Nebraska Pine Ridge Merriams

[fletcher]

Heading out next week to this area for first time.

Crawford,NE

Anyone have any intel on Merriams or this area?

Bringing bow and gun. Saw 8 strutters near Prior Lake today, right on 21, with about 6 hens they never broker strut in 10 minutes I watched em...now is the time

Thanks

[Borch]

Good luck!

[delzz7]

Me, my brother, and another guy are heading out on the 22. It will be are first time out there too. I have talked to a CO and he said there is plenty of birds. The farther you get off the beaten path, the less birds are pressured which is typical. The Pine Ridge is a huge area, I wish I had more to offer you but were in the same boat you are.

Good Luck

[theghost_03]

Hey guys, where is the Pine Ridge located? I am heading out in two weeks to the Santee Reservation in the NE part of Nebraska. I would love to hear reports as far as activity if you guys are out there before me. Good Luck

[123fish]

Hey ghost what is the scoop on hunting that reservation? What are the license costs, number of tags allowed, available land to hunt? We hunt private land around Springview which includes a tributary creek to the Niobrara river. Lots of fun and a lot of birds. You are going to have a good time I think.

The Pine Ridge is located in the northwestern part of the state.

[outfishedagain]

I hunted the pine ridge area two years ago in the Chadron area. I hope your in shape. some areas get very steep. The birds when we were out their didnt' gobble at all. I hope its better for you guys. We were out there for five days and heard 3 gobbles, but ended up with two birds. The birds didn't respond to any calling, the only way we got close is to stalk em. WE got as high up as we could and spotted them and put the sneek on them. But again that was two years ago. Plus get ready for the wind. Good luck and enjoy, its very pretty out that way.

[theghost_03]

Fish,

I wish I could get you more information than this at the moment. This is going to be our first time to the Santee Res, so after I get back I will get you some more info. But from what I have gathered so far, your allowed up to three birds. Tags are purchased one at a time for $50, that is out of state price anyways. It sounds like it is a large area to hunt. But like I said, Ill let you know more when we get back in a couple weeks.

[123fish]

Sounds good. Good luck and I'll be waiting for your report.

[fletcher]

success, 4 birds in 3 days, 3 hunters

great people and country

experienced 26-86 temps, wind, rain, and 3" snow on Saturday 6-9" of snow in Rapid City on way home on Sunday am

We got 3 toms the first morning before weather turned bad

Hunted Little Cottonwood and Sand Creek bottoms between Crawford and Lake Whitney also hunted hills near Dell, NE near NE Nat Forest. Bagged a bearded hen with bow there.

NE tips: ticks, mosquitoes (wet year), wind (stakes for decoys/blinds), big open country (optics), 4000 ft elevation in pine ridge with rapid changing weather with snow but birds are used to it, jakes will gobble and strut, and even the bearded hens will strut. Lots of public land with amiable landowners and friendly people. We hunted with One Lazy J ranch, very nice folks.

Great time with lots of birds in Cottonwood/Ash Creek Bottoms. Key on the roost but not too close as woods are thin and trees are short, calls really carry in that country. Gobbling starts a tad prior to 5am.

22#, 8.5" beard, hooks nothing special, nice snow white coloration, had 8 hens with him, 2 jakes played ring around the double bull gobbling and tempting fate until Tommy showed, hens came in and he went face to face with full strut decoy. I uncorked the 3" winxr #6 @25 yards and it was over.

[Borch]

Sounds like alot of fun. I've run into the same weather hunting the Black Hills. You just never know what you'll run into there.

[fletcher]

what happend to pics in my post?

were they too big or did I do something wrong?

I thought I previewed them

Any ideas

[Shack]

They where always their. You have a bad file URL. I fixed it for ya!

These are it right?