Opening weekend grouse

A single opening day grouse is all I've seen thus far. I have been out a few times over the last week, driven almost 300km (there and back) and walked almost 60km on trails...and that is all I've seen. I will be trying yet another new location this weekend...there has to be the odd grouse out there somewhere!
 
Took my Bettinsoli out for a walk yesterday. That's all I did. It was a nice day so I hit the trail in pursuit of Bonasa umbellus and ended up just taking the shotgun for a walk. Lots of guys out and about and all I heard for the entire afternoon was 1 shot. Seems like a few others are having a difficult time rustling up birds. A friend managed 2 birds elsewhere. Back to looking for new locations.
 
A single opening day grouse is all I've seen thus far. I have been out a few times over the last week, driven almost 300km (there and back) and walked almost 60km on trails...and that is all I've seen. I will be trying yet another new location this weekend...there has to be the odd grouse out there somewhere!

We just got back from a week of wingshooting... don't want to rub it in, but numbers appear to be up... we came back with our 60 bird possession limit (son and I), and had to do some creative dining in the bush to stay ahead of that limit; birds and beans, birds and eggs, birds in spaghetti sauce, deep fried bird fingers and fries etc... pretty sick of birds right now. I will post a full report on your other thread (Chuckbuster).

Ironically, as we drove down 144 this evening, we saw four ruffed grouse right on the highway at different points in the area you hunt... two were standing on the yellow line and stayed right there as we passed... they are still there as we were at our limit. This week we had to pass up birds by 11 am as we were already at our daily limit.

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A ruffed and a spruce for me so far taken last Sunday. Was walking up the trail and spotted the ruffie,easy pot shot. Walked to the bird and moved it off the trail to pick up on my way back. Coming back couple minutes later I see another bird a couple feet away from the bird I had just shot. Took a quick shot and two nice grouse to prepare. Numbers aren't looking as good as last year but season is young and still got plenty of time to get out and get some more feathers.
 
We just got back from a week of wingshooting... don't want to rub it in, but numbers appear to be up... we came back with our 60 bird possession limit (son and I), and had to do some creative dining in the bush to stay ahead of that limit; birds and beans, birds and eggs, birds in spaghetti sauce, deep fried bird fingers and fries etc... pretty sick of birds right now. I will post a full report on your other thread (Chuckbuster).

Ironically, as we drove down 144 this evening, we saw four ruffed grouse right on the highway at different points in the area you hunt... two were standing on the yellow line and stayed right there as we passed... they are still there as we were at our limit. This week we had to pass up birds by 11 am as we were already at our daily limit.

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There's that pretty gun and dog again! Good job on the birds man holy jumpins put the hammer down!
 
Going up to Foleyet, Ont next week. I will have to be careful to not fill my quota on the first day. That's if it was anything like 2 years ago. Should be a great week.


You can't fill your "quota" on the first day. There is a "daily" bag limit of five ruffed and spruce grouse combined and a possession limit of fifteen (in other words, three daily limits)... and you can't get to your possession limit without hunting three days.
 
We just got back from a week of wingshooting... don't want to rub it in, but numbers appear to be up... we came back with our 60 bird possession limit (son and I), and had to do some creative dining in the bush to stay ahead of that limit; birds and beans, birds and eggs, birds in spaghetti sauce, deep fried bird fingers and fries etc... pretty sick of birds right now. I will post a full report on your other thread (Chuckbuster).

Ironically, as we drove down 144 this evening, we saw four ruffed grouse right on the highway at different points in the area you hunt... two were standing on the yellow line and stayed right there as we passed... they are still there as we were at our limit. This week we had to pass up birds by 11 am as we were already at our daily limit.

Great shooting!

I had spent the opener weekend north of Temagami but we had to sit indoors for the best part of those two days due to heavy rains. 10 birds. One knocked itself out on the rear passenger door of the truck as it took off from one side of a hwy and tried to get past the vehicle from behind. It went down in a fluttering heap of feathers and we used it for supper that evening.

Asking out of curiosity, you mentioned 60 between the two of you, I take it you were able to add perhaps Sharptails to that bag as well? EDIT: Disregard my question, I just saw your post in the other thread.
 
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Well this season has been a bust so far. Lots of birds but opening day at 2AM Harley (AKA as "garbage guts") started to puke. This is his normal puking hour when he has gotten into something that will not work itself out. There was the usual assortment of non-edibles in what hit the floor and I did not think anything past the early wake up call. As the day began things were not so normal unfortunately for Harley and my hunting plans. A serious vet bill and Harley is back on track. There was an assortment of items in his stomach and his intestine had 'telescoped'. We are excersizing again and he is up to three miles. The incision is closing up nicely and I think we will head out in a couple of days and try our luck. There are good numbers in my area.
 
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