Opening day for most of montanas upland game bird hunting seasons occur on the same day every yearsept. Sure, sodak is always at the top of the list for total pheasant harvest. For members and guests, we extend the season with bird hunting opportunities on the game bird preserve. Twin creek ranch is montana s best kept secret, a wingshooters paradise. Montana has a long upland bird season running september 1 through january 1. This is what we call spotty in the bird hunting world. Looking back a few years, montanas seen good hatches and good survival for game birds.
This region typically accounts for up to a third of the states total pheasant harvest, reports jake doggett, upland game bird habitat specialist with montana fwp region 4. The ranch features cut hay meadows, areas of tall grasses, marshy areas, treelined river bank, and craggy slopes. The adult female also has a relatively long and strongly barred tail, but she has a dull, mottled brown back and buffcolored breast. While most big game seasons are done and gone, the pheasant and quail hunting seasons just ended or. This years montana pheasant hunters will have the 2014 farm bill to thank for the amount of private land available. In region 5, pheasant crow counts varied but were below the longterm average. Looking back a few years, montanas seen good hatches and good survival for game.
Sharptailed grouse like pheasants, sharptailed grouse in region 6 have been affected by a reduction in crp acreage, so where crp ground no longer exists there will likely be fewer birds. The pheasant population is something that fluctuates and last season was definitely a year where things were down, but heading into the new season things are looking slightly better. We get into the late season pheasant in ne montana. Pheasant populations in oregon remain below average, reports dave budeau, upland game bird coordinator with the oregon department of fish and wildlife. Opening day for most of montanas upland game bird hunting seasons occur on the same day every year sept. To find the dates for the montana hunting seasons please look below. Montana department of fish wildlife and parks 1420 e.
District, is one of the premier locations for pheasant and waterfowl hunting. Again this year, sagegrouse hunting is closed in much of the southern and northern portions of montana. But montana may be the best place for a quality public land pheasant hunt. Thats the number of pheasants hunters killed in 2011, the last year the. Montana is home to over 2,000 pheasants forever members and local chapters spread throughout the state. This page hunting information such as season dates, regulations, applications, hunting guides, access guide request form, for upland game birds. Montana upland bird hunting information, season limits, bag limits, species overviews and quick links to montana dnr and hunting licenses. Montana offers the block management program, a system designed to encourage private property owners and land management agencies to allow free public hunting. Bird hunting in montana latest seasons, tips, tactics. We cater to groups of four to six hunters to ensure that you receive a quality hunt. In 2015, montana created the apprentice hunter program which allows anyone between the. However, when it comes to pheasant hunting acreage available per licensed hunter montana is easily at the top of the list. Overall, region 5 expects the 2014 season will be similar.
There are opportunities for waterfowl hunting on the potholes in early fall and on the flathead river after the still waters freeze. Continue the season and your dogs training with ringnecked pheasant and chukar hunting into the spring march 31st. General hunting season dates for the current hunting season. That number, as well as overall pheasant harvest, continues to drop as more and more habitat is lost. Rooster ridge pheasant club pheasant hunting in missoula mt. Opening day for most of montana s upland game bird hunting seasons occur on the same day every yearsept. Filmed on a mix of public and block management land. The birds are all wild and in the early season the most abundant birds are the native sharptail, hun, and sage grouse. Long term, however, mctaggart is concerned about the loss of quality pheasant habitat and how that affects hunter participation.
Pheasant season follows shortly behind, beginning on october 10, 2015. Jordan ketcham made up for 2015 with three successful harvests in 2016. It starts annually on the saturday of columbus day weekend, while the end date is fixed at january 1. Hunting the waterfowl production areas northwest montana. The 25 best bird hunting towns in america pheasants forever. Region 3 reported average numbers for southwestern montana.
Montana pheasants forever a local montana pf chapter. The mission valley, home to the northwest montana lake county wetland. At twin creek ranch, you can expect luxurious lodging, excellent food, seasoned ranch guides and dogs, and a top of the line wild pheasant. Upland game bird and small game hunting seasons section 1. September 1st through march 31st you can enjoy your bird season with us. Californian shares montana hunting trip with great falls wounded warrior.
True bigsky country, the remote, northeastern corner of montana. If shes not in the shop only 4 days a week in the off season, shes probably following her dogs waylon and sturgill through the wide open country of eastern montana, along with her husboyfriend and missouri river guide kurt michels. Upland bird hunting likely to range from great to notsogood. The silver bow club is the ultimate hunting destination for upland birds. Last year was a bit of a downer for pheasant hunters in montana.
Montana hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq. Likewise in region 5, 3 and 7, the season should be average and better than last year. Advice for montanas upland bird season fort musselshell outfitters. Pheasant season starts mid october there is plenty of public land available in the area and tillmans has access on over 10,000 acres of ranch and farmland that is. This is an action packed upland hunt and is great for the hunter who only has a day or two to spend in the field or would like to add on a day of waterfowl hunting or fly fishing on the river the. Here are the statewide hunting season dates for upland game birds. Reserve a pheasant hunting trip on our 1800 acre montana luxury guest ranch. Our upland hunting expert sara roholt can be hard to find around craig this time of year. Read the latest laws, regulations, and season dates for bird hunting in montana for sharptailed grouse, pheasant, and the iconic sage grouse along with other bird hunting resources like articles, how tos, and videos from project upland. Bring your dog to pheasant hunt in missoula montana at rooster ridge pheasant club.
The ringnecked pheasant adult male has a long, barred tail, iridescent coloration, white collar, and bright red face patch. Hunting the waterfowl production areas northwest montana lake. The states department of agriculture has used its public access and habitat incentive program with funds allocated from the bill to open up new land for hunters. Pheasant outlook good for northern montana outdoors. In northwestern montana, brood survival appears to be. Castner coulee pheasant hunting preserve home facebook. Pheasant harvest for the 2016 season was estimated 18,583 roosters, which was about 33% below the 2015 harvest and remains below the longterm average. New this year is the closure of sage grouse hunting in much of the southern and northern portions of montana. The winter was certainly more mild than the previous year, which bodes well for all game in the state.
Montana pheasant hunting forecast 2017 pheasants forever. The end result is a constant weekend opener with a fixed date ending. Castner coulee pheasant hunting preserve provides elite montana hunting in one of the states most beautiful areas along the front of the big belt. Montana pheasant hunts at the silver bow club in montana. Welcome to the rooster ridge pheasant club website where you can hunt live pheasants in missoula. Most of montana s upland game bird seasons run sept. Montana pheasant hunting montana wilderness outfitters. Montana daily upland bird hunts in addition to our high mountain grouse camp, we also offer daily montana upland bird hunts on a private 18,000 acre ranch for wild hungarian partridge and grouse. Upland game bird and big game hunting season dates. Published on dec 8, 2015 bird dogs afield tv visits montana for upland bird hunting for sharp tail grouse and hungarian partridge. Bird hunts the sound of whistling wings, the cackle of a rooster pheasant, the startling thump of a grouse taking flight are all available to big sky visitors with milk river outfitters.
Two keystone pheasants forever wildlife habitat projects are 45 minutes from lewistown. Spring pheasant crow counts for the last two years in northcentral and northeast montana have been at or higher than the 10year average for many areas, according to a. Located six miles north of denton, montana, the 800acre coffee creek block management area is located between a 320acre parcel and an 880acre parcel of land all three areas are open to public hunting. So, at a statewide scale, things should be pretty good. Our healthy, hardflying wild pheasants will challenge the most experienced hunter. Bird hunting in montana latest seasons, tips, tactics, and more. For instance, in 2015, the last year for which data is available, 40,000 of the states 2,000rooster harvest came out of region 4. All of our guided pheasant hunting is with local guides and well trained bird dogs. In many states south dakota, iowa and minnesota among them pheasant counts decreased less than one would have expected after a horrific winter and extremely wet springsummer nesting and broodrearing season. As you get ready to head out into the montana wilderness, there are a. Bird dogs afield tv visits montana for upland bird hunting for sharp tail grouse and hungarian partridge.
The state has about 15,000 pheasant hunters, according to the latest data from the 2014 hunting season. Be ready for the next seasons, schedule your hunting seasons here. Folks are optimistic about upland bird season in montana. Please visit the links above to learn more about pheasant hunting at rooster ridge pheasant club in missoula, mt. Hunters must check the 2015 upland game bird regulations because parts of southcentral, eastern and northern montana are closed to sage grouse hunting. Highlights of a few various walks combined into one compilation. The end result is a constant weekend opener with a fixed date ending and a season length varying slightly from year to year. Montana s premier hunting preserve for pheasant, hungarian partridge, elk, dear, wolf and bear montana wild ranch is a.