Sage grouse

[longarm]

I have been interested in trying for them for a few years now. Here in Oregon it's a controlled hunt so you have to put in for a tag and cross your fingers. Season limit is two birds.
Anyone here ever hunt them? Willing to share any tips?
Dan

[burke]

Hunted them in Montana...only thing I can say is know the habitat. Dogs will do their job. They are fun to hunt (what game bird isnt fun ), not so great to eat. Beautiful birds.

[longarm]

Thanks Burke. I've heard absolutely nothing good about their taste. Was thinking a mount.

[fishvik]

Longarm, If they have a season next fall your best bets close to you are Malheur or Harney County in southeast Oregon, Humboldt County in northwest Nevada, or Owyhee County in Idaho. Look for areas of broken sage with water fairly close by. Another good bet is the edge of alfalpha fields near sage. Good luck.

[burke]

Agreed...I would like to go back some day to shoot a nice cock bird to mount.

[Wyobio]

Numbers are down, but we still have quite a few around here. Look in the wet draws early in the morning, start covering ground if they are not nearby. They seem to always be somewhere near the wet draws and watering holes, and they seem to prefer the "middle aged" sage brush. It is hard to desrcibe exactly, but not the super sparse, scrubby stuff or the 10 foot tall old growth stuff either....

We have had horrible hatching success the past few years, the snow and rain into June really hits the chicks hard.

If you do shoot a young bird, they are actually pretty good eating--if you treat it like a piece of steak (or a duck breast).

[44magnum]

I hunt them successfully every year in Idaho. They live on sage and lots of people say they aren't much good to eat but I've had lot's of luck with the taste when I clean them asap. Pretty cool when one lifts off. It's loud and if you're not expecting it it can startle you pretty good. It's one of my favorite birds to hunt. Can't shoot very many according to regs but I try to plan my hunt near a place where I can get my limit of sage grouse in the morning and run up the hill to hunt pine hens later in the day. Works out good for me.

[longarm]

Thanks all for the info, very helpful. Funny thing, the more I research them the more I find that hunters regard their taste as either 1)unfit even for coyotes, or 2)delicious! Nothing a good bottle of wine can't help.

fishvic,
In Oregon they are a controlled hunt, so I will be putting in for a tag. Just trying to pick a unit. I have been looking at SE OR, as you mentioned, and was thinking Beattys Butte area. Do you have any experience in this area? On the other hand I have been reading up on Owyhee country and that looks very inviting, both in OR and in ID..

44magnum,
I was doing a bit of reading today on the Upper Owyhee and its tribs. Are you familiar? Looks like beautiful country and if I gather correctly from the Idaho regs I can get a 3 day license for 'small game' very inexpensively. I'll call them Monday and see what they say.

[44magnum]

Longarm, I live on the Eastern side of Idaho but I make it over to the western part of the state often. I've been in the owyhees but I'm not real familiar with them. I probably have some friends over there who are. My spots are mostly in eastern Idaho but I'd like to do more hunting in the western part in the future.

[fishvik]

Longarm, I lived in both Boise and Winnemucca,NV and now too live in eastern Idaho. I've never hunted in SW Oregon but there should be birds in the area of Beatty's Butte. I believe Nevada still has a short term license too. Both N. Nevada and the Upper Owhyee country bird hunting are adventures that take some planning. Not many towns and rough roads, but usually lots of birds relative to other areas.
Contact both the state F&G agency and the BLM for info on populations and roads. Good luck.

[ymepointer]

I have been interested in trying for them for a few years now. Here in Oregon it's a controlled hunt so you have to put in for a tag and cross your fingers. Season limit is two birds.
Anyone here ever hunt them? Willing to share any tips?
Dan

I used to hunt them in Oregon,

I hunted in the Stinking water mountains (Your Oregon Atlas will clue you in. I hunted in mixed Big and Small Sage flats near WATER.....FIND WATER and SAGE and you should find birds....Do lots of scouting and Snakeproof your dog....Our last time huting in the Stinkin Water, we killed more Ratlers than Grouse

[longarm]

ymepointer,
Thanks for the tip. I had a chat with a vet friend of mine last night. She recommended NOT bringing a dog for the very reason you mentioned: LOTS of rattlers. Not sure I can go bird hunting w/o my dog (that's just wrong!) so I think I will spend some time training for snake avoidance prior to the trip.

Planning on a late Spring scout trip. Really just an excuse to get out there and walk around I guess. But I have collected a bunch of maps and talked with a few folks and am getting excited!

[fishvik]

Planning on a late Spring scout trip. Really just an excuse to get out there and walk around I guess. But I have collected a bunch of maps and talked with a few folks and am getting excited!

Longarm, Depending on how early in the spring to go, If you can find a strutting ground in late March or early April you can witness one of natures great shows. Those big male birds really get into it and they are completely oblivious to anything they don't feel is a threat. I've had them strut at my blue Nisson pickup. It is best to park on the edge of the strutting ground and sit in your rig with binocs or spotting scope. Just make sure you or your dogs don't get out. You don't want to ruin the old boy's opportunity to pick-up chicks.

[Wyobio]

ymepointer,

Planning on a late Spring scout trip. Really just an excuse to get out there and walk around I guess. But I have collected a bunch of maps and talked with a few folks and am getting excited!

They are such a neat bird, it is well worth it to see them strutting. Get out there early in the morning, they quit strutting before the sun get very high!

However, do not expect to see the birds in the same areas during hunting season. Around here (western Wyomming), the birds wintering grounds are quite a ways south (lower elevation) than the areas they spend the summer. Their leks are closer to where they spend the winter, and the areas that we find them during the hunting season are many miles away.....