revrusty

Looking for info on upland bird hunting in Montana. Saw a couple of shows finding sharptails, Huns, and pheasants on the same hunt. 6 of us interested in coming out to try it. Have our own dogs and willing to do-it-yourself. Might hire a guide if price reasonable. Any suggestions on areas to hunt, guide services, places to stay? thanks and good hunting.

revrusty in Virginia

Roost em 1st

Get a copy of the Wingshooter's guide to Montana.

Track weather for the state. Select a spot based on weather patterns from Dec-May. The state will send you a Block Management Atlas for the region you plan on hunting.

A little Spotty last year. Boiled down to number of miles walked= number of birds pointed. My hunting buddy spends all October out there. He's been going for 5 years. To find trifecta hunts you'll need water and old homesteads and some hilltop CRP. Huns around the farmplace, sharpies on the hill tops and possibly huns, and pheasants throughout, down by the water when it gets cold and nasty. Any duckhunters in the group? A lot of ducks migrating that time of year.

revrusty

Thanks for the info. No duck hunters in my group though if they start attacking us I suppose we might give them a try. I'll look up that book. Anybody got any guidance on places to stay that likes dogs?

Good hunting to all.

hillbillyhunter1

might have to narrow down where your goin first--big state

everybody likes dogs around here

Nemont

The area around Lewistown, especially around Denton, has been good. There are places around Havre and Great Falls that can produce good numbers of birds if the weather will cooperate with us this year. The area from Malta to Glasgow along the Milk River is just about either leased up or bought up by out of state hunters or guides. The area around Froid, Culbertson, Med. Lake and Plentywood is still terrific. Around place in Montana you will find hotels and motels that are dog and hunter friendly.

Nemont

revrusty

Thanks for the reply, Hillbilly.

Looking at region 4 or 6. These were suggested to me by the game department there in Montana as having the highest populations of upland birds. Certainly open to other suggestions, too. Our group might have as many as 8 people though some are a little wishy washy about the trip.
If someone out there has a place and wants to join the hunt, just let me know.

May all your shots be hits, revrusty

revrusty

Thanks Nemont.

This info verifies what the guy at the game dept. told me via email. I am trying to locate something around Lewiston to be a base for the trip. Maybe I'll see some of you guys this fall.

revrusty

BareBack Jack

There are good pheasnt around Denton,tough to gain access though,I live not to far from Lewistown and hunt huns and roosters a bit in the fall usally a couple trips with my dad and uncles.

You might want to do a search of hunting around Lewistown and see what you can find for a outfitter.There is one close to Lewistown who handles mostly bird hunters his name is Pete Rogers,you can find him under Pigeye basin outfitters,lives in Hobson.He leases quite a bit of land around Winifred and Christina.He also might be able to direct you to some pay and hunt places,like Springcreek colony they charge I think like 100 bucks a gun.If not you will have to get a Block management map,there is not a hole lot of sharpies around here,but plenty of huns and roosters in places.

Hope this helps.
BBJ

Nemont

I agree with BBJ on the difficulty of finding access. I have gotten spoiled I guess because I have a sister who lives in Denton and her Husband owns land and his dad has a big place also.

Access can be difficult just about anywhere that there is good hunting but you can still get on somewhere.

Nemont

BareBack Jack

Nemont,
I probaly know you in-laws if they are farmers in the region.

I found a place a couple years ago north of Lewistown where there is good hunting,and place with a good moving water source has birds.There is birds down by Townsend and up by Haver,Chinook area also.
BBJ