2020 upland game bird forecast

Well-timed moisture, a mild winter and good residual cover have benefited upland birds, but hunters should expect them to be a bit more spread out across the landscape.

“Habitat conditions across the southeast were excellent going into the fall and winter due to good moisture received throughout the growing season,” said Justin Hughes, Region 7 Upland Game Bird Biologist. “The winter was very mild with minimal amounts of snow and ice to hinder birds. The region experienced mild temperatures throughout most of winter, and the thermometer stayed above 0 degrees more than we typically see.”

“Very little extreme cold and little to no deep snow events were paired with thousands of acres of standing crop fields, some of which remained unharvested until early spring,” he said.

“Region 7 pair grouse lek counts were strong. Nesting and brood-rearing conditions were favorable, and I’ve been seeing hens with good numbers of chicks,” said Wildlife Biologist Steve Atwood. “I suspect hunters will find bird numbers similar or a little better than last year.

Hungarian partridge populations in Southeast Montana are still rebounding from drought conditions in 2017. The hun harvest was slightly lower in 2019 than it was in 2018, and still well below the long-term average. Huns are considered something of a “bonus bird” in this area, according to Hughes. He expects numbers will be similar to what they have been the past couple of seasons.

Pheasant harvest was up a bit in 2019 from the previous year and sits at about 63 percent of the 10-year average.

“Habitat across the region should be in pretty good shape come fall,” Hughes said. “There was a lot of residual cover this year, and although we had some periods of dry weather, the growing season was good. Hunters should expect conditions similar to last year as far as the amount of cover they will see.”

Spring was warm and dry for the most part, aiding nesting and brood-rearing conditions for sharp tails and other species.

“Good soil moisture from last year kicked off the growing season, and timely rains in late May through June helped to add to the large amount of residual cover that remained from 2019,” Hughes said.

He cautioned, “It is heating up on the prairie, where highs can easily reach into the 100-degree mark for extended periods. Now is the time that high-quality brood-rearing habitat is critical for getting those little chicks into adult-sized birds before fall. Brood-rearing habitat has been very good the past couple of years due to good vegetation growth and large amounts of insects."

Estimated sharp tail harvest was up in 2019 from 2018 by about 1,000 birds but still well below the long-term average.

“Hens and broods that have been visible appear to be doing well,” Hughes said. “Like 2019, there is a lot of cover out there for birds to hide and use, which can make getting an idea of bird numbers difficult. Hunting looks to be very similar to last year: With lots of cover and resources available, birds will be spread out and perhaps using the landscape differently than they would on a ‘normal’ year.”

Sage grouse harvest was down in 2019 compared to 2018, hovering at around 30 percent of long-term average.

The same conditions benefitting other upland species should also help sage grouse some this fall, but Hughes recommends being flexible in your approach.

“Hunters should be prepared to be adaptable and ready to change their hunting style and locations based on bird behavior and habitat,” he said. “In recent years with weather conditions and habitat conditions fluctuating from one extreme to the next, hunters who adapt and are mobile in their hunting tactics increase their odds of heavy vests at the end of the day.”

“As always, doing homework on habitat and access prior to arriving in the state is always best,” Hughes advised.