Ontario Grouse outing yesterday (a.k.a. shotgun & blaze orange for sale)

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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Well, not exactly...but yesterday's outing with my apprentice (daughter) has me contemplating doing something desperate...like taking-up golf. OK, not THAT desperate, but it has me wondering how many bird-less outings one might experience before throwing in the towel...at least for the season. I actually haven't shot a grouse since the fall of 2012, and, had only started hunting grouse a couple of years before that. I put more time in the truck/on the boots every year, but the success rate is going down..not up. I don't hunt with a dog (likely never will) but compensate by having a willingness to drive/hike further than most people I know in the hopes I'll encounter less-pressured birds. No dice yesterday, in spite of flushing one we quite literally didn't see. (flushed from behind a 5' diameter root system of a fallen tree and flew directly away from us)

A long hike (6.5kms) through the woods with my daughter on a beautiful fall day~plenty of merit in that. She remains enthusiastic/optimistic so I guess I'm doing a good job of communicating the importance of finding pleasure in the process alone, in spite of the outcome. However, I think the desire to see her shoot a bird is the only driving force for me now.

Curious to know how everyone else's season is going, minus the "get a dog" recommendations. If you live/hunt north of Sudbury, I want to hear from you too...though I've focussed all of my effort south of there. Not much south of there yesterday.
 
This year has been horrible. Areas we picked 10 to 15 in a day, not seeing one there this year. We have gone out every weekend and have encountered 3. First one, I was behind my lady and wanted her to take the shot.. couldn't get lined up quick enough and it got away. Second one she hit with her truck on the drive home. Third was 5ft infront of me, clear shot.. forgot rifle was sighted in at 50 yards still and I shot way over its head.

Hiking through the woods has been nothing. Its all been on the edges of farmers fields in the knee scrapers.
 
This year has been pretty good for me - the population seems to be improved here in Central Ontario. You have to be able to recognize decent grouse habitat, which is getting scarcer.
 
been out 5 times and only seen 1 bird here in Manitoba....I think I might call her quits for the year as well
 
I tagged out in 3 days on my bear hunt at the end of September, it was in the Temagami area, Red sqirrel rd. It will not dissapoint.
 
cosmic said:
This year has been pretty good for me - the population seems to be improved here in Central Ontario. You have to be able to recognize decent grouse habitat, which is getting scarcer.
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Well, unless the grouse I've shot in the past in these same spots suddenly don't recognize the same places as being decent habitat, then I'm guessing there is something else at play. Wondering if it's the harsh winter, harsh/cold 2014 spring.
 
I was up in the timmins area last weekend and it seemed as good as last year. Two of us got ten birds in two days and we weren't using a dog.
 
I've been out 2 or 3 times a week since the season opened. I also hunt on foot and go out regularly with my apprentice daughter as well. Like you, I have been burning considerable gas and boot leather with little success. I am hunting in the Sudbury area, and for all my time afield, I have seen 4 birds on the trails, 2 at the side of the road and 1 in my back yard. Of the 4 afield, only 2 were shootable, and both were taken. So, it has been a brutal year thus far. I'm thinking we are both at the bottom of the population cycle and suffering the effects of a brutal winter/spring on nesting success and recruitment. Hopefully next year is better.
 
Saw a dozen on two different day trips 2 hours west of Ottawa, both times. Unfortunately my buddy and I are total noobs. We missed them all... To our credit we got better on the second trip, on the first trip we didn't even get shots off on most of them.
 
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Pure Energy said:
Shot two so far this year. Already ate them. I have seen about eight, but they seem more skittish this year. Instantly flying while walking. One of them I shot from my front door lol.

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They flush from far away for me... I don't seem to be a good enough shot to hit them, given that I also have about 2 seconds to do so. Beer cans make a far easier target I have realized.
 
Pure Energy said:
Shot two so far this year. Already ate them. I have seen about eight, but they seem more skittish this year. Instantly flying while walking. One of them I shot from my front door lol.

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I wish I could have popped the one walking through my back yard...he was too cocky for his own good. Also, that's a cutie of a golden pup you have there...how old?
 
I hunt the skittish variety and I bag one on every 12th encounter, on average. These past years, one "encounter" has occurred about every hour of hunting. I won't get into shots per bag.
 
Chuckbuster said:
I wish I could have popped the one walking through my back yard...he was too cocky for his own good. Also, that's a cutie of a golden pup you have there...how old?
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96 acres with a half km driveway allow me to shoot pretty much anywhere from the house. All the neighbours shoot on their property too. Johnson is about 14 weeks old. I am letting him smell the ones I get and am getting him used to gunshots. So far he has been very good and easy to train.
 
safehunter said:
I hunted the same road end of September exclusively for grouse. Saw 6 birds in 5 days - shot at 4, got 2.

Disappoint

And don't get me started on the trucks!
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did you try rabbit Lake Rd? Me and another guy both tagged out, though yes, I hear you on the truck part.
 
So far this year I've done pretty well north of Sudbury. The total is somewhere north of 20 now, with two mornings in a row leading to my daily limit of 5 ruffies in under an hour both days. Keep at 'er, the best hunting is yet to come, and don't be afraid to get out in the rain.
 
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