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Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

This is the name of an outfit that is offering wild bird hunting for Hungarians, sage grouse, sharptails, pheasants, etc. and their website says they've been in business since the late 1980's. They offer early hunts out of Big Timber, Montana and later season hunts including pheasant, out of Lewistown, MT. They aren't cheap at over $2,250 per gun for a 3 day, 4 night hunt but these aren't supposed to be pen raised birds and this does include guides, food, field transportation, lodging and hunting for several different types of wild prairie birds. None of these types of outfitters are cheap anymore I know---my question is, what do you get for what you pay for??
Does anyone know anything about this company? How is the wild bird population in Central Montana nowadays?The owner is a guy named Dennis Cavanaugh I think....any straight-talk knowledge would be appreciated.....

Member Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 467 Location: SC PA

Wolfchief,

The Sept/Oct 07 issue of Shooting Sportsman had an article entitled ''Crazy Huns" that detailed a hunt with Dennis Kavanagh.

Marcus

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Thanks---I will certainly look that info up...has anyone out there hunted with these folks before?

Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 173 Location: S. E. Arizona

I know Dennis Kavanaugh of Montana Bird Hunts. I was on the 2006 trip described by Clair Kofoed in the Shooting Sportsman article. I hunted over Dennis' dogs, enjoyed the food, lodging, and walked a lot of his leased ground.

I had dinner with Dennis several times this season when I was hunting out of Big Timber and staying at the Grand Hotel. One of the best dining rooms in Montana, and a great bar!

Dennis runs an absolutely first class operation. Everything is correct - dogs, birds, ground, lodgings, food... all top drawer. I have no negative comments, and apparently his customers don't either, since his business is largely repeat business.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Do they actually have a fair amount of pheasants in that area though? I have a friend that lives in Lewistown, Mont and he says he goes North East to hit any decent population of wild pheasants.
I never asked about the other birds though.

What gives, are there pheasants there or not?

I have hunted that general area for 10 years. Yes there are pheasants. Some areas and years better than others. Good (or better) leased ground will have the most. Early season will still have young of the year roosters (more pletiful and easier). But, remember Montana is NOT South Dakota, or Iowa, or North Dakota or, MN or... Not even close. A 3 bird limit is do-able with: Luck, good dogs and good shots. I have a few secret spots and work all day for a limit (usually) if I'm lucky, but I enjoy shooting Huns, Sharpies and Sage Grouse. I guess that's why they advertise them too. If you want more than pheasant hunting you'll have a good time. Even in a "down" pheasant year usually you'll find somethiing else along the way.

All that said; I'll bet if you're a good shot you'll each take away an easy half dozen birds of some kind each day - more if the weather is warm and the doves are still local. I prefer late season so my dog can work longer, but, the roosters are tougher and sharpies tend to "flock up" and can be out of shooting range. Sage Grouse season closes Nov. 1 so keep that in mind.

my $.02 - - hope it helps Smile

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Thanks for the replies...I've shot Huns and Sharptails before, they are a lot of fun and a lot of walking. I don't count doves for much as we have them all over the place here, and I didn't even hunt them last year. Would hate to think I drove 3/4 of the way across country to shoot them as a significant percentage of the bag. I would want pheasants though so will have to give it some thought...

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

I have been reading and re-reading the Shooting Sportsman article and looking at the Montana Bird Hunters website. It all looks good and I am particularly interested in the Lewistown hunt he describes in his package. BUT...is he serious when he states that they allow break open shotguns only? That would mean I can't take my Sweet 16 or my Model 12---both great wide-open-country bird guns and each a joy to shoot!! If he really means that, I'll have to look elsewhere....I've never encountered or even heard of such a restriction and I must say it certainly smacks of elitism to me....I do have a Merkel 1620 I can use, but that isn't really the point. If safety really is the issue, he should stop and consider what business he's really in...there are NO guarantees in life...

Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 173 Location: S. E. Arizona

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

Chukar: I hear what you are saying---you can't call the shot back so we've all got to stay safe---but you surely could agree that, given that the gun is in mechanically sound condition, safety is a function of the gun HANDLER, not the gun...a Porsche 911 is inherently no less safe to drive than an "old man's car" like a Dodge Diplomat; the driver is the difference ! I know of people who use break open guns that I wouldn't want anywhere NEAR me if I were hunting...and I know others who use pumps and autos who are, and always have been perfectly safe in the field with them. I have no doubt Dennis must know such people too.

I was once a certified NRA Shotgun instructor and taught in my state's 4-H Shooting Sports program, where we instructed youngsters who used all types of shotguns...safely. It just appears to be a very arbitrary restriction to me. If I enjoy using my non-break open guns to hunt, not using them would diminish the satisfaction to some extent (and that, after paying $2,200+!) Seems like a better way to do it would be to get a little info from the prospective client first and then decide who gets to use what type of gun.

I will probably contact him to just learn more about his hunting program, and then go from there...

Dennis is usually fully booked through the early season in Montana, and the late season when he comes to Arizona. When hunting over his outstanding E. setters, he gets to make the rules.
I organized a hunt with Dennis in the early 90s for some doc friends, and when birds got up, he actually went to ground. Likely something very bad happened at one time in the past.

Wolfchief:
You're glass is not half empty, but half full. It is a super reason to purchase a new double gun.

Good hunting..........Mike Very Happy

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

I appreciate the replies, but I feel strongly that being a good sportsman is very obviously a function of the individual, not the gun he or she carries. If I'm the one paying the bucks, and as long as I'm safe, sorry, but I pay the guide to put me on birds-- and I need no admonitions as to the guns I can/can't use. I'll just hunt somewhere else and be done with it.

Joined: 22 Dec 2004 Posts: 173 Location: S. E. Arizona