hi all, looking for some help on hunting some upland birds the fall in Wyoming or Montana. Have never been to either state hunting and have always wanted to harvest a sage grouse. I hunt a lot of pheasant in northeast Iowa and grouse in Wisconsin. Have no idea where to begin. Where’s the best areas statewide to go on public land? Not looking for specific spots, just general areas. Does a person need to prep for camping or are there towns close by with hotels? Is non-toxic shot requires? Is there a place to get maps ahead of time? I have just begun researching this hunt and would like to do one yet this year. Would be coming out with two dogs and two guys. I know it’s a lot to ask, and I’m thinking of more as I type, but I thought I’d give this forum a shot to see where to start.
 
Throw a dart on the map between Highway 2 and Fort Peck Reservoir.

Non toxic is required on all CMR lands and on the American Prairie Reserve.

I would camp, but you could stay in a hotel. It'll just make more driving.

I'm partial to OnX in lieu of paper maps.
 
Thanks JLS! Would it be better to stay in Glasgow or miles city? Looks like a lot more blm land up north, but wondering if the leased ground has better habitat around it? Even though it is sparse? Thanks for the help getting me this far, greatly appreciated! Is there much for rattle snakes in these parts? My dog is not snake trained.
 
So,

South Western Wyoming is a great place to hunt them. You can fly into SLC and within two-three hours be out and hunting them.

And there are no rattlesnakes outside of the flaming gorge area.

Sage grouse are my favorite bird to hunt with the dog. They hold so well and most of the time you can get multiple shots at the same bird group.

If I find them, then I will try to pick out a male and not try to limit out early. Gotta let the dog work.

There are a couple of other things that you can hunt as well. The duck season opens at the same time and pine grouse is open as well. You can easily get all three.

Ducks are on the cattle ponds while hunting the sage chickens and pine grouse are just a short drive away.

If you decide Wyoming, then let me know. I know a lot of spots to go. Miles on miles of BLM.

On of the issues with Sage Grouse is they can be next to the truck or 2 miles away and you have no idea which is which until you get out and hunt them. They live in a sea of sage brush.
 
Dude, It’s completely up in the air as to what state to hunt. Looking at a map of Wyoming, would Rock Springs be a place to stay? Not seeing mych else for towns on the interactive map on GFP website. I may dig a little harder though. Camping at this point is probably out. Don’t have enough gear yet, and I’m pretty sure my wife won’t allow me to purchase the rest of what I need.
 
Yeah, I know some spots near Rock Springs. You'll get to see the desert elk herd if you hunt there.

Evanston, Kemmerer, Pinedale, and Green River all have hotels as well.
 
Hi all, looking for some help on hunting some upland birds the fall in Wyoming or Montana. Have never been to either state hunting and have always wanted to harvest a sage grouse. I hunt a lot of pheasant in northeast Iowa and grouse in Wisconsin. Have no idea where to begin. Where’s the best areas statewide to go on public land? Not looking for specific spots, just general areas. Does a person need to prep for camping or are there towns close by with hotels? Is non-toxic shot requires? Is there a place to get maps ahead of time? I have just begun researching this hunt and would like to do one yet this year. Would be coming out with two dogs and two guys. I know it’s a lot to ask, and I’m thinking of more as I type, but I thought I’d give this forum a shot to see where to start.
Where you at in northeast Iowa?
 
If you look to do it in SW MT, then look for water. I usually find them within a hundred yards of a creek.
 
I second SW WY. I like staying in Evanston- plenty of cheap motels, walmart, surprisingly good mexican food, and access to a ton of BLM. That early in the season I only see them near water, natural or piped in by cattle ranchers. Will trade a GPS pin for an Iowa quail or pheasant public pin - PM of course. Some excellent res/lake fishing just across the line in UT too.
 
Winnett MT
There is a small motel that's CHEEP.
A restaurant and GAS.
Over the counter bird licenses, no place in Winnett to get one stop in a larger town.
Mega BMAs lot of BLM access and a good amount of birds.
Only about 8 miles north of Winnett.
KEEP an eye on the weather if it rained you could be in trouble.
This year there is water every where so the birds are spread around a lot.
They tend to roost for the night on the side of south facing hills and counterair to popular belief
There feeding on grass hoppers this time of year and not in the real heave sagebrush.
Find some with grass in-between the bushes .
I think you can only shoot two a day with a 3 day in hand.
 
I second SW WY. I like staying in Evanston- plenty of cheap motels, walmart, surprisingly good mexican food, and access to a ton of BLM. That early in the season I only see them near water, natural or piped in by cattle ranchers. Will trade a GPS pin for an Iowa quail or pheasant public pin - PM of course. Some excellent res/lake fishing just across the line in UT too.
Don’t have a gps pin to trade, (don’t have a gps) but can certainly give you plenty of public hunting area locations that I have hunted a lot over the years that have produced a lot of pheasant. Heck, if your coming to Iowa, look me up, have several areas to go, public and private, and always enjoy new company. My nephew has the loot on the quail in south Iowa. He’d been having great success in recent years but this years flooding along the Missouri River May have wiped out his areas. Have to wait and see on that one.
 
Sage hen are very big birds MUCH larger then a Pheasant.
Shots seam to be 10 feet to 40 yards, sometimes they just sit there other times they jump at the sight of a parking pickup.
I like #4s.
Just a word, they fly VERY slow If they ump close take your time and DON'T shoot in front of them.
 
Sage hen are very big birds MUCH larger then a Pheasant.
Shots seam to be 10 feet to 40 yards, sometimes they just sit there other times they jump at the sight of a parking pickup.
I like #4s.
Just a word, they fly VERY slow If they ump close take your time and DON'T shoot in front of them.

One of the few birds that you can miss way out in front of. They are very slow.

Most shots are 20 feet or less from my experience.

You may also find that only a handful of the birds get up and after you shoot one and the dog retrieves a downed bird walking towards the dog one will get up at your feet and scare the bejesus out of you.

More than a couple times, I have been caught without one in the chamber due to a bird that didn't get up with the group.

Which isn't an issue, just watch where they go and head that way.

For as big as they are, they hide and hold extremely well.

I use 20 gauge steel number 6 shot.

I went to all steel shot, because I didn't want to see a duck on a pond and have lead in the truck or on my person and be forced to not try for the duck by law.

I carry some 3" number 2's for ducks on the ponds.

12 gauge is a bit much due to a lot of the shots being so close, well that and I have a full choke on the 12.
 
Don’t have a gps pin to trade, (don’t have a gps) but can certainly give you plenty of public hunting area locations that I have hunted a lot over the years that have produced a lot of pheasant. Heck, if your coming to Iowa, look me up, have several areas to go, public and private, and always enjoy new company. My nephew has the loot on the quail in south Iowa. He’d been having great success in recent years but this years flooding along the Missouri River May have wiped out his areas. Have to wait and see on that one.

If you stay in Evanston get a HMA (https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Public-Access/Hunter-Management-Areas) free permit for the Bear River Divide and Medicine Butter then go there.

Tons of country and sage brush to hunt.

A lot of stock ponds as well to hunt around.
 
Nevee hunted them before but good luck! Bucket list bird for me, my dad used to get a few every year hunting in western nd back in the day.
 
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