Hunting the ‘other’ upland game

While pheasant is king of the Dakotas, don’t give up on grouse.

The “other” species of upland game here in the Dakotas — sharptail grouse and prairie chickens, known collectively as prairie grouse — may not be as popular or prevalent as the world-famous pheasant, but targeting these native birds can offer world-class action and unforgettable experiences for even the most experienced wingshooter.

This year, the grouse season opened statewide Sept. 21 in South Dakota. Plus, this year hunters get an extra few weeks to target grouse, as the season was extended until Jan. 31 to match the pheasant season.

The daily limit for prairie grouse, which includes both sharptails and prairie chickens, is three with a possession limit of 15. And shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset.

During the 2023 season, hunters bagged an estimated 69,400 grouse — the highest total in over 20 years. Thanks to a light winter and good bird production this spring, it’s looking like this year’s grouse season will be on point.

Check out the article I wrote on the 2024 South Dakota grouse season as part of Pheasants Forever’s annual Prairie Grouse Primer. It’s packed with regional reports on this year’s grouse prospects, and it’s a great place to start planning your hunt.

Male prairie chickens dance on a lek as part of their spring mating ritual. A strong overwinter population of birds and favorable spring conditions should mean a good year for prairie grouse and prairie grouse hunters this fall in South Dakota.

Photo by SD Tourism

Distinguishing characteristics

While they can often be mistaken for one another, there are distinguishing characteristics that can help you identify prairie chickens from shaprtails.

Physically, they’re similar in size and shape, and perhaps the easiest way to differentiate between the two in flight can be seen in the tail. Sharptails, as their name implies, feature tail feathers that come to a point, while prairie chickens have a more-rounded or flatter tail.

Another physical difference can be seen in the coloration of sharptails and prairie chickens. Barring on its feathers covers much of a prairie chicken’s body, differing from the predominantly brown, mottled coloration of a sharpie’s feathers.

Prairie chickens have a distinct barring pattern.

Because sharptails lack the distinct barring characteristic of a prairie chicken, they’re often confused with flushing hen pheasants. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen hunters call “hen!” when some sharpies shot into the air. And in all honesty, I’m sure there’s been a time or two when I’ve made the same mistake.

Primarily, a hen pheasant will be much more of a uniform brown than a prairie grouse, which can appear in flight like it’s almost checkered. Also, when a grouse breaks from cover its wings don’t generate the deep, more powerful sound that pheasants are known for. Once they’re in the air grouse tend to flap and float. A pheasant, especially a hen, will typically fly closer to the ground and have more linear direction to its flight path.

In addition, a flushing grouse will sometimes reveal itself by the guttural clucking sound it makes. Other than their baritone wing beats, hen pheasants rarely make any kind of sound, and if they do, it’s a kind of subtle peeping noise. The clucking, almost gurgling, chuckling sound of grouse can be an instant indicator of what kind of bird just flushed in front of you.

Where to hunt

Prairie grouse are often picked up as bonus birds while chasing pheasants. However, if you want to target these species, the more grassland you can find, the better.

In South Dakota, thousands of grouse hunters flock each year to the Fort Pierre National Grassland, which is managed with grouse in mind. In addition, there are plenty of large game-production areas and public walk-in areas in the central and western parts of South Dakota with enough grassland habitat to hold huntable populations of grouse.

Source: SDGFP

Even in large expanses of grasslands, there are certain geographical features that also play into where you can find grouse. While it’s tempting to fall into a pheasant routine and head for the bottoms of long draws, grouse are more often found on ridge tops or the leeward side of the draw. Even better is if you can find an area where two ridges meet and offer protection from roaring Dakota winds.

As the acres of grassland habitat continue to decline, grouse have adapted by feeding on small grains much like a pheasant. Although they feed heavily on insects during the spring and summer months, grouse become primarily vegetarian during the fall and winter as they move almost entirely to a grain-based diet. In certain areas, they also feed on chokecherries and serviceberries, especially if waste grain or weed seeds are buried by snow or ice.

Pro tip: In the early season, don’t overlook alfalfa, especially where there is new growth. Grouse key in on those fields as a food source, as they offer a combo platter of greens and bugs. Grouse don’t rely on cropland as much as pheasants, but they will utilize it for food, and it’s something hunters should know in advance.

Take the challenge

While pheasant is king of the Dakotas, other upland opportunities are often forgotten. If you’ve only been lucky enough to pick up a sharptail or prairie chicken as a bonus bird while hunting pheasants, take some time this fall to hunt the short grass and add some spice to your hunt.