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Funnest Place You have been bird hunting?

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2.4K views 34 replies 15 participants last post by  kek25  
#1 ·
Hello all,

New to site, and am going to be finishing up my college in the near future and want to take my dogs somewhere on a trip once done. Just wondering whose been where and how you've faired other than Michigan hunting. Southern Quail, Out east for grouse, or west for pheasants, huns, sharptails, etc, or anywhere else in US or Canada? Just curious on your adventures!
 
#2 ·
Lets see I still seem to have the most fun at my parents cabin. Even though there are less birds than other places it is really where I learned to Grouse Hunt....Home Coverts, that you only hunt a handful of times per season....

I have been to South Dakota, trully amazing numbers of Pheasants, Sharptails, access can be a challenge, but if you hunt for your spots you can do pretty well. There are lots of sharptails on public land if you can get close to them.

I have also been to ND, lots of fun there, good down to earth people, but not nearly as many birds as SD, but just as good a time, always have Ducks as a back up in ND. Also opps for Sharpies, Huns....

Never Hunted Grouse Outside of MI. Some day though.

I hear there are areas of North West Ontario that have monster numbers of Sharptails in 5mile by 5mile clear cuts, and then they have lots of ruffs and spruce grouse in the forest.

I guess if I were planning a trip, the Canadian Prarries I have read about, the have Sharptails, and Huns, but in the wooded areas lots of Ruffs also. I guess Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchawan are very good.
 
#3 ·
First of all welcome to the site!!

The "funnest" or I guess the best place I have ever been and really the only place I have been is North Dakota. It was a great trip with lots of land to hunt and a fair amount of birds if you were willing to work for them.

If you get to go anywhere than I would probably not choose ND, depending on how much money you want to spend, what kind of birds you want to shoot and numerous other things there are a lot of great places to hunt that hopefully someday I will have more knowledge and experience on. Good luck with your search.
Ric
 
#4 ·
Welcome to the site and what kind of dogs due you have?. I have hunted eastern Iowa for pheasants and south western Iowa for pheasants and quail. I have hunted two different place in Kansas for both quail and pheasants. We have down real well in both states but hunted all private ground. If I was a young man I would go to Col. or Wy. you could get a chance to hunt all the grouse plus pheasants and quail.
 
#5 ·
Welcome to the site! Unless you're locked into out-of-state hunting, you might consider contacting Bow Hunter Brandon on this site. He owns a resort on Lake Gogebic in the western U.P. There would be lots of good grouse/woodcock hunting in that area, plus any waterfowl in season and fishing on Lake Gogebic.....Good Luck and congrats on finishing school!!!...Scott B.
 
#6 ·
The most fun place I ever hunted was in Texas---just west of Ft. Worth.

My sister and brother in law live in Kaufman, east of Dallas.

He has a friend who has a lease, camps out, and quail hunts.

I've been on three quail hunting/ camping trips...something most people never have a chance to do.

Go to sleep at night listening to coyotes howling, wake up with the quail whistling.

Saw a dog point a Bob Cat once.
 
#9 ·
Steelheadfred said:
I honey mooned in South Central Oregon, I guess if I had the cash and the time, It would be hard to beat one of those places, Valley Quail like you dream, millions of acres of public land, ruffs in the mountains, huns, pheasants....
Click to expand...
Incredible December and January duck hunting........

The "Funnest" place for me is anywhere I can have a gun in my hands.
 
#10 ·
This coming year will be my first year out of state for an upland excursion.

But....Missouri for Snow Geese in the Spring is pretty tough to beat if you like to shoot alot!!!:evilsmile
 
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#12 ·
Welcome to the site!
I have hunted many different species of birds in many different states. The most interesting had to be the three days I spent chasing Chukars in the mountains of Idaho. We hired river guides and spent a day on the Snake River and two on the Salmon River doing a cast and blast. You gain a lot respect for Chukars when you see them in their "natural" (though Chukars are imports) surroundings. It's the bird that will run uphill away from you but then fly back down hill when they flush. Back to where you were 30 minutes (and a lot of sweat) ago.

Chukars aren't that hard to hit on flat ground, but it's a lot different when you have to worry about falling off the side of a mountain when you are trying to shoot. . . or when you just got done hiking uphill for 40 minutes straight and they bust at your feet but you're just too damn exhausted to raise your gun. They will drive you nuts. Often times you could see them, but the terrain was too steep to get to them.

We didn't shoot a ton of birds, but a trip full incredible scenery and lots of memories, many of which weren't about the bird hunting - like after working uphill for an hour realizing you have a bear between you and the boat or the 140+ lb sturgeon we caught on the cast part of the trip. It definetly wasn't the normal bird hunting trip, but it was a great adventure.
 
#13 ·
All places sounds like tons of fun. Thanks to all for the welcome. I have two setters. Don't get me wrong I love hunting in Michigan, was just curious on going on a trip away from the norm for once. Was out probably 4-5 days a week all last grouse/wc season and made it up north about 5 weekends or so.
 
#14 ·
JGF@Gratiot said:
All places sounds like tons of fun. Thanks to all for the welcome. I have two setters. Don't get me wrong I love hunting in Michigan, was just curious on going on a trip away from the norm for once. Was out probably 4-5 days a week all last grouse/wc season and made it up north about 5 weekends or so.
Click to expand...
:Welcome:
JGF, fill out your profile!:D
 
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