Wyoming Sage Grouse

[Dos Perros]

Nice! What are you primarily going for in MT?

Huns are the heroin of the upland world, IMO. Covey birds, spooky, usually exploding in unison in tight formations, faaaast. And damn good eating. I say this living in arguably the best public land hunting state for the king of all upland birds, the bobwhite.

We definitely killed a lot of sharpies and a few sage grouse too, but we were mainly after huns. Nothing like them.

This is my old setter Ike. Been behind a lot of bird dogs, some very nice ones, and he was one of the best. Several times he disappeared over a ridge and I wondered if I’d ever see him again, only to find him tail high with birds under his nose. He was magic.

 

[Dos Perros]

Anyone headed west on their first bird hunt: y’all are welcome to give me a call and I’ll give you a crash course. I can’t promise we did things the best way, but we earned our way into some great hunting. Some of the best times of my life and I miss them dearly. Just tough to raise kids and dogs at the same time.

 

[manitou1]

Common enough to be aware, but not common enough to be of concern, IMO. Likely to see more driving than in the field. Bites of dogs can happen though. I'd know where the closest vet is and have their # programmed into your phone. If you're the precautious type you could ask your vet to give you a syringe full of benedryl and tote it around with you (I've done that). You could also give your dog the Red Rock vaccine before you go, but be mindful if bit the vet will still administer a pretty expensive anti-venom, so I'm not really sure what it's buying you, maybe a reduced risk of death. In 6 or so years of hunting Montana more than week each year, multiple guys, as many as 21 dogs on a trip (that's a lot of dog*miles!), we've never had one bit. But I know people who have had dogs bit, and have heard of dogs dying. You could reduce risk by staying away from prairie dog towns and rocky outcroppings.

We took our pups in for their second rattlesnake vaccine. Our vet had treated four dogs the Thursday before... one of which had already succumbed. I have killed four rattlers the past month in our home area.
September is plenty warm for rattlers.
Just be wise and stay alert. The vaccine for your dogs will buy them some time.

 

[RSather528]

We took our pups in for their second rattlesnake vaccine. Our vet had treated four dogs the Thursday before... one of which had already succumbed. I have killed four rattlers the past month in our home area.
September is plenty warm for rattlers.
Just be wise and stay alert. The vaccine for your dogs will buy them some time.

Are snakes pretty common in your area or are they more prevalent this year for whatever reason?

 

[manitou1]

Well, I don't know for sure. I have had six rattlesnake close encounters in three years here in the Buffalo area... four this year. Neighbors horse was bit on the nose by a large rattler a few weeks ago. Nose swelled up like a soccer ball and vet had to put 1" tubes in his nostrils to keep him breathing. I know a neighbor was bitten stepping off his porch and I almost got nailed walking out the back door of my shop recently. He was about 2.5' away and decided to rattle after I had walked by six times!
We have hunted and vacationed here for 25 years but just finished our house build and moved here last March.

 

[mxgust]

It seems like there are more snakes around my area the last 2-3 years. I grew up here and never really ran into them much, killed two already in June and have been seeing them around more often. Not sure if I’m just hanging out in their area more or if there are more snakes. People have sure been talking about it this year. I’m in Casper, this has all been around Casper mountain and along the platte

 

[RSather528]

Well, I don't know for sure. I have had six rattlesnake close encounters in three years here in the Buffalo area... four this year. Neighbors horse was bit on the nose by a large rattler a few weeks ago. Nose swelled up like a soccer ball and vet had to put 1" tubes in his nostrils to keep him breathing. I know a neighbor was bitten stepping off his porch and I almost got nailed walking out the back door of my shop recently. He was about 2.5' away and decided to rattle after I had walked by six times!
We have hunted and vacationed here for 25 years but just finished our house build and moved here last March.

That sounds pretty serious and quite a few encounters. Gaiters worth looking at to wear or just be cautious and hope they give a warning if I happen to stumble by one?

 

[RSather528]

It seems like there are more snakes around my area the last 2-3 years. I grew up here and never really ran into them much, killed two already in June and have been seeing them around more often. Not sure if I’m just hanging out in their area more or if there are more snakes. People have sure been talking about it this year. I’m in Casper, this has all been around Casper mountain and along the platte

We will be staying in Casper and hunting south, southwest of Casper for the most part. It’s probably slim chance I see or stumble upon one but are rattlesnakes treated as a nuisance animal and can be be dispatched like prairie dogs or coyotes?

 

[mxgust]

Yea prairie rattlers are, you can kill them. Usually don’t need too out in the prairie unless it’s near one of the dogs then I definitely would. The ones we killed were at my parents cabin and there are kids and pets around so we don’t really want them hanging around there. Plus one was curled up in the outhouse

 

[RSather528]

Yea prairie rattlers are, you can kill them. Usually don’t need too out in the prairie unless it’s near one of the dogs then I definitely would. The ones we killed were at my parents cabin and there are kids and pets around so we don’t really want them hanging around there. Plus one was curled up in the outhouse.

Perfect. Thanks for the info! Being from the Midwest it’d be cool to maybe see one as that’d be brand new to me but not seeing them would work as well.

 

[mxgust]

Perfect. Thanks for the info! Being from the Midwest it’d be cool to maybe see one as that’d be brand new to me but not seeing them would work as well.

Anytime!