Upland Game Bird Hunting Outlook

Montana’s upland game bird hunters appear to have a favorable season of hunting ahead. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials say grouse and pheasant hunting in the north central and eastern portions of the state are expected to be significantly improved over 2004. The season for most upland game bird species begins Sept. 1.

"A generally mild winter over much of Montana and a moist spring has resulted in good winter survival and plenty of cover for rearing broods, especially in FWP Regions 4, 5, 6 and 7," said Rick Northrup, FWP upland and migratory bird coordinator. Upland game bird hunting opportunities in FWP Regions 1 and 3 will be similar or slightly improved from last year.

This is welcome news for bird hunters after the severe winter of 2003-2004 reduced pheasant populations to about 30 percent below average and sage grouse populations to about 20 percent below average in northeastern Montana.

"With what we’ve observed so far, it appears there is a decent recovery going on out there, and pheasants in north central Montana and in the far eastern portions of the state in particular seem to be doing well," Northrup said.

West of the Continental Divide :

Upland game bird hunting in FWP Region 1 around Kalispell is expected to be about average this year across the board. At Ninepipe Wildlife Management Area, pheasant numbers are expected to be slightly improved from last year.

In the Missoula area, grouse and pheasant hunting will be about the same as hunters experienced in 2004.

Central Montana:

In the north central portion of the state, around Great Falls and Havre, pheasant populations took a nice bump up. Turkey and grouse hunting are expected to be similar to last year, and hunting for huns may be slightly improved.

In southwest Montana, around Bozeman, most upland game bird hunting is expected to be about average and pheasant populations remain below average, as are turkey populations.

Eastern Montana :

In the Billings area, hunting for huns, chukar and pheasants should be similar to last year. Grouse populations are stable, and turkey hunting is expected to be above average.

In the Glasgow area in northeastern Montana, grouse and hun populations show a notable improvement and the pheasant population is also significantly improved. The turkey population is looking good as well. Local production may be spotty due to variations in cover and mortality from localized hail and rainstorms.

  Near Miles City, in the southeast, pheasant populations are expected to be above average and turkey hunting will also be above average. There will also be some slight improvement over last year in sage and sharp-tailed grouse populations.

  "With birds, every variable is important, including winter weather, spring precipitation, temperature, cover, and the abundance of insects. All play a role in upland game bird survival and production," Northrup said. "That is why there can be so much variability across the state and why it can be difficult to forecast populations for specific areas. Generalizations seem to be the rule."

The FWP 2005 Upland Game Bird Outlook table below is a "dip stick" approach for hunters curious about what they might find in the field. These general trends are based on observations by FWP field biologists.

While helpful, the best way to be an informed bird hunter is to scout your hunting area in advance in late summer and early fall.
 

2005 UPLAND GAME BIRD OUTLOOK CHART

In the table, the numbers in the cells represent the size of the population in 2005, using a scale of 1-10, with 10 being high.  A plus sign represents an increase, a minus sign is a decrease and an equal sign means the numbers are about the same as in 2004.

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