Questions from a beginner

[Northway]

Looking for some advice from experienced grouse hunters:

What steps would you recommend someone new to the sport taking before engaging in a hunt? (Outside of acquiring the right gear)

Which areas of Central Washington would be good for a beginner to frequent?

Generally, what can I do to work towards being able to hunt grouse effectively?

I know a number of hunters, but no one who is more than casually interested in grouse. Thanks in advance for any knowledge you can provide.

[h20hunter]

All my grouse hunting as been done while deer hunting. I find them along the blocked off roads picking at gravel. I suppose there are two ways to hunt. Get a nice over under 20g and a dog and have at it. Or, road hunt on foot and blast them where they stand.

I'm a road hunt on foot and blast them where they stand.

[Stilly bay]

What steps would you recommend someone new to the sport taking before engaging in a hunt? (Outside of acquiring the right gear)


Generally, what can I do to work towards being able to hunt grouse effectively?

I am somewhat obsessed with grouse, I have been hunting them ( mostly on the west side) since I was a kid. I would say out side of getting a good dog, the best thing you could do toward becoming a serious grouse hunter is learn how to identify grouse holding cover, feeding cover-aka food sources- and roosting cover. some covers are better than others and many are only productive for a decade or so. you can find grouse just about anywhere in the woods, but if you want to find grouse consistently, you would do well to key in on the bits of cover they prefer.

remember, 99.9% of what has been written about grouse hunting pertains to the midwest to east coast. in washington the plants and terrain are bit different, so it wouldn't hurt to talk to a biologist or two. you will soon learn that despite what many people think grouse and gravel roads are not bound to each other.
 

Which areas of Central Washington would be good for a beginner to frequent?

I would look for any wooded area, if it has an abundance of aspens grouse are usually there.  although I have kicked them up in some very un-grousey places on the eastside.

[Glockster]

Focus on the east slopes of the cascades national forest land.  Water will be where they're at if it stays dry next week..especially the ruffeds.

After you shoot the first one, pluck around the neck and open the crop to see what its been eating then look for that food source. 

[Special T]

 
On the west side  you can often do qhite well walking old loggin roads just after a rain. I've killed a fair share of grouse and rabbits this way. They love the salmon, and huckleberries, in addition to new growth on certain trees. If you are good at picking shapes out of the thick you can kill lots of grouse. 
Does anyone have a good book recomendation that talks alot about coastal hunting of grouse for here on the west coast? I would love to know.

[Stilly bay]

Does anyone have a good book recomendation that talks alot about coastal hunting of grouse for here on the west coast? I would love to know.

I will send you an autographed copy when I am done writing it.

[Curly]

Try to find grouse articles that Dave Workman has written.  I'm not sure if he still writes grouse articles, but I think I read all of them that he wrote for H&F News.  I don't subscribe to NW Sportsman magazine, but I bet he has some articles in there.......

[Dhoey07]

A great place to start would be the thickest, nastiest swamp you can find  Grouse will be there.  Not an easy way to hunt and you will hear 5x for than you actually see, but no better way to hunt them in my book.  Another way to locate grouse is to spend some time in the woods during the spring and listen for drumming. 

[Northway]

Thanks for the information. I'll have to wait a couple of years more for the dog, but hopefully I learn enough to still have some success in the meantime.

[Woodchuck]

Here is the best surefire tip to see grouse in the woods. Put a stalk on any big game animal in seaon and you have a tag for, when you are just about to a good place to take the shot one or more will EXPLODE out from the nearest piece of brush to you. After your heart attack and the big game animal has run off due to the noise shoot your grouse. 

[Fishnfowler]

Find some closed off logging roads that have been seeded in clover.  Go there after the first few frosts have killed everything else off.  Don't even need a dog.  Be sure of your quarry.  Take some time to shoot clays first so you become comfortable with your weapon and can handle it without shooting your foot off.  If you haven't taken hunter ed, I strongly believe you should. 

[sticknstringman]

PM sent

[magnanimous_j]

I would love a push in the right direction for finding a place to get a couple within 2 hours of Seattle.

[WA hunter14]

ill pm you the best west side grouse spot i have ever seen because i am moving and will not be able to hunt it

[magnanimous_j]

I don't even need the best spot. Any spot will do. I don't understand the regs at all.