Idaho or Montana?

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tailcracken pointer
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Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Mon May 01, 2017 9:57 am

I am going to Idaho or Montana this year for an upland hunt but having a hard time deciding where, I never have been outside of ks and was looking for some help of where to go and best opportunities at huns and sharptail as I love watching my dogs work i did talk to one individual who was nice enough to help me with a chance at one sage grouse in Idaho and thanks , i don't wanna mention his name with respect to him , i have been researching Montana lots and even bought a gps with the montana chip for downloading bm and private landowner property that is private, i am just not sure of the the southeastern part of Idaho for huns and sharps , why i was asking for some help of more experienced uplanders who has experience in that region of Idaho , and anyone that had hunted the ne region in montana , which one would you guys who have experience would go to ?thanks Bryan

mask
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by mask » Mon May 01, 2017 1:56 pm

Hey Brian I live in Idaho but we do hunt out of state most years. If I wanted Sharp Tails or Sage hens I would got to Montana. There are areas in Montana that are good for huns also. There are places in East Idaho that are good for Sharp Tails and Sage hens but we like Montana, ND, and Canada better. When you decide let me know and I will try to steer you into a few spots. Bill

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Mon May 01, 2017 3:01 pm

Thanks Bill, a guide called me from Montana today and said he was all booked up? Hard to believe I would be this late already? Don't get me wrong here guys I'm not looking for your gps coordianates I bird hunt 60 days a year in ks I'm just unfamiliar with montana and Idaho and I have and am doing my research lol On a bricklayers budget!!

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tekoa
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tekoa » Mon May 01, 2017 3:32 pm

This probably won't help you decide, it just highlights the dilemma.

I have hunted the Miles City, MT area for many years for Sharps, and Grays,mostly BLM and Block Management land, always been fun, lots of birds and lots of walking. Big country calls for big going dogs. If you want Pheasant, take a (200 mile) drive North to Plentywood. And of course you are only a short drive away from South Dakota's Pheasant Country.

I hunt Magic Valley in Idaho for Quail on my way to and from Montana. Once again always found plenty of shooting, lots of birds but required lots of scouting to find big numbers of birds. Idaho's hunting access programs are'nt quite as good as Montana's but I always found plenty of good BLM, CRP, and private land access with good numbers of birds. You might also find a few Grays and Pheasant in the same spots as the Quail.

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Mon May 01, 2017 5:54 pm

Ok thanks , not interested in pheasants have plenty in ks, its hard to get an area hat I can get after one male sage and spend the rest of my time hunting huns and sharps,i kind of like the fort peck area for huns and sharps for dog work, but what honestly bothers me about the plentywood area in sept is how much pressure? I have read that in that area in sept there is not that much, if your just hunting huns and sharpies is there sage in that area?

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tekoa
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tekoa » Mon May 01, 2017 8:52 pm

It's true that you'll a lot more pressure around Plentywood. That's why I hunt the SE corner of the state. Fort Peck has also been good for Sharpies and Grays.

I've never hunted Sage Grouse and rarely see them, so I'm no help there. Also lots of hunters along the Highline including Ft Peck during Pheasant season. Hunt before and after Pheasant and you won't see a soul.

After Pheasant Season the Sharps and Grays flush at long distances (see posts in this forum about late season Sharps) but singles are still doable with a good pointer. Weather gets a bit iffy. It can be great through November some years and snow you out in the first week in other years, so best to have a backup plan in the south if you plan to go in November.

Other advantage to Ft Peck and the Highline is more and better places to stay, eat and drink, although fewer that are dog friendly.

Maybe I'll see you there. I plan to there mid October until the snow flies..............Before that I'll be chasing Quail in Idaho.

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tekoa
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tekoa » Mon May 01, 2017 9:39 pm

I just remembered an old friend who hunts Sage Grouse. He hunted the Missouri Breaks around UL Bend National WLR and up to Ft Peck. Stayed in comfort at a B&B called Tillman's South of Malta, drove some to get to the breaks but can hunt right out the back door at Tillman's. He has always claimed great success with his Springers on Grays, Sharps and Sage. Low pressure probably due to distance from civilization. He mostly hunted public land, but there are several very good block management areas along the Missouri.

He's 80 this year and wants one more season behind his dogs (both 12 years old), and intends to go back to the Breaks in September, so his claims must be true.

P.S. Great sensitivity among some Montana land owners and some Game Officers about hunting Sage Grouse because of efforts to to have them listed as endangered. My friend says he doesn't encounter any of that in areas he hunts.

Now I think I've said more about this than I actually know...........

http://www.tillmansofmontana.com/

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Idaho or Montana?

Post by Akskycowboy » Tue May 02, 2017 2:25 pm

I hunted the Plentywood area twice this past season and as was mentioned before, lots of walking, had a great time and was able to harvest sharp tail and huns the first time up, and pheasants the second time up. Both times I was able to make it up were a week after the seasons opened and I hunted only on block management land, there's thousands of acres of it in the area. I'm your neighbor in Colorado and hunt on a helicopter mechanics budget and I also go mainly to watch my dogs (Drahthaar's). Perhaps you'd like to meet up in Montana this fall? PM me if I can help with any info.

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Tue May 02, 2017 5:07 pm

Thanks tekoa for your input!!!! You know I tried calling Tillmans last year I left a message and no call back ? I bet I have called 5 or 6 guides and only one called back , I have never seen anything like it lol heck just tell me to get lost at least?

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Tooling
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by Tooling » Tue May 02, 2017 5:27 pm

tailcracken pointer wrote:I am going to Idaho or Montana this year for an upland hunt but having a hard time deciding where, I never have been outside of ks and was looking for some help of where to go and best opportunities at huns and sharptail as I love watching my dogs work i did talk to one individual who was nice enough to help me with a chance at one sage grouse in Idaho and thanks , i don't wanna mention his name with respect to him , i have been researching Montana lots and even bought a gps with the montana chip for downloading bm and private landowner property that is private, i am just not sure of the the southeastern part of Idaho for huns and sharps , why i was asking for some help of more experienced uplanders who has experience in that region of Idaho , and anyone that had hunted the ne region in montana , which one would you guys who have experience would go to ?thanks Bryan
Geez, let me guess - you’re probably going to let the dog ride in the cab on that trip aren’t you?? I mean, my god what a terrible idea!! …so ridiculous..makes me sick :)

Good luck booking a trip - do share what you come up with as we're considering a trip west this year as well.

mask
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by mask » Tue May 02, 2017 7:14 pm

In Montana with the block management program you don't need a guide.

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tekoa
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tekoa » Tue May 02, 2017 8:14 pm

Too bad about Tillman's. I was hoping to go there next season. I called their phone number and its still in service but got voicemail answer.

You can hunt the Breaks while Moteling along the Highline but it's a lot of driving. The roads in the Breaks are very nasty when wet. I once spent two days axle deep in frozen mud just North of the UL Bend. Worked out ok because we found birds both days.

I found the Montana FWP Regional Office in Havre to extremely helpful in picking Block Management units to unit. You'll want to get their Block Management Maps/list : (http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/hunterAccess/blockman/). The BLM Field Office was also very helpful but it's in Lewistown, a couple hundred miles Southwest of Ft Peck.

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Vision
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by Vision » Tue May 02, 2017 8:18 pm

Have you thought about Wyoming for sage grouse?

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Wed May 03, 2017 7:38 am

Tooling wrote:
tailcracken pointer wrote:I am going to Idaho or Montana this year for an upland hunt but having a hard time deciding where, I never have been outside of ks and was looking for some help of where to go and best opportunities at huns and sharptail as I love watching my dogs work i did talk to one individual who was nice enough to help me with a chance at one sage grouse in Idaho and thanks , i don't wanna mention his name with respect to him , i have been researching Montana lots and even bought a gps with the montana chip for downloading bm and private landowner property that is private, i am just not sure of the the southeastern part of Idaho for huns and sharps , why i was asking for some help of more experienced uplanders who has experience in that region of Idaho , and anyone that had hunted the ne region in montana , which one would you guys who have experience would go to ?thanks Bryan
Geez, let me guess - you’re probably going to let the dog ride in the cab on that trip aren’t you?? I mean, my god what a terrible idea!! …so ridiculous..makes me sick :)

Good luck booking a trip - do share what you come up with as we're considering a trip west this year as well.
Counseling?

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Wed May 03, 2017 7:40 am

Vision wrote:Have you thought about Wyoming for sage grouse?
I have from what I have researched on the forum and people I have talked to the numbers are not there like Montana?

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Vision
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by Vision » Wed May 03, 2017 7:57 am

tailcracken pointer wrote:
Vision wrote:Have you thought about Wyoming for sage grouse?
I have from what I have researched on the forum and people I have talked to the numbers are not there like Montana?
https://www.fws.gov/greatersagegrouse/wyoming.php

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Wed May 03, 2017 8:46 am

Thanks, what about huns and sharptail close in the area ? I meant to say huns and sharps were more abundant in Monana , from what I have researched ?

tailcracken pointer
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by tailcracken pointer » Wed May 03, 2017 8:50 am

Akskycowboy wrote:I hunted the Plentywood area twice this past season and as was mentioned before, lots of walking, had a great time and was able to harvest sharp tail and huns the first time up, and pheasants the second time up. Both times I was able to make it up were a week after the seasons opened and I hunted only on block management land, there's thousands of acres of it in the area. I'm your neighbor in Colorado and hunt on a helicopter mechanics budget and I also go mainly to watch my dogs (Drahthaar's). Perhaps you'd like to meet up in Montana this fall? PM me if I can help with any info.
Where did you stay at? From what I have researched in the area its a 100 a night and no to nice of places and bad reviews ? Not that I am needing 5 stars, :)

3 Dogs and a Gun
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by 3 Dogs and a Gun » Fri May 05, 2017 4:25 am

I've hunted Montana the last two years in the Lewistown area. Have hired a guide as it is a 3 day drive from south Georgia and would eat up to much time driving. Would love to carry my dogs one day, but that time of year I don't have time to drive that far.

My experience with hiring guides is that you need to book this year for next year. Crazy, but that's what I have found.

Shot a Sage Grouse first year. Different guide the next year and did not see one. Guide had told me that they didn't have Sage Grouse in the area he hunted. The Huns and Sharptail numbers were amazing though.

Good luck.

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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by USMC » Fri May 12, 2017 4:36 pm

tailcracken pointer wrote:
Vision wrote:Have you thought about Wyoming for sage grouse?
I have from what I have researched on the forum and people I have talked to the numbers are not there like Montana?
I have never claimed to be the duty expert on anything...

But, I can assure that Wyoming has way more Sage Grouse than Montana or any other State...

Trying to help you out!

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Wyobio
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by Wyobio » Thu May 25, 2017 1:42 pm

There are lots of sage grouse in SW Wyoming, but no sharptails or huns. The sage grouse have done pretty well the past few years, but I am not sure how they fared over the winter, as we had record snow. I would guess the real key will be how the spring weather will affect the broods. Regardless, there will be birds around to hunt.

I usually hunt a day or 2 for sage grouse, but put in many days chasing mountain grouse (ruffed and dusky or blue grouse). Aspen bowls and springs usually hold birds...beautiful mountainous country with practically no hunting pressure......

belleriver
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Re: Idaho or Montana?

Post by belleriver » Sat Jun 17, 2017 6:04 am

From what I have been told by friends there are plenty of huns in Idaho.

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