Canadian_Zuk
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Pickering, Ontario
Yup, I'm wrong. Ive always though these birds were spruce. Looking at the meat pics I can honestly say I've never shot a grouse with meat as dark as that.
grouse
- Thread starter epic
- Start date
Yup, I'm wrong. Ive always though these birds were spruce. Looking at the meat pics I can honestly say I've never shot a grouse with meat as dark as that.
I find around here, coffee time is usually the norm to find them on the back roads.
If you have eyes, 22 rimfire makes for a day of fun.
I have given up on the rims and now use my old Stevens 311H .410 sxs.
Old roads, trails, and just a good walk out in the sticks.
Keep your mind focused as the minute your mind wanders off to lala land,
BRRRRRR, up they go.
Sure wake me up in a hurry.
If one flushes, stay still and have a good look. Could be a few more stalking you.
If you have eyes, 22 rimfire makes for a day of fun.
I have given up on the rims and now use my old Stevens 311H .410 sxs.
Old roads, trails, and just a good walk out in the sticks.
Keep your mind focused as the minute your mind wanders off to lala land,
BRRRRRR, up they go.
Sure wake me up in a hurry.
If one flushes, stay still and have a good look. Could be a few more stalking you.
very good info thanks! So on sunday I went for a ride on my dirtbike and checked out a bunch of spots. I shut of the bike and wandered some trails for a while but I didn't find any grouse at all. I did find bambi though and what appeared to be bear poo. I guess my timing was a bit off I ended up heading home around 6:30, wasnt quite dusk yet. Maybe I need to try some places closer to water. Do they tend to stay in the woods or do they venture into the open at all? like areas that have been logged.
they really like to hang around where a forest edges a dirt road, their diet is mostly mast, so any spots near apple trees or berry bushes are generally good. ive heard, but dont know 100%, the reason they hang around close to dirt roads, is they eat small pebbles to help them digest their food.
late in the evening just before last light, they roost in trees. in the fall once the leaves are gone, you can shoot quiet a few by looking up for them in trees the last few minutes of daylight.
My hunting partner of over 45 years and I started our careers on ruffed and blue grouse. Back in the day logging clear-cuts that had a good start of pioneer growth were always a good spot.
Grouse will also feed on the clover growing on old logging roads. Once you get one, check the crop at the base of the neck to see what they're feeding on.
If you can find a little stream running through a logged area check it out in the late afternoon or evening.
.22's are great if you're looking for a sporting hunt and sporting shooting. If you're after meat it takes little skill to shoot them on the ground or out of a tree with a shotgun. However, if you get them into the air you'll not find sportier shotgunning.
If the grouse is in a tree or on the wing when hit pay close attention to where it falls or you could spend as much time looking for it after the shot as you did before.
A head shot or one that disrupts the nervous system quickly will set up a lot of rapid reflex flapping that makes the bird easy to find. If you hear/see this fluttering don't worry, the bird doesn't need another shot.
I found skeet loads are perfect for ruffed grouse regardless of gauge. The smaller #9 shot seems to slip through the feathers and doesn't carry them into the meat.
Late season tracking them in the snow is great sport.
As Cat showed, hunting them with a good dog makes for more and faster action, but that comes later.
Grouse will also feed on the clover growing on old logging roads. Once you get one, check the crop at the base of the neck to see what they're feeding on.
If you can find a little stream running through a logged area check it out in the late afternoon or evening.
.22's are great if you're looking for a sporting hunt and sporting shooting. If you're after meat it takes little skill to shoot them on the ground or out of a tree with a shotgun. However, if you get them into the air you'll not find sportier shotgunning.
If the grouse is in a tree or on the wing when hit pay close attention to where it falls or you could spend as much time looking for it after the shot as you did before.
A head shot or one that disrupts the nervous system quickly will set up a lot of rapid reflex flapping that makes the bird easy to find. If you hear/see this fluttering don't worry, the bird doesn't need another shot.
I found skeet loads are perfect for ruffed grouse regardless of gauge. The smaller #9 shot seems to slip through the feathers and doesn't carry them into the meat.
Late season tracking them in the snow is great sport.
As Cat showed, hunting them with a good dog makes for more and faster action, but that comes later.
I love hunting grouse almost as much as I love eating them. I will take them with a .22 or a .410.
If the wing flapping after the shot disturbs you or if you wound one, pinch the neck with one hand and twist the head with the other.....
If the wing flapping after the shot disturbs you or if you wound one, pinch the neck with one hand and twist the head with the other.....
Hunting grouse is highly civilized. No getting up yesterday to sit in a cold wet blind like you do for ducks. Only downside is that grouse will sit still until you're about to step on 'em then they rocket off from under your boot. Usually in pairs with one going East and the other West at what seems like Mach 1.
Think short barreled shotgun with a fairly open choke.
Think short barreled shotgun with a fairly open choke.
This one spent 2 months around my house. This vid was under my back porch......crappy vid as I only had my phone with me but cool just the same. It loved walnuts! It would come around at least twice a day for feeding.
[youtube]2asg0TQ6CWo[/youtube]
[youtube]2asg0TQ6CWo[/youtube]
Ahsan Ahmed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
As you walk the trails don't forget to pause from time and again to also scan beyond the forest edges as well (out to 40-50 yards or more)....it is likely that you will spot a bird or two perched on lower limbs/fallen logs etc as viewed in the images above.
A very old photo.....this bird was aprox five feet away from me before I was able to detect the crunching noise as they move on the dead leaves. I was hoping that it would flush and waited, however, it kept its eyes on me and started running instead towards a ravine about 100 yrds away as I walked slowly behind it. The bird continued to run and at around 50 yards I sent a 16ga #7.5 shot over its head and it appeared to run into a wall. That was the first Upland bird that I had ever shot on the ground.
