Fergus County Montana

[George "Scott" Davis]

Spending my two summer weeks in Fergus County Montana scouting and getting my dogs out of the Texas Heat. Fergus County has been hit hard by several large fires in the past year. Denton, MT was devastated with LARGE prairie fire and town lost multiple homes, area lost 30 plus out buildings, wind rows and lots of pasture land. Fergus County is extremely DRY however we got the first meaningful rain last night in past 30 days. Several of the ranchers are concerned they will not get single cutting of hay this year. Winter wheat yield looks like it'll be mediocre but I doubt they even try to harvest their spring wheat, just allow cattle to use it for feed.
Bird population doesn't look good. I've probably seeing 70-80% fewer game birds than I've seen in the last five years. Hopefully last night rain will produce crop of grasshoppers for any chicks. To date I've not seen any pheasant or sharptail chicks.
Thinking about removing Montana for the first time in many year off my fall hunting schedule.

[Harold Pickens]

That doesnt sound very good George. Last years drought conditions allowed for emergency haying and grazing in eastern Montana with resultant loss of bird habitat and concentration of birds in what cover was left, and it sounds like its even worse this year. I have a good friend who now lives out there around Circle, MT. He runs Gordon setters. Hopefully, one day I'll get out there for a couple weeks.