The grouse god doesn't like me

Grouse Man

Grouse Man

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Winnipeg
I'm having a rough grouse season, or I guess I should say, I HAD a rough grouse season (get the pun? hmm get it? get it?) Not only did I hardly even get out this year, but the few times I did I hardly saw anything. Maybe 4 flushes and that was it.

No smiley faces this year.

The only upside was that my Golden seems to have uncovered her natural birding instincts for grouse. She roams through the bush, nose down, doing figure eights around me as I walk the trail, never going further than 15 yards or so. If only there were birds where we were . . .
 
Before I went down for the count for the season (back surgery), I went out in the areas that I hunted grouse the last few years, and only heard one. Heard it mind you, not seen, as it blew up at about 40 yards, on the other side of a spruce tree.
Dunno if the area was shot out, or if the word I heard about the cold wet spring playing heck with the year's chicks was to blame, but not a single one for me this year, and I have my doubts that I'll get out again.

Cheers
Trev
 
We had a good grouse season at moose camp, I let about 3 of them walk because I was had a 338 and I trying to be quiet. I had one come up to within 15 yards of me Saturday evening while I was waiting to ambush deer on a ridge, another lucky partridge.
 
I had a awsome season at moose camp. Shot my limit 2 days in a row, could of made it 3 days, but we were sick of eating them. It may sound hard to believe.
 
Trev, while going for walks in the walking trails around the HRM, not long ago I seen many grouse flush.
Season is here, and nary a bird to be found.
Seems the local pheasants, have learned to read, and are well aware of the game reserve boundaries......:redface:

We were driving to the provincial rifle range the other day, and five male pheasants were waving goodbye to us from the trees! :eek: :eek: :eek:
 
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Man, Ruffie, I'm sorry to hear about your bad luck.

It seems I can't walk ten feet in the woods around here without flushing a bird. I swear, there must be thousands of them around.

They must know I don't have a small game license.

Seriously though, I've seen a few and even watched one trot out of the bush ten feet in front of me, just down the street.
 
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I am having a bad year on grouse as well but found the culprit.
Barredowl25.jpg
 
We shot 9 in the archery moose and 16 in gun calf season near Timmins. I agree that the numbers were down and probably due to the wet spring. Most of the ones we got were adult males. I let them go unless they stand around too long when I carry the 7mm.
 
Grouse Man, I hear you. I have had my share of hunts where the only thing you could hear was the wind whistling through the empty branches. The saddest part of your tale, however is:

Not only did I hardly even get out this year,...
Click to expand...

Life is too short. You simply must force the issue and get out there. You know grouse - a chunk of empty bush one day can be teeming with activity the next. The exercise is good for you, and the bush refreshes your mental state. Just getting out and walking around in grouse territory helps get your priorities straight, birds or no birds.

I stopped categorizing good days and bad, good years and bad. It is the hunt, not the numbers that are important. Any day in the field is a good day.

When you are old and unable to hunt, which do you think you will remember more fondly, the important business meeting or the ruffed grouse flush that took you by surprise?

I know, it's not always possible to get away. Life can be like that. You owe it to your dog and yourself to maximize the opportunities, though.

For what it's worth, the grouse season out here has been tough but fun. Sharptail numbers were markedly down, but ruffies are there in good numbers. They have been a lot of work to get as there was no early frost this year and the bush has been exceptionally thick. We haven't had a lot of days where we limited out, but we haven't had many where we came home empty handed either.

On Sunday I was out hunting on a cold, rainy day with a 130 year old Mortimer and black powder shells. I missed two and got one. Not the best day I have ever had, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Get out there!

Sharptail
 
Only got out for one day before the ankle bit, but fortunately between myself, my kid and his buddy that day put a dozen or so grouse in the freezer. Had a nice grouse dinner tonight consisting of 2 Ruffies and a Blue, here is the recipie I used but threw in a extra can of mushrooms. That and some Thai rice, veggies and a fresh baked loaf of bread with butter.

http://www.wisconsinhunter.com/Recipes/wildgrouse.html

So you never know, 1 day or 30 days, you need the Grouse Gods to smile upon you.

But watch out for those Motorcycle Gods they can be a #####.

KTK
 
This year was a weird one for me too. I usually limit out on sharptails however this year North in the Mantag, I saw no sharptails. I did good on spruce grouse though, with 5 in the bag before noon. As was posted earlier....the bush constantly changes. Saw lots of hawks while I was up there so maybe it's the normal curve of chicken... The five year cycle where predators keep taking a larger toll on the chicken population !
You can bet your bottom dollar I'll be out there next year trying the same thing. I always take my shotgun deer hunting just in case I run into lots of chicken and the deer hunt gets boring ...... so maybe I'll find their hiding spot !!!
 
last time out i had a mag full of slug's an 00, spooked 3 nice blue's... could have nailed one with the butt of my valtro it flew over me so close.

got 2 ruff's a bit before that an had a nice lunch... smelled so good a black bear came within 50yrd's to see what was cookin (just some bacon grease an lawry's on my bird's thanks!)... lot's of chicken around here once you get away from the main loggin road's (too many fudd's shootin em clean).

just keep your ear's open for the thump an dont be scared to toss a branch or rock into the thick to see if something come's out.

between chicken an fish i dont often have to crack open a granola bar when i go walkabout that's for sure...
 
I hear ya and share the pain....

Went out 3 times walked my feet off and got poked in the face by branches,twigs etc to not see 1 single Ruffie. Like you I did "hear" 1 Ruffie hit the jets probably about 20 yards to the side of me.

But I got exercise, the dog too and there is next year.

Tim
 
I'm 0 for 2 this year. I'm too far south for grouse, but there are some partridges around. My buddy managed to flush one, but couldn't get on it fast enough.

Hopefully I'll make it out once or twice more, and not face a shutout this year!
 
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