Where do grouse go in rainy weather

[rhino519]

Took my girls mushroom picking yesterday, nice rainy weather, not much mushrooms though. decided to recoup the gas money by doing little bush chicken huntin. No luck the usual spot where I see birds on regular bases (mind you during a fair weather times) was free of birds had to disappoint both the wife and my kids.
Not a first time this happen either, so Im trying to figure out; where to look for grouse when its wet and drizzling?

if it makes a difference we were in Muskoka

 

[Guy JR]

In my experience an hour or so north of you, there tucked under a spruce tree and your going to need to step on them to get them to move.

 

[medvedqc]

a flush dog may help ... or 2 or 3 kids ...

 

[rhino519]

after the walk looking for mushrooms neither dog nor kids were willing to go for a 'short' walk

 

[rhino519]

Ill need to work on getting my dog motivated better

 

[Big Bad]

The grouse are still in their usual locations but they become extra skittish because of the white noise produced by the falling raindrops. It drowns out the usual noises made by an approaching predator.

 

[squidxm]

I normally hunt grouse in 42. However I was duck hunting SE of gravenhurst this past weekend and flushed several grouse on my way out.

On rainy days, look under evergreens. It provides nice shelter for them. If wind gusts are strong, be sure to spend time in the sheltered lowlands.

 

[rhino519]

thank you everyone, i’ll apply this knowledge next time i’m in a rainy forest

 

[DGY]

Good info thanks

 

[Lyallpeder]

My experience is they are in pine trees staying dry, and they know you don’t see them if you keep walking by.

 

[medvedqc]

Good info thanks

for using kids chasing grouse under the rain lol ...

 

[squidxm]

My experience is they are in pine trees staying dry, and they know you don’t see them if you keep walking by.

This is why the "walk a few steps, stop, listen" method is key when hunting grouse. The moment you stop and pause, they get nervous and start to take a few steps or make the "pete-pete-peta-peta" call, giving up their location.

 

[steamy teabag]

Southbound on the 102 between Brabant and Missinipe there were flocks of them standing and loitering on the side of the road. I counted 16 in one gaggle before hitting the bridge at Otter.

 

[medvedqc]

and in the sun ...

 

[canadian hunter312]

This is why the "walk a few steps, stop, listen" method is key when hunting grouse. The moment you stop and pause, they get nervous and start to take a few steps or make the "pete-pete-peta-peta" call, giving up their location.

Works great on rabbit and deer too. Makes for great fun stalking rabbits with a rimfire. It's amazing how many critters will use cover and stay motionless to remain practically invisible to us predators in hopes of the danger passing by. Hen turkeys are the worst when they're on eggs....practically give you a heart attack when they explode from cover 5 yards away.

 

[sillymike]

This is why the "walk a few steps, stop, listen" method is key when hunting grouse. The moment you stop and pause, they get nervous and start to take a few steps or make the "pete-pete-peta-peta" call, giving up their location.

Yup

- Take more pause... when you stop moving, they'll think they've been spotted... and they'll move
- Listent to their chirping

 

[Lyallpeder]

This is why the "walk a few steps, stop, listen" method is key when hunting grouse. The moment you stop and pause, they get nervous and start to take a few steps or make the "pete-pete-peta-peta" call, giving up their location.

Agreed.

 

[bearhunter]

Grouse are inherintly not overly bright creatures.

Rainy springs will come very close to wiping out the chicks because they don't have enough sense to take cover, except under the wings of the female, which will often lead to the demise of the female, if she isn't already under cover.

Adult grouse will seek cover from rain/cold and usually survive to produce another batch of eggs. If it's to cold, those eggs won't hatch.

Our area had a very wet/cold spring this year. Grouse populations are way down and I'm still seeing chicks that are only a few weeks old. Same goes for Quail.

The local Quail population that circulates through my yard was down to 5 birds, from a usual 75-100. Yesterday I counted over 40 birds, with at least 30+ chicks around two weeks old.

Hopefully the winter isn't to inclement and the survival rate is good.

Because of the cold/wet spring, many of the wild fruit shrubs and trees, such as huckleberries/choke cherries/saskatoon berries lost all their fruit. The wild animals and birds that depend on that fruit to put on weight to weather the cold are desperate for a replacement food and are resorting to thorn berries, which are mostly just hard seeds that don't digest.

 

[sillymike]

Speaking of weather pattern affecting birds...
- Don't recall ever seing so many northern flickers. As in, they're every where.

 

[FLHTCUI]

Speaking of weather pattern affecting birds...
- Don't recall ever seing so many northern flickers. As in, they're every where.

Got a pair lurking about here the last few days and are being very vocal....is kinda nice too.
Well, back to the op's question the grouse here in coastal BC either fly higher into the trees or they lurk about the side of the road hiding under hvy brush waiting for the rain to stop and the fresh shoots to sprout up.
Rob