Unlucky at grouse hunting ?

[catnthehatt]

A dog can be a real asset to ruffed grouse hunting!
Most of these birds were taken in the tall weeds on the left of the pic.
The sweet clover was still growing under the big stuff.
The birds were close to the trees and cover, and had good food and water .
Perfect habitat.....
Cat

 

[fiddler]

A lot of it depends where and what year. This year in Alberta from Edmonton going south seems almost void of grouse. Going north, they're plentiful. Near Grand Prairie you can limit out several times per week. They're every where.

 

[BerSerK]

Wow, very nice hunt catnthehatt!

 

[catnthehatt]

Wow, very nice hunt catnthehatt!

That was an afternoon some years ago when Allie ( owned by Silverado, BTW) was a bit younger .
She was putting up birds before we got the guns out!
it was a great afternoon, for sure.
the next year the partridge were a bit slower, but they are coming back in there again.
I started hunting a different area about 50 miles away for this one ( 20 from where we love) and things were great.

next year this area will be booming again!
Cat

 

[diemaco]

I would love to SEE that many grouse let alone shoot my limit. I'm extremely jealous. If I could get that many grouse I'd give up deer hunting.

 

[looch]

BerSerk - North or south of the St. Lawrence?

 

[BerSerK]

looch : I'm located in "Côte-Nord"

I tried my thick bush location, walked 2km and didn't see or hear anything except maybe some squirrels...damn it's sad! LOL!

Will keep trying!

 

[PeakXV]

The other day I hit an old logging trail that usually produces. It's about 2 kms long, so 4 kms return & with a slow stop & go hunt - it takes about 2 1/2 hours round trip. I hunted it at 9am, 12pm, & 3pm each time returning to the car for a 1/2 hr break(sandwich, drink, listen to the news). I saw & heard nothing on the first two sweeps ,,, but after 3pm it all came to life. I put up 9 & got 2.

Where were they at 9 & 12? Don't know, but timing is everything as they say. Other times I've used this tactic on this trail & flushed them at 9 & 12 but not after 3pm. One hunter could walk down a trail & see nothing ..... & another hunter come along a few hours later & put up a dozen, that's what grouse hunting is all about, really.


Anyway, not very good 'how to' advice but perhaps an useful anecdote to file away.

 

[BerSerK]

Good thing to know, I never though of hitting the same trail more than one time a day.

Thanks!

 

[JamesM]

Thats not a bad tip, and it can be a good one for novice deer hunters too.