2 Week Upland Trip

[connordude27]

Figured I would ask this fresh off the 2022/2023 season since I’m sure some of you all had some pretty cool trips that you took. If you had two weeks the chase upland birds, whats the plan? What state(s) are you headed to, when and what species are you chasing? If you had 3 weeks instead of 2 does anything change?

I am looking towards the 2023/2024 season and looking to get ideas for a potential road trip. I just have a younger setter as far as dogs go. The criteria is as follows

• Would be truck based, so public land camping mostly with the occasional KOA type campsite with electricity/water is a must.
• Starting from WY
• Two weeks can be taken anytime between OCT 15th and Jan 1
• License cost is NOT a consideration
• Not including unpredictable weather delays, looking to get at least 8/14 days hunting
• No preference in species or state
• Public land, walk ins, state land a must over pay to play

Definitely not looking for spots, just a general idea of trips that would maximize bang for the buck as a DIY person. Thanks!

 

[RadDad]

Like this idea. Can’t help you but am following for ideas!

- RadDad

 

[TheGreek]

Sharptails/Huns in MT/ND for a week and then head east and spend a week chasing ruffed grouse in MN or WI.

 

[KurtR]

What kind of dog are you running that would determine which kind of country to hunt.

 

[connordude27]

What kind of dog are you running that would determine which kind of country to hunt.

English Setter, he isn’t the biggest runner in the world only about 100-150 right now, but he also doesn’t mind going through fairly thick cover like cattails

 

[KurtR]

English Setter, he isn’t the biggest runner in the world only about 100-150 right now, but he also doesn’t mind going through fairly thick cover like cattails

I would go after grouse on the prairie they hold better than the pheasants. You will find pheasants out there to just not as many as prime pheasant country . Eastern Montana either of the Dakota’s would fit that bill. Just avoid rifle deer season would be my only thing.

 

[ks farmer]

ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX.

 

[dirtytough]

ND has sharpies, huns, and pheasants in close proximity to each other. Could be a fun mixed bag hunt.

 

[hobbes]

Montana has the potential to be changing our Nonresident upland license to 14 consecutive days only or two 7 day blocks only. Bill is in the works. Just in case that has any affect on your plans.

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

I would add some waterfowl. Good day to rest the dog and then scout or relax yourself after the morning hunt.


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[Brock A]

Id plant my butt in SD for some late season rooster action. Hunt 5 days, take the weekend off then hunt 5 more days. That is alot of consecutive days for a dog, but if you do it right I think a dog in its prime should fine. Bonus if you have 2 or 3 dogs to rotate.

 

[connordude27]

I would go after grouse on the prairie they hold better than the pheasants. You will find pheasants out there to just not as many as prime pheasant country . Eastern Montana either of the Dakota’s would fit that bill. Just avoid rifle deer season would be my only thing.

I spent an okay amount of time in Eastern MT in college so that does seem like a pretty good idea. Avoiding general rifle would mean going early or late though. I’m curious how the birds hold late as that’s definitely an easier time to take off for me. lucky enough though, it’s less than a days drive up there.

ND has sharpies, huns, and pheasants in close proximity to each other. Could be a fun mixed bag hunt.

I definitely looked at their regs, the prospect of a mixed bag is pretty cool. I know it can happen here in WY too but Ill definitely be looking more into ND.

Montana has the potential to be changing our Nonresident upland license to 14 consecutive days only or two 7 day blocks only. Bill is in the works. Just in case that has any affect on your plans.

You happen to have a link to this? I tried googling and wasn’t finding much. I don’t see it as a bad thing, it would just change the overall 2023 strategy for me I think.

I would add some waterfowl. Good day to rest the dog and then scout or relax yourself after the morning hunt.


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That’s a great idea too. I hadn’t even thought of using rest days for species my dog isn’t really suited for.

Id plant my butt in SD for some late season rooster action. Hunt 5 days, take the weekend off then hunt 5 more days. That is alot of consecutive days for a dog, but if you do it right I think a dog in its prime should fine. Bonus if you have 2 or 3 dogs to rotate.

I suppose this logic will end up being how I sucker a second dog into the house. Anything in particular you like about late season roosters? Do they not turn into full on runners?

So far with a lot of the answers, I almost seem better to break it down into one week trips. I think if I had to set It in stone right now, Id be in Montana early October, somewhere ND/SD line later that month then probably start November in the upper midwest somewhere.

Definitely loving people’s responses and it’s certainly keeping me daydreaming already. Thanks for the suggestion. I look forward to seeing what else people would think about doing

 

[hobbes]

I spent an okay amount of time in Eastern MT in college so that does seem like a pretty good idea. Avoiding general rifle would mean going early or late though. I’m curious how the birds hold late as that’s definitely an easier time to take off for me. lucky enough though, it’s less than a days drive up there.

I definitely looked at their regs, the prospect of a mixed bag is pretty cool. I know it can happen here in WY too but Ill definitely be looking more into ND.

You happen to have a link to this? I tried googling and wasn’t finding much. I don’t see it as a bad thing, it would just change the overall 2023 strategy for me I think.

That’s a great idea too. I hadn’t even thought of using rest days for species my dog isn’t really suited for.

I suppose this logic will end up being how I sucker a second dog into the house. Anything in particular you like about late season roosters? Do they not turn into full on runners?

So far with a lot of the answers, I almost seem better to break it down into one week trips. I think if I had to set It in stone right now, Id be in Montana early October, somewhere ND/SD line later that month then probably start November in the upper midwest somewhere.

Definitely loving people’s responses and it’s certainly keeping me daydreaming already. Thanks for the suggestion. I look forward to seeing what else people would think about doing

See here

Montana Legislature 2023

This took me a bit to assemble but I wanted to have a list for myself and thought some folks here may be interested also. The following is a list of bills that may be of interest. You can look up more info including bill language and adopted amendments here: LAWS Look Up Bill Information Page...

rokslide.com

LC 3616 should be converted to a bill soon if not already. The draft language is there if not.

 

[jmez]

Later you get the less the grouse will hold. They run just as bad as pheasants. They also will group up later. Large groups hard to get close too.

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[KurtR]

I dont start hunting upland till all the water is froze up here. Less pressure and deer seasons are done so alot of people will let you hunt their land. Not many people chase grouse in my area so they seem to hold tighter than the pheasants. I have a couple russian olive bushes i know i can go to every time and kill them. Once the first bunch flies out the dog just keeps getting singles up . On the flip side it could snow a bunch and that makes it tough for a guy traveling. That first week of december till close would be my target time.

 

[dirtytough]

Pheasants and huns hold way better in my experience than sharpies here in ND. Now with that being said I'm not a bird hunter really. So maybe I'm doing something wrong when it comes to sharpies? I do know that I have gotten on all 3 species on the same section here in ND. Missed the sharpies

 

[Laramie]

I would do 2 different 7 day trips. The first would be Wyoming for blue grouse followed by Nebraska for early teal and doves. 3 days in each spot would be a blast to me. Then I would do a later trip for pheasant, quail, and maybe a 3rd species depending on destination. I would probably choose South Dakota for 3 days and then Kansas for 3 days (Nebraska has been pretty bad for pheasants recently and not as many quail as Kansas).

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I'd spend a week in Nevada hunting Chukar then a week in AZ chasing quail.

 

[TomU]

I'm planning just this kind of trip for fall season. Thinking 2 to 3 weeks hitting SD, ND and either eastern MT or Iowa. I'd also consider substituting KS if the bird situation improves there,

Last year I stayed in a motel for 10 days in SD. This next trip I'll be taking my trailer for the flexibility of moving around to hunt other areas easier.

 

[WCB]

Pheasants and huns hold way better in my experience than sharpies here in ND. Now with that being said I'm not a bird hunter really. So maybe I'm doing something wrong when it comes to sharpies? I do know that I have gotten on all 3 species on the same section here in ND. Missed the sharpies

Sharpies can be really dependent on time of year...opener or unpressured birds early more time than not you have to run at them or get right in them to get them up. The later it gets the spookier they become to the point the jump up 1/2 mile out.

OP, 3 weeks would just mean more states. Dakotas and MT are close so those are easy. My wife and her dad are upland nuts and we run French Brits. I grew up with my grandfather owning a large Pheasant Lodge in S.D. Because I've shot enough Pheasants, Sharptail, Huns, Rough Grouse I would head out west and try my hand at Chukar and different quail in the S.W.

Truth be told if I go back to New Zealand I want to try a Peacock hunt over pointers