Making the Most of Montana

Idaho Wilderness Grouse

Pointing Dog Journal | Western Wings | July - August 2024

by Jack Hutson

In dramatic contrast, the low morning sun glanced off a still figure; standing tall, bright-white, with a faint orange glow. The figure, a young tri-colored English setter, began flagging his once rigid tail at my approach, release from his stance, then struck another pose just beyond.

The Field:

When you stop to think, eastern Montana is a long way from anywhere and isn’t called, “Big Sky Country” without reason. It’s the kind of country made for rangy pointing dogs. Rolling hills of short grass with buffalo and snow berry brush tucked in swales and coulees is where eastern Montana hides her prairie birds. An upland landscape occasionally visited by pheasant, it was perfectly designed for sharptailed grouse (sharpies) and Hungarian (Huns or grey) partridge.

Spreading out from the main drainage like branches of a vine, small coulees and the surrounding countryside was perfect for my setter, Dakota (Dak). In this instance, he had hit scent in a patch of low brush and, three relocations later, the running rooster pheasant changed tactics; flushing from diminishing cover beyond Dak’s last stand. The rooster’s fall into a cut hayfield eliminated a prolonged search for Dak and a quick retrieve.

Many years, pheasants are commonly found in the kind of cover we were hunting. Recent years of drought had knocked back the pheasant population significantly; making that lone rooster a bit unique. Point in fact, while researching the prospects for the fall season, one local resource told me, “If this was a once-in-a-lifetime hunt in Montana, I would hold off.” The odds may have been slightly against finding a pheasant in that landscape this season but the likelihood of scaring-up winged game in one form or another remained fairly high.

The Players:

Our traveling band of bird blasters consisted of two golden retrievers, a Lab, and, due to logistics, only one of my setters. Considering the reduced pheasant population and the demographics of our hunting party, one might consider our situation less than ideal. Very good friends, Dale and Betsy McGreer and their long-time buddy, Gary Erickson were escorted by a pack of retrievers better suited for pushing roosters out of brush-bottomed coulees and cattail encircled ponds.

The hunting styles of our canine companions did add a bit of a challenge in the decision of hunting locations but, like this day, added greater diversity in the kind of cover we could hunt. The retrievers and their owners were best served by hunting in line; whether that is along a drainage or across relatively flat holding cover such as windbreaks or cropland. Of course, they excel at busting thick cover to boost tighter-holding birds. Requiring less regiment, pointing dogs freely range across great swaths for scent with hopeful hunters admiring from a distance.

Winning Strategy:

There are several good reasons to make the journey. For one, the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks has worked with very gracious landowners to create amazing public access opportunities. I have said, “The worst year of pheasant hunting there is usually better than anywhere I hunt back home.” Especially when you consider there are other excellent upland bird opportunities to enhance the overall experience. Yes, when hunting pheasants in Montana, it’s a very good idea to remain open to all the options.

Perched on tall bar stools in a local eatery, four uplanders huddled around a circular table each evening. Planning our game-winning strategy prior to the next day’s hunt, we sat entranced by satellite maps on hand-held electronic devices. Some trying to locate publicly accessible areas hunted in previous years, others, searching for new potential bird holding honey-holes. That’s become the most effective way to hunt unfamiliar ground, use e-maps to look for clues and have a plan before leaving in the morning. As complex as that may seem, finding suitable cover with public access wasn’t that difficult.

What to Look For:

I believe that the relative scarcity of upland game in our region has made us better at finding them. Akin to reading the water on a trout stream, it takes considerable experience to locate good holding cover in lean bird years. Based on several factors, multiple species of game birds may be found in the same area. Knowledge of where each might spend much of their day will save boot leather and keep your dog’s nose on its toes!

These factors include photoperiod, weather, cover, food & water; their effect on bird movement varying by necessity. Central, north & south eastern regions of Montana have supported good numbers of pheasant, sharptailed grouse, and Hungarian partridge. Recently, far eastern – north and south - Montana received more favorable upland bird rearing weather. Undeterred by the slightly depressed pheasant numbers, we relied on comradery, good dogs, and multiple game bird species to enhance our overall upland experience.

In good years, anyone can find pheasants, even in marginal habitat. When the numbers are down, you look for hi-grade cover. I like to use the analogy of water as it relates to pheasant numbers. When there’s plenty of water (pheasants), I think of the coulee as being filled to the brim and overflowing the rim. However, as the water-level (pheasants) dwindles, it shrinks down into the bottom of the coulee with small pockets of holding cover here and there.

Pheasant holding cover tends to be taller hiding places with limited exposure to predators while accessing food and water. Sharpies and, to some extent, Huns like to see approaching danger and will often spend their time in stubble and short grass cover. The rule of thumb being, “Grass cover shin-high or below for sharptails and Huns; knee-high or above for pheasants.” However, when approaching a dog staring-down a patch of berry brush, it’s any body’s guess.

Using the app, we were looking for terrain with contours (not perfectly flat), patches of brush and/or cattails; all near cultivated fields. And, since it was early in the season, there needed to be a water source nearby. Locating publicly accessible areas with appropriate sources of food, water, loafing cover, and (undisturbed) nesting cover, is what got us to this point – pun unintended.

How the Day Played Out:

Dak had pinned that first rooster in cover left uncut at the edge of a hay field. Prior to that, while crossing a fence that separated the large hay field from pasture, Dakota had disappeared around a rim of ground and was in rigid stance as I came around to join him. In a flurry of flailing wings, chattering like squeaky gate hinges, a covey of Huns bolted from the grass! I was able to scratch down the nearest bird on the right! Then, swinging back to the left, I dropped a straggler for a clean double!

Within sight of the pheasant find, the scene was replayed. This time four hen pheasants scooted out in delayed retreat from a patch of snowberry while Dakota held his ground! It was obvious that our plan was working. On the far side of the main drainage, we were in steppes resembling shortgrass prairie; hills and mounds connected by winding ridges. There, you might find the odd covey of Huns – maybe a pheasant or two – but it’s perfect habitat for sharptail.

A loping setter making way through waves of grass, like a schooner effortlessly tacks across the surf with a steady sea breeze is a sight, most picturesque. Then, in a breath-takingly sudden spin, the tail rudder becomes a mast, a tell that feathered prey has been found! A twitching black nose points where away as I bring the stacked barrels of 20 gauge along-side!

The covey had found refuge from the breeze on the leeward side of a rocky knob. Dakota, pointing directly downwind from the mound, was in serious posture. An explosion of giggling grouse bolted from the short grass, their flight coursing down-slope and around the stone mound! I didn’t help myself by missing the first attempt as their downhill trajectory suddenly turned to round the hill. My top barrel barked and took the right wing out from under a trailing bird! Bouncing and flopping about, the wing-broke sharptail required Dak to work a bit for his retrieve. Dakota would locate another sharpie single and then, a bit further, another lone rooster.

We edged along the main coulee downstream, the land on either side flattened out and became fields of stubble with the waterway meandering through it. The hillier country of shin-tall cover is where to find sharpies and Huns. As we moved downstream toward the stubble fields, I expected to encounter an increasing percentage of pheasants along with coveys of Huns. Early morning, Huns can often be found within the confines of cut grainfields, sunning and feeding.

Closer to road access, we bumped several flighty pheasants and a covey of Huns, or two. The separate groups of hunters were closer and, from my position above, I enjoyed watching Cooper, a golden retriever, and a red Lab named Reba, rustle pheasants from thick stands of cattail. The party converged at waiting vehicles where stories were told and thirsts were quenched.

I’m no slave to technology but aging knees and relatively low bird numbers have taught me to work smarter. In big country, using mapping software to plan (as well as track) the day, saves steps. Having a few spots picked out for the next day’s hunt and broadening our choice of game - not just keying on pheasants - makes each step count.