North Dakota Upland Birds

[ChukarBob]

I will be driving to North Dakota in November and am looking for a rider to share the driving and travel expenses.  I'll leave Seattle early morning on Friday, November 8 for a 2-day drive to ND for 2 weeks of bird hunting.  Each day I will cover about 625 miles, weather permitting, until I reach my destination, Garrison, ND.  I'll be departing North Dakota around Nov. 23 for the drive home.  We'll share the gas expense, which I expect to be around $500 round trip, and pay for our own meals and lodging.  I typically layover in Butte, MT at a Motel 6, which costs about $45.  I've been doing this trip for over 20 years, but previously my brother or a friend would ride with me.

Will be driving my well maintained Toyota Tacoma 4WD crew cab with studded snow tires and a canopy over the bed.  My Labrador Retriever, Remy, rides in a crate in the back of the truck.  I'll be taking some duck and goose decoys as well, although my focus in ND is pheasants.  There should be room for your gear.

I am NOT looking for a hunting partner, just someone to share the travel expenses.  When I get to ND, I will be meeting up with my brothers and cousins for some hunting.  You would need to make your own arrangements once in ND.  I could drop you off in Bismarck, Watford City, Garrison, New Town, Parshall as long as it's along my route to Garrison.  No smoking or drinking in my vehicle. 

If you're looking to bird hunt in ND and don't know the state, I can give you some helpful tips on where to find pheasant, sharptail grouse, and Hungarian partridge.  Maybe you could rent a vehicle once we got to ND, or you know someone there who you will meet up with.

I realize that this is an odd offer for a ride, but thought I would toss it out there.

[Roo]

I have to admit this has to be the most out of whack offers I have ever come across. Hi there would you like to pay for half my gas to get to ND and then when we get there you can go find your own birds... Oh yea by the way there should be room for your gear in the truck. Here is a little advice for you. Maybe you should invite someone who is willing to share the cost of a  trip like this along with you? Call me crazy but I think there are lots of birds in ND.

[ChukarBob]

Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to judgment simply because you can't fathom how this would be of value to you.  But I can tell you that if someone else was making this offer, I would jump on it.  Why?  Because of I have family -- brothers and cousins -- who will be waiting for me in ND when I get there.  They will have vehicles; the lodging is  reserved; and we're all looking forward to a 2 week bird hunt.  I don't need my truck for the actual hunting, but it's the only way to get one dog, 3 guns, 2 dz. duck decoys, 7 dz. goose decoys, and all the other gear that goes with upland and waterfowl hunting to ND.  If I didn't have to deal with all the gear, I would fly.

I don't need hunting partners -- got those.  Don't need local knowledge -- built up my own after 20-something trips to ND.

If YOU had someone you were meeting up with in ND, family living in the state or friends / family coming in from out of state, and all you had to do was to get there as inexpensively as possible, this might work for you.  Or whatever.

Just try thinking outside your box.