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View Full Version : Northern States Hunts....upland/waterfowl?



PGK
09-30-2009, 02:01 PM
Hey guys I'm looking into booking an upland/waterfowl combo somewhere in the northern states after I graduate in December. Has anyone done a trip like this? Do's and dont's appreciated. Am I required to hire an outfitter? I have yet to look into individual states hunting regulations, but I'm getting around to it. The trip may not be feasible this year, but it will definitely happen sometime inside the next 12 months, so any iformation or insight is appreciated. I am looking at the Dakotas, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana as target areas, for ideally a week. Cheers
km

LeverActionJunkie
09-30-2009, 02:13 PM
As far as I know you just have to buy the appropriate licenses and get your guns papered to head south and then go. Idaho and Wyoming would be attractive because of the huge amounts of public land. Dakotas would be great for pheasants and I am sure waterfowl.

Check out this site uplandidaho.com someone might be able to help out some.

PGK
09-30-2009, 02:22 PM
The Dakotas definitely look the cheapest...wow. $110 for an upland licence in Montana!

Gateholio
09-30-2009, 02:28 PM
Access will probably be your biggest issue. The cost of the license is not significant ...

MB_Boy
09-30-2009, 02:29 PM
Kris....I can't help you with "what" you have to do to hunt down there but I would definitely look at the Dakota's. Having grown up and hunted in the prairies and seeing the numbers of birds that come down the central flyway you would have great shoots anywhere down through the Dakota's south of SK or MB. Most kinds of ducks you can imagine are a plenty....(that aren't coastal :wink: or the Black Duck 'cousins' of mallards in Ontario); snow's, blues and BIG honkers. I would think in the Dakota's (or areas I have been) you will likely be looking more at pheasants, doves, hungarian partridge and perhaps sharptails. I kinda doubt in some of those big open rolling prairies/badlands you will find much in the way of ruffies or spruce grouse.:-?

Question would be....why are you interested in the northern states as opposed to hittin' the CDN prairies?

PGK
09-30-2009, 02:33 PM
No particular reason. See some new country. I'm mostly interested in nailing pheasants and getting in some great field shoots. I have been leaning to North Dakota from the beginning, but we'll see how it works out. It's always been the classic destination for bird hunting in my head.

LeverActionJunkie
09-30-2009, 02:50 PM
Access is the reason i mentioned Idaho and Wyoming. I have spent a couple years of my life in the western states and they are to of the most easily accessed places. Mostly public land.

However if you want lots of pheasants and ducks the Dakotas are definately hard to beat. And if you go guided you don't really need to worry about access.

Myself I'd really like to hit Idaho, Utah and New Mexico with a good pointer. Would love to hunt the different Quails, as well as chukars, huns, sharptail and pheasants.

That would be SWEET:)

longshotz
10-07-2009, 08:41 AM
Montana and North Dakota both have excellent programs in place for out of state hunters.
Montana being my personal favorite
Am looking at the same gig as you for next season.
Much to much detail for space here on the Montana program, but from the literature it has BC beat all to hell for large variety of non-LEH hunting.
Often you will fine elk, mulies, whitetail and pronghorn as well as a variety of birds (including some Turkey) all open at the same time for out of country hunters like us canucks.
As I said earlier, much to much detail to cover here.
Contact Montana State Government for more info.
Very helpful.
PM me if you like.

Longshotz

Amphibious
10-29-2009, 11:34 AM
Kris, I have pals in Wyoming that might be able to help you out.

PGK
10-31-2009, 12:39 AM
Thx willer, we will chat. I'm starting to this WY is the place to go. Lots of public, easy DIY.

dutchie
11-02-2009, 10:52 AM
No particular reason. See some new country. I'm mostly interested in nailing pheasants and getting in some great field shoots. I have been leaning to North Dakota from the beginning, but we'll see how it works out. It's always been the classic destination for bird hunting in my head.

if you go the south dakota, you can phone farmers ahead of time and talk to them... they have sections of land and they will generaly let you hunt there. there are more pheasents then you would ever be able to shoot.

But if you go on your own you will probably need a dog to both point them and retrive them for you. Some of the feilds are 3 feet high in millet others are baren

I know that North Dakota is 2 bag limit, but ask Buck about his montana trip, he just got back and he can give you some good insight.

Dutchie

Dirty
11-02-2009, 10:57 AM
Doesn't it work on pass system in a lot of states? Where you have a pass for a certain zone or field and it is good for a day. That way you can hunt a field without other pressure, and then another person gets a chance to hunt it the next day.

West Coast Waterfowler
11-03-2009, 09:31 AM
I agree with Gatehouse - the licence isn't the issue, it's getting permission to hunt on the land in the first place.

Doing your research ahead of time is proper preparation, but once you arrive at your destination you'll likely still have to drive around in order to see the lay of the land and find out whereyou want to hunt before making some phone calls/knocking on doors.

I'm interested in the Dakotas myself - has anyone dealt with an outfitter in one of those States they can recommend? And Dutchie - any advice for SD? It sounds like your hunting time there was very fruitful.