Eastside upland Hunting?

[ellsworth]

So I want to give the upland game a shot this year.  I've never really hunted any upland birds before so I wanted to give it a shot.

Next problem....no dog.  I know, I know the landlords won't allow.

I was wondering if anyone else is in this predicament and if so what do you do?  Walk cover and try to flush yourself?  Stick to grouse mostly?

Another question, for any grouse hunters out here, I have been told that there are grouse to be had, just not sure where, there aren't any trees so it's a little confusing for me.

Thanks for the help,

Ellsworth

[piledup]

I've never tried upland before but if I was to try it with no dog, I'd probably flush them myself. 

Ruffed grouse are found near wet areas and trees and any where in between. For the blue grouse, they are higher in elevation and they like rocky areas to wet and open areas. This has been my experience with these grouse before but it might be different in other areas.

[SpokaneSlayer]

I'll be doing some grouse hunting after I get my deer.  I took all next week off just to hunt.   

[piledup]

Grouse is first on my list unless I see a big buck then it would be a different story. The whole elk season, I'm off so "If it's elk hunting, I'm in."

[WAcoueshunter]

Honestly, if it's grouse you're after, all you really need to do is drive some roads in September.  I see them virtually every trip out in the central eastside, up in the trees, whether that's around Ellensburg, Yakima, Naches, Leavenworth, Winthrop, Conconully...you just need to spend some time in the woods.  I never find them concentrated enough where I'd do it on foot...you mainly need to drive unless you find a honeyhole or just stumble across them deer hunting, etc.  Damn near ran some over on the road around Lake Wenatchee last weekend. 

Pheasants are a much different story, since they generally like farmland, which is private.  Tough to do without permission, unless you know specific public spots that hold birds or go to the release sites.  You can find quail and chukar more easily in public areas, but again you kinda need to spend a lot of time out there (or get directions) to find good spots.  A good place to start for both is along the rivers in drier areas (e.g. along the Columbia or lower Yakima).  Literally find a public place along the road next to one of the rivers and get out and start walking.

[ellsworth]

When you say drive the roads.  How do you know they're public?

Or on the forest roads?

[demontang]

In all the years I have hunted upland I never used a dog. I would just look for water, cover and food in an area and hit it early in the morning and late in the afternoon I almost always got my limit.

[GreenHunter]

I will be upland hunting for the first time as well and I have been doing a lot of online reading.  I found this website to be very helpful (it is from a link on the Hunting-Washington.com website).

http://huntwashingtonstate.com/HWS/Birds/Feathers%20top%20page.htm

I used to love hunting bobwhite in west texas and pheasant in the panhandle of texas but I am really excited to be able to hunt everything at once (quail, chukar, pheasant, grouse).

[WAcoueshunter]

When you say drive the roads.  How do you know they're public?

Or on the forest roads?

Look on a map and find the wildlife areas and national forests.  Or try this http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/gohunt/index.html.  There are huge tracts of public land all over the place.

[Gutpile]

You can hunt uplanders without a dog but you have to do it differently. I stay away from real thick stuff since it's very hard to find a shot bird in waist high CRP without a dog. I try to push them into draws with decent cover and work real slow. I've hunted with dogs my whole life but my boy is retired now and I don't want another dog yet. Anyways I've done just as well with him as without, but dogs really shine when you have a broke wing runner or your hunting thick stuff.

About the release sites, I'd stay away to be honest. The tame birds need to be flushed and you'll walk right by a lot of them. I've never had good success in release sites without a dog to find them and flush them for you. If you happen to hit the sites right when the birds have been released it may be a different story but thats my take on it.

[high country]

after hunting pheasants, chukkar, huns or quail over a good bird dog you can never go back. you are just hiking most of the time. a dog will put a bunch more birds in the air for you.

grouse, well sure you can drive the roads and see them....or you can heed the water/cover advice and be in em' too.

[Skyvalhunter]

Get off the roads thats where the grouse are!!

[bobcat]

Get off the roads thats where the grouse are!!

I don't know about that...yesterday I hiked 7 miles, with my dog, never saw a grouse. Got back to the truck, drove a half mile and there was 3 blue grouse on the side of the road. Stopped, backed down the road a ways around a curve, and parked. Got out, loaded 20 gauge, walked up and shot two of the three. I'm beginning to wonder why I bother ever getting out of the truck.  (same thing happened on Monday)  

[ICEMAN]

Roads are a good indicator for grouse, but the grouse get a bit smart... We road hunt the area we like, then when that is exhausted, we hike several old abandoned roads, and even the ridge tops to find grouse.

Look, grouse are no different than a chicken or turkey. They feed on the ground, scratching up bugs and seeds, berries.... they like pine forest....open terrain....all of it. I think folks see grouse on roads, because we cover alot of territory fast in a truck.  I have shot tons of grouse off the road, you just need to be in an area where grouse are. Where I hunt and shoot grouse, water is over a mile away. Dry as a bone.

I prefer south and south west facing slopes where birds can get at bugs as the sun warms the earth and the ants start moving fast. South facing slopes are more open, with less crap in the way for you to see grouse. Hike with binoculars and look way ahead of yourself. Look for birds under elderberry trees, along ridges, in the pine needle scratching the needles open for bugs.

I am waiting for things to cool down a bit before I get serious about it, in my opinion, this helps to bunch birds up into the warmer sun facing canyons.

Good luck...

[Bigshooter]

I have a place that I deer hunt that has a ton of chuckars in it.  Last year when I was in there deer hunting I flushed 4 groups of chuckars could have got off shots at all 4 groups with a shotgun.  Went in there later in the year with my dads dogs.  And only put up 3 groups.  You can hunt upland game birds with out dogs with a lot of opportunity, but its just more fun it you have dogs.

[ellsworth]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I got out today and saw a blue grouse, and ruffed grouse in about an hour of driving.  Didn't connect on anything, but I thought i'd give an update.

They are extremely hard to find, maybe the weather?

Hope everyone is having a good season.

Ellsworth

[shorthair-on-point]

You really need to hunt with someone that has a dog to have consistent upland shooting. Grouse you can do without a dog pretty easily.

[Mr56Jeep]

I upland hunt with a dog.... Some times I think I upland hunt for the dog.   To see a good pointing dog work is <in my opionion> as much or more fun than any shooting. 

My advice would be to find a guy with a dog.  Offer to be a blocker if need be.  And watch a dog work.  If watching the dog work dosen't impress you, then go jump shoot a duck or get your deer.....   

[shorthair-on-point]

I upland hunt with a dog.... Some times I think I upland hunt for the dog.   To see a good pointing dog work is <in my opionion> as much or more fun than any shooting. 

My advice would be to find a guy with a dog.  Offer to be a blocker in need be.  And watch a dog work.  If watching the dog work dosen't impress you, then go jump shoot a duck or get you deer.....   

Well said