ABOUT THE HUNT

The Sandhills Sharptail Shootout is an amateur sport shooting competition held in September during the Nebraska sharptail grouse season, on some of the world’s best grouse habitat.

The hunt invites participation from all walks of life.

The Sandhills Sharptail Shootout is a competitive, one box grouse hunt held annually

the third weekend of September in Mullen, Nebraska. The Nebraska Sandhills is known

to every serious upland hunter as a bucket list type of hunt. For over thirty years the

Sandhills Sharptail Shootout has offered the opportunity to hunt grouse in some of the best

natural habitat in the country. This hunt has, and continues to; attract hunters from all walks of life.

Each team entered in the hunt will conduct a blind draw on their hunting land unit upon arrival.

Land units have been split up to ensure at least 5,000 acres of hunting ground per team. In many cases,

it is much more. Each unit will be guided. Many of our guides also happen to be the land owner

the team will be hunting on. The committee will also send a scorekeeper

out with each team to track shots fired and birds killed.

Team entry fee for the Sandhills Sharptail Shootout it $2,500. This includes all lodging, meals,

shells, competition trap and the guided hunt. Teams for the Sandhills Sharptail Shootout will consist

of five hunters each. The hunt committee will select 20 teams from entries received. The grouse hunt

will be split into a “Past Shooter” and “New Shooter” division. Notification of acceptance will be sent out

after the May 1st deadline. Along with the guided grouse hunt, there is also a scored wobble

trap competition, as well as some sporting clays opportunities and other shooting games.

Each team member must currently hold a Nebraska upland game hunting permit and habitat

stamp at the time of the hunt. All team members must be 21 years of age. Each team member or

guest is required to fill out a signed and notarized entry form that is to be submitted with the team

entry form and team entry fee. Entry forms can be found under the SIGN UP tab on the website.

Again, all entries are DUE by May 1st.

Tentative schedule starts Thursday afternoon with drawing for land units and trap time.

The trap range will be available for practice as well. Thursday night is the Landowner Appreciation dinner. This is a great chance to get acquainted with your guide, scorekeeper, and landowner the team has drawn. Friday will be the scored team trap competition as well as sporting clays. Friday evening there is also a

short Past Shooter’s meeting open to all hunters to attend. Saturday morning starts off with an

early breakfast, followed by the hunting portion of the weekend. Saturday night is the Awards Banquet. Sunday ends the event with another breakfast as hunters head out of town.

The Sandhills Sharptail Shootout has enjoyed tremendous success throughout the years.

Seemingly the whole town comes together to put this hunt on. Aside from having a great impact on

the local economy of Mullen, it has served as a main fundraiser for the Mullen Commercial Club.

This event has helped fund numerous community development and community improvement projects. However, the best part of the hunt is getting old (and new) friends back together once a year.

Until you’ve experienced it, you just won’t understand.

This isn't your grandma's hunt on pen raised birds

We have always tried to return each year mainly because of the landowner's generosity and the people's work ethic in Mullen is like no other in the world. The land and environment is totally unique to anything else you will experience. It creates a very challenging hunt for both the hunter and his dog. This isn't your grandma's hunt on pen raised birds; this is actually open range hunting and fair chase. Once you come and experience it, assuming you hunt for the right reasons, you will be back.

What makes this hunt so special is the fact it is real hunting with no stocked or planted birds.

Dan Bryant

Mullen is the heart of the Sandhills and the country is beautiful. The hunt committee and entire community go above and beyond to make sure you have a positive experience. The relationships built are everlasting. We return every year and it is neat to remember faces and strike up conversations with previous landowners, guides, and scorekeepers. Likely the best value hunt with everything you get including meals, trigger time, the hunt itself and an awards banquet dinner that is top notch.

The main reason for our return is the people of Mullen.

Dave Bryand

I do not believe that you could find more accommodating, friendlier or just plain nicer folks anywhere. Yeah, the birds are plentiful, the clay targets are challenging, the meals are delicious and the bar is open. But the people make this hunt special.

Ray McVeigh