Hunting Grouse or shall I say trying to...

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agite12

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My friend and I are trying to get into hunting. We went for grouse twice together (and I went alone once) but haven’t had any luck so far

On our last outing (last Sunday) we also saw a lot of (what we thought were) snowshoe hare prints, and tried to find them in the cover, but again there were so much we didn’t know that of course we didn’t get to see one...

So any charitable soul here would take me and/or my friend out with them on day to speed up our learning process?

We’re both in the Montreal area.

Thanks.
 
Grouse can be very tricky to hunt in the snow. They either ram into 5th gear or leave it standing in neutral(usually under the cozy confines of the nearest conifer branch). There's not much in between. The good news is that you can quickly find their tracks in the snow - if they're around in any quantity - and their contrast/sihouette stand out well against a snowy backdrop. Best of Luck!!!!
 
If I may ask: Where did you go (field, forest, dirt road, etc...), what date was it, what was the time of day, and what was the weather like on the day that you hunted?
 
Thats the fun part about hunting. Even though you have not seen anything yet, you spent time in the woods hunting. Thats all that matters. You will learn more and more every time you go out. There will come a time that you will get some game, and you will be excited, and feel some pride that you actually got your quarry. Don't lose faith! Stay at it, and it will pay off.
 
First two time (about 2 weeks ago) I walk an electric line (high grass and brushes) and I did manage to flush 3 of them, though by sheer inexperience manage only one shot that was probably nowhere near it...

Last Sunday we walk a little road leading to an abandonned gravel pit and took quite a few side trip into tick cover. Since it had snowed on Friday we saw a lot of prints, but we figured most of it were hare, although I'd say it's rather an uneducated guess.
 
Just do like I do,

- Wait about 2.5 hours before it gets dark.
- Drive down a back road with a healthy mix of coniferous and birch trees
- Spot the grouse in a bald birch tree (Stands out like a turd in a punch bowl) as the buds on the branches of the birch is now their source of food
- Exit warm vehicle to shoot bird and retrieve it
- Repeat steps 2-4 until dark and resume next day!
 
NorthernPF said:
Just do like I do,

- Wait about 2.5 hours before it gets dark.
- Drive down a back road with a healthy mix of coniferous and birch trees
- Spot the grouse in a bald birch tree (Stands out like a turd in a punch bowl) as the buds on the branches of the birch is now their source of food
- Exit warm vehicle to shoot bird and retrieve it
- Repeat steps 2-4 until dark and resume next day!
Click to expand...

That's about the surest way to get a hot meal!!

I'm in eastern Ont, with about the heaviest cover you can imagine. Great wingshooting practice, but hopefully you're not too hungry. :D
 
Around Montreal you will mostly find Cottontail rabbits, they stay a greyinsh brown all winter, they don't turn white, but they tend to come out with the dark. Hares are much bigger, though.
NorthernPF resumed quite well what the grouse are doing in the late season. Try to find a place with a mix of yellow birches (merisiers) and coniferous.
 
Edges. And not edges like you think - I mean anywhere the vegetation / flora changes. The line between a conifer stand and hardwoods; the nasty mess that is the transition between forest and clearing; anything like that. Food sources change depending on season and geographical location: south of Montreal, wild grapes are a sure bet. North, "cormier" or mountain ash as it's known in English.

Slow down. Way down. Take the time to scan - you probably won't see a bird unless it moves.
 
NorthernPF said:
Just do like I do,

- Wait about 2.5 hours before it gets dark.
- Drive down a back road with a healthy mix of coniferous and birch trees
- Spot the grouse in a bald birch tree (Stands out like a turd in a punch bowl) as the buds on the branches of the birch is now their source of food
- Exit warm vehicle to shoot bird and retrieve it
- Repeat steps 2-4 until dark and resume next day!
Click to expand...

Please do not consider this hunting.
 
Grouse hunting etiquette/techniques are like a$$holes .... everybody's got one of their own.:D

with vehicle, with dog, or just you & your own two feet are the runaway favourites though.


Just do it!
 
NorthernPF said:
Why not? I never thought of grouse as an animal you had to stalk?
Click to expand...

Just a few more who think just as yourself, and it's for me a time machine back to grouse hunting days at the Petawawa National Forestry.
The roads used to be almost clogged with these roving death convoys, "hunting" grouse just as you say you do.
While hunting on foot, one had to get away from the roads/trails to avoid this behaviour. It was such a small area, with easy road access, it became downright congested with way too many road hunters. I don't mind seeing the occassional truck/SUV doing exactly this. But when a person afoot sees 14 vehicles in 40 minutes exactly doing this, and they are healthy enough to spend a few hours on thier own two feet, it kind of grates on you. And I worry too, if desperate hunters might accidently shoot at you or in your direction, without knowing so, until it's too late.
 
agite12 said:
First two time (about 2 weeks ago) I walk an electric line (high grass and brushes) and I did manage to flush 3 of them, though by sheer inexperience manage only one shot that was probably nowhere near it...

Last Sunday we walk a little road leading to an abandonned gravel pit and took quite a few side trip into tick cover. Since it had snowed on Friday we saw a lot of prints, but we figured most of it were hare, although I'd say it's rather an uneducated guess.
Click to expand...

Go back to the electric line, they obviously inhabit the area. You can't confuse grouse tracks with rabbit tracks - grouse tracks look like peace signs without the circle around the outside. The three toes point in the direction the grouse was walking.
 
Grouse Man said:
Please do not consider this hunting.
Click to expand...
I hunt today, only because grouse taught me to wing shoot fast and accurate.

Here in southern ontario they flush wild and seem to have a survival instinct to avoid the shot like no other game bird.

With pointing dogs, they are a pure adrenalin rush.

Shooting stupid northern birds off the road is one thing, but hunting a southern bird is true sport, and the bird wins,... sometimes.:redface:
 
I've said it many times. Shooting birds on the ground cheats YOURSELF of one of the finest hunting experiences available. Some people will understand and they become addicted to hunting the king of upland birds. Others will continue to shoot birds on the ground and simply call them stupid ditch chickens.
 
Grouse Man said:
I've said it many times. Shooting birds on the ground cheats YOURSELF of one of the finest hunting experiences available. Some people will understand and they become addicted to hunting the king of upland birds. Others will continue to shoot birds on the ground and simply call them stupid ditch chickens.
Click to expand...

Depends if you are hunting for supper or not. I like to walk trails and shoot on the ground or on the wing, depending on the opportunity. Shooting on the ground has the advantage of NOT putting shot into the meat of the bird. If the shot/feathers isn't removed in the field, and you bite into the shot/feathers, it tastes like burt hair...not my fav.
 
Grouse Man said:
I've said it many times. Shooting birds on the ground cheats YOURSELF of one of the finest hunting experiences available. Some people will understand and they become addicted to hunting the king of upland birds. Others will continue to shoot birds on the ground and simply call them stupid ditch chickens.
Click to expand...

I love grouse hunting. Taking a ruffie on the wing in heavy cover is one of the hardest targets in hunting. It's a real thrill for sure.

Now, although it's sporting...I hunt for food. Yup...I only kill things I'm going to eat.

If Joe grouse walks out in front of me on the trail, I have NO problem taking him exactly where he stands. One for the pot.

I know that there are some serious grouse hunters whom are very pompous and think it's not really huntning if you're not wingshooting. Again, this is another divide between sportsman created on a false impression that one way is better than another.

They're birds. They're food.

And if they get in my sights....standing in front of me or flying through the thickets....they're good for the pan.
 
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