Grouse Hunting Solo

I do both. Example:

I work steady night shift. None of my friends want to go out hunting at 6:30ish in the morning when the sun comes up so i go solo. It's great. Take a drive on some cut roads or walk a trail, just enjoy being out at dawn when everything is coming to life. Also, i get to kill stuff. :cool:

Example 2:

Tomorrow i'm off and so is one of my buddies. We're going to go out and camp in a nice area for a night or 2 and hunt birds during the days. It's also great. Drink some beer, take walks or drive around and look for good spots to set up tree stands for moose season which is fast approaching.

Good times either way in my book.
 
loogin28 said:
My hunts are solo.Maybe I should be looking for someone to go with?
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I hunted with buddies, siblings and my father for the first 15 years or so ..... and now solo for the past 10. I much prefer solo because I can set my own agenda, own pace, go home if/when I want to or better yet stay out til the last hint of legal light without any 'let's go home' hints/comments.

Also, I'm around people all the time and to get out & alone in the deep woods and surrounded by nothing but fresh air and nature in all her glory - is therapeutic and just about the best experience one can have.

Watch out birdies, your day are numbered, the gun oiled, the boots cleaned & brushed, the shells primed, the vehicle gassed up, and the sandwiches almost ready to be zip-locked ........
 
Ok finally broke the grouse cherry. Went out last Sat in eastern Manitoba and got into some birds. Day started off quick. As soon as we hit the bush I saw a rabbit and bingo,turns out it was a lucky rabbit. Missed my first Ruff. Damn I was choked, however ended the day with 4. Saw about a dozen total,lots of them there was no shot they flushed way to early. Question. How many times will a grouse keep flushing? I tried to follow up the flush but the bush was way to thick to follow alot of them and my partner was way to lazy to follow deep into bush. Going to try again this Sat. That was so much fun. I liked it way more than deer hunting. I'm partially A.D.D so sitting and waiting is not good. Walking and shooting is AWESOME.
 
loogin28 said:
Ok finally broke the grouse cherry. Went out last Sat in eastern Manitoba and got into some birds. Day started off quick. As soon as we hit the bush I saw a rabbit and bingo,turns out it was a lucky rabbit. Missed my first Ruff. Damn I was choked, however ended the day with 4. Saw about a dozen total,lots of them there was no shot they flushed way to early. Question. How many times will a grouse keep flushing? I tried to follow up the flush but the bush was way to thick to follow alot of them and my partner was way to lazy to follow deep into bush. Going to try again this Sat. That was so much fun. I liked it way more than deer hunting. I'm partially A.D.D so sitting and waiting is not good. Walking and shooting is AWESOME.
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Good Job Loogin. I hate hunting on weekends thoufg. Nothing but quads ripping around...no peace and quiet.
 
I enjoy some company in the outdoors...I just go for a hike with the family and bring the 870 along. There's just something about getting the family outdoors and enjoying everything that mother nature has to offer.
 
Usually with a family member.
I'll tell you, I'll never hunt without a good bird dog again!

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loogin28 said:
How many times will a grouse keep flushing?
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Once I chased one all morning and must have flushed it 15 times having at least 10 shots at it in very thick cover .... and missed each & every time. I finally used the pincer tactic and walked almost right up on it sitting on a conifer branch. I swear to god it was so tuckered out and tired that it had drops of perspiration on it's beak and it just looked at me as if to say 'just shoot me and get over with for fux sake.' I raised the shotgun and put a bead on it. But then I lowered it and walked away. After all there's a code of honor code even in the grouse coverts .... and that Houdini bird deserved a pardon that day.

As a rule, you should 'assess' the cover that it flushes into before investing time into the possibilities of a 'second flush'. If it's back into a thick coniferous/roosting stand - forget it. However if it's into mixed softwood/hardwood where there is good footing and line of sight - it might be worthwhile to give it a whirl.

The pincer tactic - where you determine as best as possible where it landed and then make a wide circle and come in from behind or the exact opposite direction where it is expecting you to arrive from - can work very well! Also remember that the larger percentage of Ruffies will flush into trees(I think it's around 60-65%) as opposed to the ground.
 
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Been out several times in South easterm Manitoba...sometimes come up empty some times see a lot.
We hunt with pointers so we don't always get a good flushing shot depending on the understory..but we do have fun . going out tomorrow and Sunday...probably Renni area.
I'd upload pics but I don't understand this "URL", crap
 
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