Non Resident tag sales Montana 94-2010
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mdunc8
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I was one your side until you threw that out. If you can't find birds in Montana, you probably should find another hobby.
onpoint
Well-known member
...that's why I try to hunt private land...don't wanna piss off you guys who own the National Forests.
clever statement, like it
sweetnectar
New member
If you somehow think that all areas in eastern Montana are the same as far as game numbers, public land availability, crowding issues, hunting experience, location to populated areas, habitat, etc. Then why have multiple areas in the east? It should be just one big area. However, we all know that these conditions vary and that is the beauty of having multiple areas so that they can be managed according to their individual traits.
I wonder when browsing the stats when I look at all the resident second choice applicants and some first choice applicants for the LE archery tags that didn't draw. We likely took away from their hunting when there were plenty of resources (elk, land, etc.) that would have allowed them to enjoy the gift of hunting we have.
I wonder when browsing the stats when I look at all the resident second choice applicants and some first choice applicants for the LE archery tags that didn't draw. We likely took away from their hunting when there were plenty of resources (elk, land, etc.) that would have allowed them to enjoy the gift of hunting we have.
Mudranger1
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...that's why I try to hunt private land...don't wanna piss off you guys who own the National Forests.
this is the best statement yet for anyone that opposes the NR hunter
mdunc8
Well-known member
Never hunted Montana, I'm in Colorado
Well I suppose if I own at least one six point bull, then I should also own at least a couple dozen birds. I'll save you a few if you ever make it up here.
belly-deep
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You could say the same thing about any animal. But there is hunting and then there is good hunting. Its getting difficult to limit out on pheasants without driving quite a ways these days, unless you have access to private land. And good pheasant ground is leased out as frequently as deer ground is.
mdunc8
Well-known member
Then go shoot a sharpie, sage, hun, goose, duck, dove, swan, or crane on the millions of acres of public land scattered all over the state. I think most of the problem is some stupid sense of entitlement, laziness, or general pessimism if an inept newbie like myself can find plenty of birds every time I go out (without a dog).
onpoint
Well-known member
Truly spoken like someone who has hunted 36 years, fought a lot of battles for hunting community - lost a fair share - and has seen lot of "good hunting" change to mediocre. If you are truly a newbie, watch how you spout off until youv'e experienced what a lot of not so "newbies" have. Don't like preaching? Didn't I read once that you are a resource guy "in training"? If so, you better get used to preaching, AND be prepared to be a preacher if your'e gonna be an effective advocate for the resource and the resources' constituents. If not, pardon my preaching. No wait, if you are just a resource user, it also applies:hump:.
mdunc8
Well-known member
Onpoint, you're right. The bird hunting in Montana stinks because all of private land being leased.
onpoint
Well-known member
No, actually professor, I hunt a fair amount of unleased private land
. Not sure where you're going , but maybe you aren't either.......if you hunt birds, though, there's some hope . I'm pullin for ya............Oh, and if you hunt without a dawg and get birds, you have no idea how much fun you are missing without a POINTER.
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belly-deep
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I guess you'd be willing to share your statistics then, huh? How many days did you hunt upland birds and how many of those days did you limit out? I know it wasn't very often, especially if you were hunting without a dog.
mdunc8
Well-known member
Someone previously posted that we were loosing bird hunting opportunities because of leased land. I disagreed. Then Belly said you couldn't hunt pheasants anymore. Didn't agree or disagree with him, but stated there's plenty of other opportunities in Montana to chase birds.
I've never had the opportunity to hunt over a dog. Wish I could get one, but since I made the mistake of moving into this s$%@hole of a neighborhood, I don't have the yard needed for one. Used to hunt doves a bunch. There's no quail or grouse left back East, so I never had the chance to hunt them until moving out here. Quickly found out just how fun it was.
onpoint
Well-known member
there is still upland bird (including pheasant) opportunity. But, YES, MT hunters..as well as hunters allover the place.... have lost access to private ground via commercialization (including pheasant). Maybe, just maybe, some MT hunters are getting mad enough to actually fight the trend, lose or win...the battle is what's important.....so we don't become every other state (without a fight
). Come strong or stay home...hokey but real.mdunc8
Well-known member
I dropped the ball last year, but I actually did keep good records the first two years I hunted out here. In '08 and '09, I averaged 1.86 flushes/hr, but only connected on slightly less than half of those birds. I don't know any other bird hunters, so I'm not sure if those are respectable numbers. Either way, I'm more than happy with them.
Here's my limit from opening day this year (figured some would actually like to see a picture since we've been lacking pictures/hunting stories lately). If I recall correctly, I only got out three days this year (spent most of my time chasing deer and elk with a bow), but managed to limit out two of those days. Only shot one the other trip.
Never been pheasant hunting mainly for the reason you stated.
BuzzH
Well-known member
Nowhere to hunt birds in Montana on public ground...fuggin' funny.
A friend and I on a two day road trip the last year I lived in Montana...the second year my friend had ever hunted in his life. One of the funniest things I ever heard, he looked into the back of the truck, shook his head and commented, "Two years ago, I didnt even own a gun!"
We had a decent trip...if you're into slaying critters non-stop.
A friend and I on a two day road trip the last year I lived in Montana...the second year my friend had ever hunted in his life. One of the funniest things I ever heard, he looked into the back of the truck, shook his head and commented, "Two years ago, I didnt even own a gun!"
We had a decent trip...if you're into slaying critters non-stop.
belly-deep
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Well I will say that you did pretty good without a dog on opening day, but opening day is generally the best time to hunt because the birds haven't been shot or chased off the public ground. I bet if you hunted throughout Sept and Oct your average would go down, I know mine does.
I'm sure glad that only the eastern part of the state has trophy animals. Must be convenient for those of us out west only get to hunt raghorns. Those NR are taking trophies on the private land that we can't hunt anyway who cares. I'd rather be able to go hunt the Snowies one weekend and then maybe the Moccasins the next and who knows sneak down to Ashland and try my luck. That is of course if the resource can handle it. Nah it's better that it's like Utah.
Lawnboy, actually it's because of guys like you that Utah is the way it is - landowners control the tags, sell them to rich guys, and the average Utah hunter is left out. From your posts, it sounds like you think landowners should own the wildlife.
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