Grouse

[dutchman]

Looking forward to opening day of grouse Sat.
Dogs in good shape, and the weather looks damp and cool.
Have to find where the birds are this year.

Dutchman

[SwampDonkey]

Our season started the first of October. I like the first a second weekend the best as the leaves are still on and I can hunt along roads and trails with alders. I find alot of grouse along aldered trails. Also, I like young mixed growth or young hardwood growth as long as there are leaves. The season here is open til mid December I think. This wasn't a very good grouse year because of our cold spring. I only seen one clutch of chicks all summer, seen alot of woodcock though. I haven't hunted for 12 years now.

[Jeff]

I guess I aint a very good sport. My favorite way to hunt grouse is to have them walk down to you on the trail as you are walking up it. Raise the shot gun a little high and NO PELLETS IN DA BREAST! ;D  Heck with shooting them on da fly.

[dutchman]

Don't get many along trails here, have to search the clear cuts on state game lands.
Knowing the water source, and cover gets you close.
A good dog lets you know they're near, then take your best shot.
Carl

[Corley5]

I prefer road hunting them the best ;) ;D  Drive real slow on frosty mornings and watch along the edges and out in the woods under evergreens.  Late afternoons watch for them in raspberry bushes along the trails.  Keep the shotgun in the front seat in a case unloaded with the case unzipped a bit for easy access but so it can be closed up quickly if the need should arise ;) ;) ;)  Favorite gun for road hunting is the old .410 bolt action with clip.  Loads fast ;D  I'm all for ground swatting too.  Never hunted grouse for the sport.  I hunt them because I LIKE to eat them ;D ;D  For hunting in the bush a dog that stays fairly close and a sawed off or open choke 12 guage is my favorite just point and shoot 8)

[Jeff]

Greg, we USED to like to do that. Don't dare anymore.

[Corley5]

I haven't even bought a small game license in 4 or 5 years :  Just no time for it the past few years.  We did modify our methods a bit though.  We keep the gun behind the seat with the case zipped now ;) ;D

[Bro. Noble]

Jeff and Greg,

You guys are pitiful :

But appear to be well fed :D :D :D

[Jeff]

Greg, Ol' Noble is just jealous.
I was with him when he was road hunting in MO. Ya know what he hunts? Copperheads!  Now wonder he is jealous of our grouse fed physics.  ;D

[Corley5]

 ;D ;D

[SwampDonkey]

I know what your talking about with the ride and hunt method. Most people up here subscribe to that method. I've seen some harvest roads you could drive down and see all kinds of birds without leaving the beat'n trail.

One fall, there was a bunch of guys thinning young mixed hardwood and aspen stands and there was a little stream that crossed the road. Grand father seen a big pile of feathers there where the thinners had slaughtered over 100 birds and cleaned them there. He said he talked to some of them later and they said they were as tame as chickens and all ya needed was a good thick stick to club'm as they walked by. ;D ;D I know, I know  : Grandfather was pretty much convinced they were telling the truth because he said he'd hunt a little bit and get a couple birds, then rest and soon there'd be 2 or 3 more walking out in the road in front of him. He had his 6 birds before noon and on his way back to camp. That place took an aweful slaughtering that fall. Grandfather wouldn't hunt birds without his spaniels, they'll out hunt any bread. Grandfather was hunting in his 80's (up to age 84) and could outwalk even me on some days. And I can cover alot of ground in a day. :D

Saw 3 single birds today on a hardwood ridge when walking, wouldn't have seen them driving. ;D

[asy]

Hey Corley...

Is that whatcha call  "Drive by Grouseing"???  lol

Seriously though, when I saw the topic, I thought, oooh, somoenes had something good happen! The word "Grouse" in Aussie slang means "really good" as in...  Geez, that's grouse!!!  Although, it's not used so much any more, was more popular 15-20 years ago  :-\

Still, have fun, the grouse sound grouse!

asy :D

[Frickman]

One of our local newspapers has been printing stories that the grouse population is way down. I don't know where they get their information, because I've seen more grouse this year than in a long time.

[sawguy21]

We would slow slow right down and wait for the stupid bush chickens to raise their heads to see where we were then WHAP with the bumper. :D

[Lenny_M]

 You all must have really nice shotguns, keeping them in a case while hunting. :D

[jon12345]

mmmm grouse....wheres my .22?


One time I was in the woods and a grouse got knocked outta the pines by some bird of prey, so I chased it til I caught it, then felt bad and just had to let it go. :-[

[SwampDonkey]

Probably a goshawk, they're deadly on grouse.  ;D