# Looking for grouse around bismarck



## 1fastskeeter

Looking for a place to get my dog on some birds this weekend around bismarck. not looking for large numbers to confuse the dog just some where to expose her to a few.

Thanks


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## jhegg

Please let me know that area too!


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Head for the hills to the NE or SE. I've seen quite a few recently. Good luck.


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## 1fastskeeter

I see alot of plots east of baldwin, good place to start?


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## gjw

:lol: Well I was out today and tried around the Wilton, Baldwin and Wing areas. All I can say is the PLOTS around there are not so hot! Most of them are grazed down to the nub!!!!No cover at all. There are some CRP field that are ok, but not the best cover. Did see some birds, not many and saw a FEW hunters out. Was able to get a double today so all was not lost! We'll see what happens tomorrow. Going to try south.

Good Luck!!!!!

Greg


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## 1fastskeeter

Only found 1 covey on Saturday east on highway 36. Looked at alot of plowed plots fields. Should game and fish be notified of these as the fields are plowed dirt.


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## jhegg

No, as long as they are open to public hunting, that is the only criteria.


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## Britman

That is how are license fees are being spent. GF brags about how many acres they have added to reach the 1 million mark set by the Gov, but if you look at many of the acres they are garbage.


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## dblkluk

When the Game and Fish sets up a PLOTS contract often times they will have to take the "dirt fields" to also get the good habitat.
A "landowner package" if you will.


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## holmsvc

Britman said:


> That is how are license fees are being spent. GF brags about how many acres they have added to reach the 1 million mark set by the Gov, but if you look at many of the acres they are garbage.


Would you rather see a posted sign?

People need to stop complaining about plots. Sure not all of the land is prime hunting land, but it is still open to hunting.


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## Bagman

Due to the dry conditions this year many PLOTS areas may have been hayed and left bare. Comes with the territory.


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## mburgess

When I've visited relatives in Bismarck and went hunting in a 50 mile radius I've come to expect that most PLOTS will be poor. I haven't had good luck trusting the PLOT book in this area. Other areas of the state have some excellent PLOTS though, this year maybe a little different. Bare PLOTS are still better than posted signs.


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## Britman

If it is ground that holds no little to no hunting value, YES I would rather see it posted, as I can always ASK. I would rather see GF spend the money wisely than rush to reach a goal. I understand haying during drought conditions and have no issue with it and support it as I have family in the cattle business. I do not support however the GF rushing to grab land just for the sake of adding acres that hold little to no value for hunting. I want my dollars spent better than that and you should too.


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## njsimonson

> YES I would rather see it posted, as I can always ASK


So you would ask permission to hunt posted land that you are complaining is bare dirt, but not hunt the same area of land (like right now) and b#tch about it being in PLOTS?!? That makes no sense.


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## woodpecker

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## Britman

nj, you aren't thinking your're just reacting. If I decided I needed to hunt stubble or plowed land either for deer, turkey, lion or upland I would ask. I have no trouble asking permission.

The working lands program makes sense in the pothole region and around the big lakes, it doesn't make sense for anything else, unless you are a deer hunter who drives around hoping to shoot a deer or other game feeding in a stubble field out your window.


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## woodpecker

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## Jiffy

woodpecker said:


> Britman said:
> 
> 
> 
> The working lands program makes sense in the pothole region and around the big lakes, it doesn't make sense for anything else, unless you are a deer hunter who drives around hoping to shoot a deer or other game feeding in a stubble field out your window.
> 
> 
> 
> Let me get this straight. If it has stubble the only way to hunt that spot is to shoot out the window? Man have I been doing things wrong.
Click to expand...

 :lol: .....sometimes woodpecker I just lob hand grenades out the window. That way you don't have to aim. :wink:


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## Britman

not the only way but I sure don't need to pay to hunt it. Haven't seen a lot of OF's take their clients strolling through a stubble or plowed field looking for game. :eyeroll:


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## djleye

Actually sometimes those stubble or plowed areas are good for wtarfowl hunting. Plots are not only supposed to be for ditch parrots and grouse!!


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## Britman

mercy..mercy I give up. I am not saying they don't make it for hunting. I hunt stubble for sharpies, ditch parrots and waterfowl however I would rather ask permission to hunt this type of land than have GF pay for it, that is all I am saying.


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## target

Britman said:


> mercy..mercy I give up. I am not saying they don't make it for hunting. I hunt stubble for sharpies, ditch parrots and waterfowl however I would rather ask permission to hunt this type of land than have GF pay for it, that is all I am saying.


I understand what you are saying, you dont think that the state should be using its funds to purchase lands which are being put to use. Dirt fields, stubble fields, because they are not the targeted areas by outfitters.

But why is asking permission on this land any different then asking permission on crp or tree rows. Why should the state use its funds to spotlight on a single or a small number of species. If you take a good look at the majority of all PLOTS lands there is something in there that was worth the state monies. A 40 acres piece of tilled land may have a little honey hole in the far back corner not seen from the road.

The state is not just out buying every piece of land brought to them. I cant even imagine the amount of land that would not qualify for the PLOTS programs. These guys are inspecting each piece of land, their is most likely something there, whether its a stubble field for feeding geese or crp for pheasants.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I

djleye said:


> Actually sometimes those stubble or plowed areas are good for wtarfowl hunting. Plots are not only supposed to be for ditch parrots and grouse!!


You may be correct, but REAL hunters like to walk for their birds of choice! hahahahhahaha :beer:


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## Britman

Target, I agree with all of your statements. It is hard to deny though by looking at some of the lands that have been enrolled into PLOTS that the 1 million goal is not a driving force behind some decisions.


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## target

Britman said:


> Target, I agree with all of your statements. It is hard to deny though by looking at some of the lands that have been enrolled into PLOTS that the 1 million goal is not a driving force behind some decisions.


I have not found much of this at all in my area and the plots areas I have been around. I have occassionaly found a few of these plots lands in question that were dirt or stubble but if you look around them the surrounding cover usually has everything else wildlife needs and this piece would serve some purpose for feeding areas or just open cover allowing hunters an opportunity to get at your targeted species.


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## grande

Opening week-end of deer bow I saw lots
I need a ride to SE ND to bow hunt
I sold my pickup last week
I'll show you some


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## target

I bet you can show me some PLOTS lands that are not good for bow hunting. Or deer, or pheasants, or grouse, or waterfowl, or furbearer.

But can you show me a piece of plots that will not provide some hunting privledges for at least one of the species we hunt. Not what you personally are hunting at the time, but possibly what someone else is hunting, with their different ways of hunting whether you agree with their style or not as long as it is legal.


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