Ptarmigans in Colorado

G

GreenmtnSage

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Mar 4, 2018
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Denver CO
Hey everyone,

I'm fairly new to Colorado and would love to try a Ptarmigan hunt. I understand the inherent challenges hunting above the treeline at elevation, but wonder if anyone out here has managed to bag a few. How important is it to have a good dog? Do you make a few day trip out of it and camp at elevation to save a walk? Is it possible to glass birds among rocks and stalk them, or do you just have to walk and try and flush a few? Any extra information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Erik
 
If you spend time on the tundra and pay attention you will encounter White-tailed Ptarmigan. I've led a few hundred people to see ptarmigan both summer and winter. And I've taken a few in season.

My advice is to leave the dog behind and be on the tundra at day break. Listen and glass for moving birds. Some males will still announce their territorial rooster call into late fall. Some will call in flight over a half mile just as they do in spring breeding season display. To see this is one of the greatest experiences in nature, right up there with elk bugling and mountain lions copulating. Check out the rooster calls and clucking sounds on the Cornell Lab of Natural Sounds. If you come upon a family group of ptarmigan, please don't take all of them. If you see five, take two or three at the most. The population will benefit and you'll preserve a good opportunity for next year.
 
I haven't hunted them in CO, but have ran into a few groups out hiking. The doubt glassing would be very effective as they blend in to the terrain very well. They tend to let you get very close before flushing. One of these years I hope to go chase them with a shotgun, but other seasons always seem to get in the way.
 
I saw quite a few right at timberline in the Missouri Lakes Basin area when I was hunting up there in Sep 2016. I was close. Pretty cool. Could’ve bagged a quite a few if I had been carrying a shotgun and an upland bird license instead of an elk tag.
 
I've seen them in the Flat Tops and in the Sangre de Cristos, all above timberline, and all outside of their hunting season, and that's my experience with ptarmigan...but good luck!
 
Leaving the dog at home??? NEVER! (but you should and certainly can) Best ptarmigan is spot stalk and .22 in the head. They are like moose, not really ready for the modern world so like is mentioned above don't kill them all even though you can and it is legal. If it is not windy (and it always is) you can hear them early and late from a long ways off clucking and fussing going to or coming off their roost. They tend to fly only a short distance to/from rock fields to begin/end their day.

If you want true wing shooting sport with dogs go with a T/C contender in .410, throw in a crosswind of say 70-100 mph at 13,000 ft and you will likely not get your limit!

But you can kill them with a rock if you wander closely and take your time about your approach and do not telegraph your evil intentions .

The country is spectacular, the wind viscous, the birds delicious (lemon/pepper ptarmigan) Best wild bird I have ever eaten.

It is a mountain goat hunt without the expensive and hard to draw tag. They are much more prevalent than most realize as they are so hard to spot and so benign in the vast habitat they call home. I could never find them and then was told "look for six inch round rocks with wings". Once I did that they were all over the place.
 
squirrel said:
Leaving the dog at home??? NEVER! (but you should and certainly can) Best ptarmigan is spot stalk and .22 in the head. They are like moose, not really ready for the modern world so like is mentioned above don't kill them all even though you can and it is legal. If it is not windy (and it always is) you can hear them early and late from a long ways off clucking and fussing going to or coming off their roost. They tend to fly only a short distance to/from rock fields to begin/end their day.<snip>
Click to expand...


Yes, glassing for movement, spot and stalk works. A dog is more likely to flush the birds a long distance. It's not quite like pheasant hunting. I've seen them fly for a mile and more.

Ptarmigan are one of my favorite birds. I've endeavored to photograph all three North American species, the White-tailed, Rock and Willow Ptarmigan. With Geoff Keller, we got the first recordings of the rooster call of the WTPT for the Cornell Lab of Natural Sounds. I've led dozens of field trips via skis to see ptarmigan in their exquisite winter plumage. Great birds.
 
I'm a huge closet ptarmigan nut... would easily trade a day chasing them over an elk hunt. Would love to meet up and chase them with anyone who is interested. ^ Agree with hummer about self imposed bag limit. I let a lot pass, just because I like seeing them. Trying to do a slam this year with Rock on Adak, Willow in the Chugach, and then white-tailed in CO. Up to this point my strategy has been putting on lots of miles, but I would love to hear more about finding them based on habitat and seasonal range, I have really struggled locating birds in the latter half of the season once the snow flies.

Hummer how can one sign up for one of these ski trips?

Fact, corgis are great grouse and ptarmigan dogs as they don't flush birds at long distances.

Gus with a bird last season.
IMG_3186.jpg
 
If they are anything like the ones in northern Canada, then they are really easy to bag. We were shooting them with a bow... yes that close.

good luck to all
the dog
 
wllm1313 said:
I'm a huge closet ptarmigan nut... would easily trade a day chasing them over an elk hunt. Would love to meet up and chase them with anyone who is interested. ^ Agree with hummer about self imposed bag limit. I let a lot pass, just because I like seeing them. Trying to do a slam this year with Rock on Adak, Willow in the Chugach, and then white-tailed in CO. Up to this point my strategy has been putting on lots of miles, but I would love to hear more about finding them based on habitat and seasonal range, I have really struggled locating birds in the latter half of the season once the snow flies.
Click to expand...

These are Adak ptarmigan.
 

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Wow thanks for all the responses everyone, sounds like I need to just start hiking some high wilderness and keep my eyes peeled! At this point I would be happy to just see a few! If anyone wants to take a trip.......

Thanks again,

Erik
 
I may be planning a Hunt Talk Ptarmigan Soiree in a year or two.
 
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