Gary Thompson from Silk Lines and Paper Hulls invited me last weekend to come to Sheridan, Wyoming to chase sharp-tailed grouse and huns. I was scheduled to meet Dale Herden from Lo Banks in north-central Kansas, but my friend Sterling called and said it was pretty pathetic…in fact, he never fired a shot opening weekend hunting on private property. I left Denver traffic and eased into windy Wyoming late Thursday evening not sure what to expect. Anyone that’s driven down the I-80 Wyoming corridor would consider Wyoming a desolate waste of space…space for antelope and sage chickens and wind turbines. North Central Wyoming is awesome! The Big Horns are spectacular…and there’s plenty of wild life to gawk over. Gary and I saw some incredible bucks (antelope, mule deer and white-tailed) while wandering chokecherry draws and climbing rocking slopes. What an incredible experience…we covered 15 to 16 miles on foot per day while the bird dogs did 4 times that. Gary used an Garmin Astro 220 on his dogs…now I understand its value in the field. Below are some images from my Wyoming trip.
Here’s Gary in search of wild birds
The Big Horns in the background
Grouse River Gretchen on a hun covey
Gary with a ST grouse
Gary with a hun
Ellie my FB English Cocker retrieving a hun
AYA and hun
Wow, I remember those type of days in The Nebraska Sandhills chasing sharptails. Similar rolling country in some respects to where you were but, of course, no snow-capped mountains. What a breath-taking wonder Wyoming is for those who have eyes to see. I used to do 10 miles a day without a sweat. Now, 20-30 minutes on flat ground with light cover does the old feet in. But I can sure live through you Doc. Thanks for these wonderful pictures. Walter
For an Eastern boy like me that country is mind boggling. Great pictures.
Beauty!
I’ve never been up to that part of Wyoming myself, but it’s on the list.
Thanks for adding me to the blog roll and thus introducing me to your blog.
Cheers,
Larry
Thanks CUL…look forward to following your escapes while chase chukars
Just wondering, did you have issues with birds flushing out of range on your WY trip or were they holding well for points? My dogs couldn’t get within 100 yards of the sharpies and huns in ND on a trip about a week before yours.
Robin…
Thanks for the note.
The Huns held fairly well but not the sharptails; they blew out a long ways away!
Thanks for your response. I drive through Wyoming all the time on the way to bird hunting other places, but now you’ve motivated me to pull off the side of the road. I wanted to add that I enjoy your terrific website and fantastic photography. You really capture the essence of bird hunting.
Robin…
Wyoming is well kept secrete for sure!
Thanks again for the note.
Happy hunting!