If there's one thing I like more than another, it's walking up ruffies in the hardwood and mixed Eastern woodlands where they see enough pressure to be wary. For me, it's the best hunting experience there is, and I go so far as not wanting to spoil it with a pointing dog, or to go far enough north that they'll sit on a stump staring at you as you get within 10 feet of them. In other words, I'm trying to reproduce what it was like when I was a kid learning to hunt. In my recent chances to do it in what I consider to be the right way, which unfortunately were not in prime territory for ruffed grouse, the numbers of grouse per acre were very much down. I was away for quite a few years and am not sure where we are in the east in the infamous 7 year cycle the grouse follow along with the snowshoe hare. Does anyone have an opinion where in that we are there? And to put it more simply, what are the grouse numbers like where you are?
Eastern Ruffed Grouse.
- Thread starter Big Bad
- Start date
First of all I know what you mean about the northern birds not being wary. Where I have the opportunity to get them there's no point carrying a shotgun as all you have to do is walk the trails and spot them then pop them in the head with the 22. I've considered trying to stir them up with shotgun in hand and make it a bit more sporting but as I see it there's a whack load of them up on the line so figure may as well take em when I can with the best method I can. I'm pretty new to hunting so I'm not yet bored with taking easy game. This year I'll be after more challenging species like deer,bear and waterfowl so I'll have something to break up the monotony between pot shots on woods chickens.
Well, the ideal terrain for them is former farmland that's returning to woodland. One problem I'm having is that all of that is being turned to subdivisions. But if you can find open woods with a good assortment of other game like rabbits and squirrels, you'll also find grouse, if there are any. Usually that'll be along the edges of things- woods, fence rows, where they have overhead cover but can run or fly away from approaching danger. They actually prefer to run rather than fly.
I don't want to sell pointing dogs short for grouse, in fact I may have to get one to find the birds for me if they don't come back in good numbers, and a dog is a joy all in its own. But whatever, the usual formula for ruffed grouse in an average year is 5 miles of walking for every grouse taken. You have to like walking.
I agree. I love hunting grouse. It's quite a game - thrilling when you finally connect. I flush and miss more than I shoot and that's the fun of it. I have been doing some recces and I am seeing grouse around, so I am hopeful we will have a good and long(er) season.
You have broken down "grouse wariness" into 2 types and I agree - I have had them come clucking by while moose hunting way up north, and I used to hunt them like you describe in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. But I think there is a 3rd: where the grouse are so wary that do not give away their position with a flush, but run instead. This is what I have near my place in extreme southern Quebec. Sometimes, they will flush quietly. If you you have never experienced this, it would take you awhile to figure out that there are indeed grouse around.
I actually keep statistics (in line with the Grouse Tales method): hours hunted, flushes per hour, shots, misses, hunter bump, dog bump as well as time, temperature, wind, precip. I don't have access to it right now, but I can dig it up later.
I actually keep statistics (in line with the Grouse Tales method): hours hunted, flushes per hour, shots, misses, hunter bump, dog bump as well as time, temperature, wind, precip. I don't have access to it right now, but I can dig it up later.
Your stats will be gratefully received and I hope you can tie a prediction to them.
I did mention running- a variation on that is what I experienced last year, where the grouse would hear you coming and when you were about 100-75 metres away would fly up to the tips of the treetops to get you in view, then quietly fly off in a safe direction when they were sure exactly where you were. These were big, juicy looking ones too, so you knew they'd seen a thing or two in previous years. I assume they'd balanced out their natural fear of hawks and owls against the dangers of a shotgun. Grouse can get very smart indeed!
Well, 90% of the dogs I've come in contact with I haven't liked, so, zero temptation to get one for upland hunting a 3 month-ish long season. I do, however, love grouse hunting...and EXACTLY the way you describe it. I'd also agree to the 1 bird for every 5 miles of hiking....and you'd better be sharp/alert if you spot one at the tail end of the 5 miles! lol When I started hunting them about 5 years ago, I got a double 10 minutes into the hunt with my trusty 12ga. trap gun I'd been shooting for nearly 20 years. Little did l know...that was a one-in-a-million kind of grouse experience in that part of Ontario, and 5 years (and countless miles on the truck & boots) later...I've yet to get an opportunity like that again. I think it was a cruel trick to get me addicted to the sport, and it worked! lol The second year, we had numerous good opportunities as well, but each following year....fewer, and spookier birds. Last year, I hunted maybe 6 times and got 2 shot opportunities. Minimum of 6-7 kms on the boots each time too. I hope this fall is a good one, but I'll be out there regardless....sweating in the blaze orange! 
I'll provide a link of the little MS Access-based application I made to track my excursions. It includes a fairly detailed Help File. You need Access 2000 or newer to use it, and Excel 2000 for the field log forms.
http://www.scratchypants.com/HuntingJournal-Empty.zip
http://www.scratchypants.com/HuntingJournal-Empty.zip
I am not meaning to belittle you but I would like truly express my most sincere condolences that you will never experience the incredible satisfaction and joy that training your own bird dog/ best all weather hunting buddy will bring. I would also like to congratulate you on your perseverance, I know how hard it can be to be success chasing grouse without a good dog, pointer or flusher, as I have been dogless for the past 6 seasons. The birds taste just as good either way but I eagerly wait for the time when my life allows me to own and train another dog.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Dan883; If their is one good thing Irving does for sportmsman in this province, it's that they provide with miles upon miles of logging roads on Crown Land. Look for some of those that were logged 15 or so ago, and walk them, you should have no issue finding birds. ATV trails litter this province, and also are worth investigating. Grouse are a creature of edge, roads provide grit and a warm, sunny edge to sleep in the sun.
Oh well, it won't open for me. Does it show numbers rising, falling, or staying the same? When the hare and rabbit populations fall as they do, predators turn to harder to catch prey like the grouse and decimate their numbers. What I would like is for the bunnies to get their act together
That's only the blank database - in case anyone wanted to start tracking their own excursions. It's nice to look back sometimes. I didn't get a chance to dig up my stats yet.
What I've been able to find online is that the lake states usually experience a lull in years ending with 4, 5, and 6, and that it is not as evident in eastern states where it seems to be more dependent on seasonal weather. There is of course another group entirely who believe the whole cycle thing is a myth.
What I've been able to find online is that the lake states usually experience a lull in years ending with 4, 5, and 6, and that it is not as evident in eastern states where it seems to be more dependent on seasonal weather. There is of course another group entirely who believe the whole cycle thing is a myth.
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^no offense taken JamesM.
I'd love the opportunity to hunt with one...I'm an open-minded guy after all...but I simply don't care for dogs as pets. Or anything as pets to be honest. I've had pets, and been around dogs all my life, and the reward (for me) does not outweigh work and expense. Luckily for dogs, not all people feel the same way. You're right about the weather of course. A cold wet spring, or just that at the wrong time, can kill off all or most of that year's chicks, so the worse your weather is the more effect it has. My weather is among the worst, just ask anyone who lives here.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
Grouse can be successfully hunted without a dog, I've never hunted over one, neither has my father or my hunting pardner. I do have uncles who keep beagles for hunting rabbits though.
Code:
Year 2006 Hunted: 10.5 hrs:
Flushed: 8 Grouse Or 0.76 flushes per hour
Year 2007 Hunted: 18.6 hrs:
Flushed: 13 Grouse Or 0.70 flushes per hour
Flushed: 1 Rabbit Or 0.05 flushes per hour
Flushed: 5 Woodcock Or 0.27 flushes per hour
Year 2008 Hunted: 12.1 hrs:
Flushed: 16 Grouse Or 1.32 flushes per hour
Year 2009 Hunted: 13.1 hrs:
Flushed: 13 Grouse Or 0.99 flushes per hour
Flushed: 1 Woodcock Or 0.08 flushes per hour
Year 2010 Hunted: 12.7 hrs:
Flushed: 16 grouse Or 1.26 flushes per hour
Flushed: 6 woodcock Or 0.47 flushes per hour
Year 2011 Hunted: 7.42 hrs:
Flushed: 12 Grouse Or 1.62 flushes per hour
Flushed: 6 Woodcock Or 0.81 flushes per hour
Thursday, August 14, 2014 Page 1 of 2
Year 2012 Hunted: 7.33 hrs:
Flushed: 3 Grouse Or 0.41 flushes per hour
Flushed: 2 Woodcock Or 0.27 flushes per hourOkay - so I don't get out as often as I'd like. In my defense, the piece of land I hunt is quite small and any more pressure than that would mean hunting the same birds over and over. I fill the void with wood ducks. I have not yet entered 2013's data, but I remember it sucking. Badly.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Most of my grouse hunting takes place in the Muskoka/Parry Sound District and the southern part of the District of Nippissing.
From what I've been seeing, my own opinion is that we are "mid-cycle".
What concerns me is the prolonged winter we just had and a comparatively cold-wet spring. Could be a sparse year.
From what I've been seeing, my own opinion is that we are "mid-cycle".
What concerns me is the prolonged winter we just had and a comparatively cold-wet spring. Could be a sparse year.
You're getting some quick variations there, but it does show a generally downward trend more recently. Which means things should be picking up for the next 3-4 years.
