N. Dakota v S. Dakota v MT bird hunt

mporter012

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
237
I should have this organized by now, but you know, work....

I'm going to take the GSP on a 2 week trip, we are gonna leave next Wednesday (from CO) and we are either heading to ND, SD, or E. MT for a bird huntin' vacation. He's a young dog, 20 months. Looking for some advice on a place to set up the hot tent on public land somewhere, and run the pup for a few weeks. It's just the 2 of us. Leaning towards SW N. Dakota. He's a big runner, so for us, I think the ideal is an area where we can find Sharpies, huns, and pheasants are close by. Let me know your thoughts. I know ND has the PLOTS programs, and then there are some bigger swaths of public grasslands.
 

KurtR

WKR
Joined
Sep 11, 2015
Messages
3,533
Location
South Dakota
I should have this organized by now, but you know, work....

I'm going to take the GSP on a 2 week trip, we are gonna leave next Wednesday (from CO) and we are either heading to ND, SD, or E. MT for a bird huntin' vacation. He's a young dog, 20 months. Looking for some advice on a place to set up the hot tent on public land somewhere, and run the pup for a few weeks. It's just the 2 of us. Leaning towards SW N. Dakota. He's a big runner, so for us, I think the ideal is an area where we can find Sharpies, huns, and pheasants are close by. Let me know your thoughts. I know ND has the PLOTS programs, and then there are some bigger swaths of public grasslands.
will find sharpies out there for sure and few huns but from my friends up their the chinese chickens are few and far between this year
 

Squid

FNG
Joined
Aug 5, 2022
Messages
5
Location
Grand Forks, ND
I hunted SW North Dakota for a week chasing mule deer. Only saw a couple grouse, no pheasants. Not to many on the SE side either (Besides some private honey holes). Did have a grouse fly over the duck spread last weekend tho. I'm sure you can find pockets, but I'd be chasing Pheasants in SD if I had the choice.
 

hobbes

WKR
Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Messages
2,409
I would focus on pheasants. This is late enough in the season that sharpies are going to be getting tough for any dog. They'll be tough to get close to. However, wild mature roosters can be tough on a dog also. Huns are typically a side bet for me regardless of whether I'm hunting sharpies or pheasants. I've just never been into enough of them to focus on them.
 

drra

FNG
Joined
Aug 7, 2022
Messages
95
I have always had good luck walking the Grand River national grassland river bottoms (north west SD) even without a dog (pheasant and sharp tails) as well as the areas where rows of trees are planted. My favorite spot is just north of Bison on the East side of road where there are a few rows of shrubs - can usually count on that spot for dinner. I usually don't go out there until deer season is over and there is snow on the ground and I rarely see another hunter.
 
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