Nice article on Grouse Cover

[dmv9]

I'm doing my research on where to hunt for grouse and found this link:

http://allseasonsoutdoors.blogspot.com/2011/10/grouse-cover-101.html

Anyone know how to find out when an area has been clear cut?

[Atroxus]

Tagging for later. Thanks for sharing. 

[Stilly bay]

Great info, just keep in mind that Western Washington grouse cover is completely different than in the East. For one there are very few aspens.
Food, cover, and shelter are the grouse's biggest concerns they try not to get too far away from those three requirements. take the info in that article and apply it to here and your learning curve will get better.
Also abandoned Orchards over here are very few and far between unlike on the east coast where it sounds like you find them pretty frequently. I know of three abandoned orchards and they are all grouse gold mines, but thats only three that I have found in 20 years of hunting.

Once you head to Eastern Wa you will find more traditional grouse covers but they are still a good deal different from new england.

Remember that someone's honey hole grouse hunting spot from ten years ago might not be that great today, as the cover matures it will be less attractive to grouse to the point where birds will just stop coming.

Talk to a biologist about Western Wa grouse habitat. Email, WDFW and they will give you the contact. A biologist will be able to tell you exactly what you need to know about finding grouse in our area.

[wildweeds]

Bio will be able to report exactly the same thing that is in a text book. Washington does a horrible job of managing anything and everything.I saw two hen pheasants ran over in the road today 4 miles from the release site area.The state claims there are no survivors,they also claim there was never a native population which is false.

[Stilly bay]

IMO Contacting A biologist that focuses on Western Wa grouse would certainly be a leg up over reading an article about new england grouse covers written by a blogger.
They had a guy that did a pretty good write up about grouse,  most of his studies took place on the tulalip indian res - probably close to 15 years ago or more.
While it might not be the best info around, you have to start somewhere.

Another idea is to hire a guide, for a small investment you could have some one show you first hand what good grouse cover looks like.

The state claims there are no survivors,they also claim there was never a native population which is false.

Im guessing you meant wild population, Pheasants were never native to North America.

I have seen a good deal of hold over birds this summer too, and more than a few were no where near a release site.
I think there are more than the state wants to recognize, its just hard to pin point them because they are so spread out.

[wildweeds]

My use of native was meant to mean an actual  wild strain population that survived and reproduced on it's own for years and years

IMO Contacting A biologist that focuses on Western Wa grouse would certainly be a leg up over reading an article about new england grouse covers written by a blogger.
They had a guy that did a pretty good write up about grouse,  most of his studies took place on the tulalip indian res - probably close to 15 years ago or more.
While it might not be the best info around, you have to start somewhere.

Another idea is to hire a guide, for a small investment you could have some one show you first hand what good grouse cover looks like.

The state claims there are no survivors,they also claim there was never a native population which is false.

Im guessing you meant wild population, Pheasants were never native to North America.

I have seen a good deal of hold over birds this summer too, and more than a few were no where near a release site.
I think there are more than the state wants to recognize, its just hard to pin point them because they are so spread out.

[MadMooner]

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing.

[Skyvalhunter]

Well if you plan on hunting the native or ruffed grouse they will be at the lower elevations where old logging roads are more prevalent. But for blues you will be in higher elevation where old growth is and less logging has occurred.

[Hermit]

Been jumping a lot of ruffed grouse this year. Looks more promising than last year.

[Forrestrover.02]

Been jumping a lot of ruffed grouse this year. Looks more promising than last year.

[Hermit]

Dry creek beds, alder gulches and huckelberry beds. All the usual places. Course the hunting gets better after the first freeze, then you can see them. But YES, way more than last year at all my honey spots.

[cardboard slayer]

were did all the bunny come from this year way more then last year