Sage grouse

Has anyone ever been up to Montana to hunt sage grouse over pointing dogs? Or anywhere for that matter? How was your experience? I would really like to head up there this fall and try to cross that off my bucket list, but I'm not real sure what I'd be getting into.

Did that a few years back. You really have to know your cover types to hunt Sage, although you can find them in areas with sharpies too. Wyoming has a better population than Montana. Stick to the eastern side of the state (regions 6&7 Montana Hunting Atlas) and look for areas that have sagebrush and bare ground, not cheat grass and you will have better luck. Grouse hunting can be tricky during pheasant season as most prairie grouse look like hen pheasants.
General rule is, if you don't see a rooster pheasant on flush and it looks like a lot of hens--shoot. If a rooster takes flight--don't shoot at what looks like a hen, because it probably is a hen pheasant. Might not be a problem in Sage grouse cover but it is in sharpie cover.

While your there may as well try little Hun and Sharpie hunting too. After all its a long drive to get there.

Yes, but in Colorado. Areas I hunted for Sage Grouse were sagebrush desert and not the type of habitat that one would find any other grouse. Knowing what this.. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/mt/programs/landscape/?cid=nrcs144p2_056590 ...looks like would be very helpful. When I was going through my learning curve locating them If the birds where not present on an area there was none. If there were birds, there was a lot of it. Also, the rocks, challa cactus, and sage was tough on the dog. Boots and chest protector was necessary.

The drive to Colorado sounds a lot better to me. What area of the state did you hunt Sniper John?

Sage grouse at least in Montana is almost to the point of being listed an endangered bird and coming to an end of hunting. If your going to go do it sooner than later

If I am going to drive all that way , which I did in September I want lots of bird contact

http://www.texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/436618/

I hunted BLM land in the NW part of the State. I would look at the various and current density/population maps online, then compare to public land maps, then make phone calls to biologist types asking about the specific areas you are interested in hunting. If I were going back on a dedicated Sage Grouse hunt I would probably go to Wyoming.

http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/sagegrouse/Primer1-SGBeginnersGuide.pdf#page=4

Unlike Montana, both states have a very short September season though. Know that the land can be very intimidating. It can be very hot or it can be very cold. Like public pheasant hunting you have to "believe there is a bird in front of you" and push on, but don't get stuck on a single area. With the short season it is important to know when to pick up and move to someplace else. Otherwise you could end up walking for hours and never see a bird.

A big running dog or dogs is almost essential in Sage Grouse country. No matter what state you hunt.

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/