Hi! My name is Jim Chalmers and I’ll try to help you get oriented to the abundant bird hunting opportunities in central Montana. I’m a relatively new resident to the Lewistown area but have been hunting birds here every fall since the early 1990’s. Our region has excellent habitat for 2 species of mountain grouse (ruffed and blue), 2 species of prairie grouse (sharptails and sage), hungarian partridge and pheasants. 
We have a variety of hunting opportunities including guided hunts, access fee opportunities, block management areas, BLM and State Land areas, FWP habitat improvement areas and many hospitable land owners who with courteous advance inquiries allow access for bird hunting.
I can be reached by phone 406-538-7405 or by e-mail (jameschalmers@vcn.com) and would be happy to help you familiarize yourself with opportunities in the area.
Upland Bird Guides/Outfitters
Al Gadoury, 6x Outfitters, 305 W. Lamme, Bozeman, MT 59715 406-586-3806 www.6xoutfitters.com/
Dennis Kavanaugh. Montana Bird Hunts, Box 5031, Bozeman, MT 59717. 406-587-5923. www.montanabirdhunts.com/
Pete Rogers. HC-90, Box 99A, Moccasin, MT 59462. 406-423-5332. www.pigeye.com.
Access Fee Opportunities
These are always changing so I maintain a list that I will e-mail you on request. Contact me at jameschalmers@vcn.com.
Block Management Areas
You’ll probably want to get the FWP Block Management map index books for both Regions 4 and 5. They are available from the Regional FWP Offices (Region 4: 4600 Giant Springs Road, Great Falls, 59406. 406-454-5840; Region 5: 2300 Lake Elmo Drive, Billings, 59105. 406-244-2940) after August 15 each year. Once you receive the map index books you can write, or call, or pick up in person, the detailed maps for 5 Block Management Areas at a time. This requires some careful advance planning but is an excellent program and offers a broad range of opportunities.
BLM and State Lands
Another opportunity area, particularly for the two prairie grouse, are the numerous BLM and State Lands. These can be identified from the Montana topographic atlases (I use DeLorme but I think there are others) but I prefer to also have the BLM Montana Recreation Access Guide maps which give much better detail. The easiest place to get these maps is the Regional BLM Office in Lewistown (406-538-7461) or from either of the two local sporting goods stores identified below.
Montana FWP
All the rules and regulations are available on the Montana FWP web site at www.fwp.mt.gov/hunting/planahunt/gamebirds. This site also indexes a large number of habitat projects and pheasant release sites that provide interesting hunting opportunities.
Land Ownership Maps
I’ve often found that the land ownership maps available at www.nris.state.mt.us/ are helpful in identifying owners and property boundaries. An excellent new hard copy land onwership atlas for Fergus County is now available for $35 from the Fergus County Weed Department 406-538-3970 or roadweed@tein.net.
Updates on Current Conditions
An excellent source of information on current conditions is always available from the two local sporting goods stores:
Don’s Sports and Western
120 2nd Ave South, Lewistown, 59457.
406-538-9408 or 1-800-879-8194.
www.dons-store.com
www.MontanaArchery.com
The Sport Center
320 West Main St., Lewistown, 59457 406-535-9308
www.sportcentermt.com/
