Sports !
ever , they don ’ t exist in central South Dakota where I do most of my grouse hunting . The difference can be compared to fishing a large , featureless lake as opposed to a smaller lake that ’ s loaded with structure . On the big dishpan water , trolling works great because fish are usually scattered and fishing fast is more efficient .
We hunt the Fort Pierre National Grasslands ( public land ) the same way . Wicker ’ s English setters and shorthairs run big , so big they can shrink a section of land in a hurry .
My pointing Lab , Dee , points grouse , but as a retriever , picks up scent on the ground , pointing breeds take it out of the air . Thus , they can be running at full tilt , which they usually do , but one sniff of grouse and they stop in their tracks . Oh , what a sight . Then it ’ s simply a matter of walking up on the dog and preparing
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to shoot .
I think of Dee in the same way I think of a leadhead jig tipped with a fathead minnow . It can be deadly , but it ’ s no way to cover water . On the other hand , the pointing breeds are more like a fast-moving crankbait .
I remember a day last September when Wicker and friends Tom Zenanko of Minneapolis and Jason Mitchell of Devils Lake hunted with me . Jason had never bagged a prairie chicken , but he nailed three that afternoon .
There was a time I didn ’ t like grouse , but I blame most of that on eating them over-cooked . Once I learned to cook them medium-rare I learned they ’ re absolutely wonderful . More on that later .
Prairie Grouse Heaven
The Fort Pierre National Grasslands just south of Fort
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Pierre , SD , is unusual in that it ’ s one of the new national grasslands where wildlife gets priority . This is done by reducing grazing levels to allow for prolific grass growth .
Grassland manager Tony De- Toy also sets some pastures aside for permanent rest and is working hard to restore woody draws , which are difficult to maintain with consistent livestock grazing .
The last time I talked to Tony he told me the FPNG is visited by hunters from 39 states , nearly all of them pointing dog aficionados . They spend a lot of money in Pierre and Fort Pierre . I ’ m certain of one thing : Since I ’ ve hunted the FPNG in the early 1970s , and that ’ s without carefully-managed grazing , hunting wouldn ’ t be nearly as good . Wicker recalls those days , too . “ You could hit a golf ball 300 yards out into a pasture and the grass was so short you could easily see it ,” he said . “ It was shorter than most golf course fairways .”
Today , I consider the FPNG one of the premier prairie grouse hotspots in the nation .
When I began hunting it , sharptails were the dominant species . Today , greater prairie chickens have the edge and they show signs of increasing their range . On the FPNG your bag will usually be made up of about 70 percent prairie chickens and 30 percent sharpies . Their habits are similar , and you have to hunt them a few times before you can identify them in the air .
Nor can you tell the difference on the table .
Grouse That Don ’ t Taste Wild
Try marinating them in a mix of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar , then grill them over high heat , being careful not to overcook them beyond medium rare . Voila ! No wild taste , just tender , juicy and delicious ... reminiscent of fine steak .
I also like to cook them in a hot pan , making sure the pan is sizzling hot , then adding a couple tablespoons of olive oil and searing them quickly . Then , reduce the heat , add a half cup of good red wine to de-glaze the pan . Be sure you scrape off any tiny bits of grouse sticking to the pan . Then add a couple chunks of unsalted butter , melt it and mix with
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