Much better year for grouse

popcan

popcan

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It's been an excellent season so far, all good sized birds this year, and plenty of them. Took 3 the first day out, 4 more the second. Modest numbers, but there were many more spotted and flushed without a shot taken.

The Ruffies around here seem spookyier this year than last, and as a result I'm working with a bit tighter choke than normal, because the shots seem to be a little longer.
Got a nice double on the second day One going to the left, and one straight away!:D:dancingbanana: I guess all that trap practice with the 20g paid off ;).
 
Better pick up the pace Popcan .... 17 in the freezer for me and counting. That was two days of hunting, hit the limit on day one, got seven on day two. Ya, it's a great year for Grouse, big covey's, lots of action. I'm seeing (and getting) more Fool's Hens (Franklins) this year, four of the seventeen to date.

My all time best record is four birds with three shots. There were three birds close to gether, after I knocked them down and got up to them, the first bird had one standing directly behind it that I couldn't see at the time and so I got two with the first shot. I doubt I'll pull that off again.
 
TPK said:
Better pick up the pace Popcan .... 17 in the freezer for me and counting. That was two days of hunting, hit the limit on day one, got seven on day two. Ya, it's a great year for Grouse, big covey's, lots of action. I'm seeing (and getting) more Fool's Hens (Franklins) this year, four of the seventeen to date.

My all time best record is four birds with three shots. There were three birds close to gether, after I knocked them down and got up to them, the first bird had one standing directly behind it that I couldn't see at the time and so I got two with the first shot. I doubt I'll pull that off again.
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hey are you Lookouts neighbour shooting seven grouse :p
 
Have not been doing as good as you guys but I use a .22 I have gotten a couple of nice Blues and a couple of ruffies. As popcan says they seem to be big this year. Saw lots of Chukars earlier, Maybe I should dust off the old shotgun and head for the dry country.

KTK
 
TPK said:
. . . the first bird had one standing directly behind it that I couldn't see at the time and so I got two with the first shot . . .
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Standing?


awjeez.jpg
 
TPK said:
Better pick up the pace Popcan .... 17 in the freezer for me and counting.
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All 7 of mine were flying when I shot them........ If I want to shoot them on the ground, while they're standing still, I'd use a .22, not the 20g!
:D





bartell said:
thats how we do it in BC, on the ground, with rifles
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'Sez you! :p
 
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popcan said:
All 7 of mine were flying when I shot them........ If I want to shoot them on the ground, while they're standing still, I'd use a .22, not the 20g!
:D







'Sez you! :p
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I always had a hard time finding enough open ground to wing shoot grouse in our country. Grouse are pretty unpredicable and quick. my old dog I could shoot over if I found them in a clearing, but I would guess that 95% of the grouse I see are along side of the road with typical B.C. trees on each side.

But good on ya, wing shooting is a lot of fun. But with a .22 all you do is mess up their head, no meat.

KTK
 
There's dozen's out in my back 40 where in previous years I've only seen one or two. Definately a good year.
 
Hasn't been great up here so far... put up 2 coveys of sharpies the first day out, and none the second day...

Tons of huns last time I was south though... just everywhere
 
Ken The Kanuck said:
I always had a hard time finding enough open ground to wing shoot grouse in our country. Grouse are pretty unpredicable and quick. ...I would guess that 95% of the grouse I see are along side of the road with typical B.C. trees on each side.

KTK
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Ditto on the terrain/tree cover up here too Ken, which is why only 7 birds so far. Impossible sometimes to have room to swing on a bird, they're so fast into the thick trees, so we often don't get a shot. And as I mentioned earlier, they seem a little quicker to spook right now, for some reason.

There are lots of areas with old clearcuts, where the pines are well spaced, branches are still pretty thin, and the trees are all about 8 - 10 feet high: then we have a chance to flush and shoot.
Supposed to be a lot of sharptails out west of here, but I haven't seen any yet. And no Spruce (Franklin's) Grouse either. :confused: We're not quite high enough for Blues, although there is the odd one around I hear.


What are your Grouse eating? All of the ones I shot had full crops of clover, Kinnikinik berries (bear berries), Juniper berries, and one had a small rose hip.
 
Silverado said:
Hasn't been great up here so far... put up 2 coveys of sharpies the first day out, and none the second day...

Tons of huns last time I was south though... just everywhere
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I've only been out once for Huns, in Alberta - that is a ton o fun, working with good dogs! Great action! Lucky you. :)
 
popcan said:
Supposed to be a lot of sharptails out west of here,
What are your Grouse eating? All of the ones I shot had full crops of clover, Kinnikinik berries (bear berries), Juniper berries, and one had a small rose hip.
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I have been told that you can get some good Sharptail shooting outside of Cache Creek in the ranchers fields. I don't know anyone so I haven't hunted there.

The grouse have been tasty, full of either the red berries or round leaves off the low growing bushes I call grouse berries. ( maybe these are really Kinniknik berries, but I don't know the correct name, but I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about ) The blues were full of the leaves and ruffies full of berries.

KTK
 
We came out with 15 last weekend, I seen lots more but they were very easily spooked.

What is the big deal with shooting them on the wing ? Should I also wait for the moose to start running before I shoot ?
 
A buddy told me that five of them went out opening week in region 3 in B.C. and took their limits of 15 each. Mostly blues.

I know I was out the same week in region 8 and saw more blue grouse in two days than I have ever seen in the same time period in my life.

I was rifle hunting for sheep at the time though and only shot one blue and four ruffies later with the .22 to have something to take home to Momma.
 
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I haven't been in grouse shooting this year but still have got quite a few here and tehre since the season started. Flushing grouses with dog and shooting them with shottie seem odd to me. :D Just drive slow and spot, jump off the truck, load, and whack it. They're pretty fat this year for sure.
 
Pathfinder said:
What is the big deal with shooting them on the wing ? Should I also wait for the moose to start running before I shoot ?
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It's not a big deal... suit yourself.
I like to wing shoot them when I can, (when there is room to swing) - I think it's more of a challenge and therefore more sporting at the same time. I have been known to take them on the ground with the .22 as well, on occasion.

Why bring moose into it? It's not the same thing at all. Shotgun hunting for birds is not like rifle hunting for big game.
 
Ken The Kanuck said:
The grouse have been tasty, full of either the red berries or round leaves off the low growing bushes I call grouse berries. ( maybe these are really Kinniknik berries, but I don't know the correct name, but I'm sure that you know what I'm talking about ) The blues were full of the leaves and ruffies full of berries.

KTK
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The low ground cover plants with the red berries that you see everywhere underfoot in the Cariboo is Kinnikinik, also known as Bear Berries. Some sources refer to kinnikinik as a combination of stuff that the Algonquin Indians put together, rather than the name of a single plant. Locally here the plant is called Kinnikinik.

Probably the leaves you see in their crops is clover, it's like candy to a grouse. The blue berries are from the Juniper bushes.
I mentioned that one grouse had a rose hip pod in him - I've never seen that before... usually rose hips are too big for a grouse.

Weird, I got one more grouse today, and after cleaning him (pull the legs method), all I had in my hand was the wings and the breasts, and when I went to clip a wing off, I noticed that the heart did not come out with the rest of the innards, and it was still beating! :eek:

That's chickens for ya, I guess.

:D
 
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