Gun Dog Forum

So all the details yet to be worked out, but looks like the girlfriend and I are moving to Fort Collins CO in August. Pretty excited, been wanting to move west since I was a kid. Does anyone hunt the front range north of Denver? We have a Britt pup that we adopted this spring hes just a year now and I'm going to want him on wild birds as often as possible for training (and obviously once the season opens). Just wanted to start to get an idea about whats what out that way. I'm from Michigan so grew up hunting ruffies in the nasty thick stuff. Anyone know if I can get into grouse or phes or honestly whatever within a reasonable drive from Fort Collins?? Thanks!

not much in that area, close by anyway.

Go east a couple of hours or so and you could get some phez.

Go north west on the wyoming border and there are some sage grouse.

I know the laramie range of wyoming, which is not far, has some blues and ruffs. But not large numbers.

some other people might be some more help.

brandon

I'm from the area and hunt 30-40 days a year within 3-5 hours east of Fort Collins. Solid pheasant numbers on the Colorado/Nebraska/Kansas border. Further east into Nebraska/Kansas will bring a mixed bag of not only pheasant but quail and prairie chickens. Good dogs, good people and great country. Welcome to God's Country......Colorado!

Hopefully this doesn't sound stupid....it does seem they have a season for them. A few years ago, I worked on a project on Mt. Evans counting ptarmigan populations. I believe that was in around an hour of Denver. Not sure if you can hunt or train on that particular mountain, but i would imagine others have a decent population as well. I've seen articles in PDJ and others on hunting them, but they never seem to get mentioned here on GDF....oh well, just a thought.

-John

mcclinj wrote:Hopefully this doesn't sound stupid....it does seem they have a season for them. A few years ago, I worked on a project on Mt. Evans counting ptarmigan populations.

Yes, there is a season...runs right a long with big game season. No one in their right mind would take dogs up in the mountains to hunt birds during big game season! As John K said...take your dog and go east young man

Kansas isn't too far either. Sterling area was good this past yr.