collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: How to find grouse perched in trees?  (Read 3347 times)

Offline NJClark7

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Pilgrim
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2019
  • Posts: 10
  • Location: Goldendale
How to find grouse perched in trees?
« on: October 11, 2022, 07:26:41 PM »
With the warmer and dryer weather, I've been getting into grouse hunting in the mountains until it cools off in the lowland areas for proper dog work. I've been hunting outside of Yakima mainly on forest roads and they seek morning grit.

Question from a novice grouse hunter: How do you locate them when they've flushed and perched in an evergreen tree? At that point should I just give up or is a method to getting them to reveal themselves? Thank you for your help!

Offline boneaddict

  • Site Sponsor
  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 50514
  • Location: Selah, Washington
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2022, 07:53:15 PM »
I think the most obvious would be to watch them land, but if you lose sight of them, listen for them.  They make a certain amount of racket. 

Offline bobcat

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Legend
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2007
  • Posts: 39214
  • Location: Rochester
    • robert68
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2022, 08:03:57 PM »
That's a good question! It can be really tough to see them up there. Do you own a chainsaw?   :chuckle:

Offline 509

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Hunter
  • ***
  • Join Date: Dec 2009
  • Posts: 108
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2022, 05:36:03 PM »
That's a good question! It can be really tough to see them up there. Do you own a chainsaw?   :chuckle:

Nah, you don't need a chainsaw....just a tall dog.

When I hunted grouse, my dog would stand up on her rear legs and sniff the air for grouse.

Pay attention to the wind direction and nose direction and your good to go.

Offline Cougartail

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2012
  • Posts: 3527
  • Location: Eastern Washington
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2022, 06:01:00 PM »
Thermal scanner will find them. Not sure it is legal but have found nothing to prohibit it outside of deer/elk general season.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2022, 06:50:51 PM by Cougartail »
If I need a permit and education to buy a firearm than women should need a permit and education  before getting an abortion.

Voting for Democrats is prima facie evidence you are a skirt wearing, low T, beta male. Do better.

Offline Naches Sportsman

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2010
  • Posts: 2781
  • Location: Idaho
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2022, 06:46:31 PM »
I observe the trees and understory for movement. They’re feeding on berries this time of year. Pretty easy to find them once you locate a few and observe them.

Offline Smokepole

  • Kevin Miller
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jan 2008
  • Posts: 2336
  • Location: Upper Skyberian
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2022, 07:05:00 PM »
Work groves of trees on the leeward side with your dog.  The dog will pick up scent, and you can begin to scan up in the trees at that point.  In stormy weather, they will stay high in the thick treetops for a long time.  Almost impossible to find them, once they've hunkered down.  :twocents:

Offline netcoyote

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jun 2010
  • Posts: 1770
  • Location: Olympia, WA
Re: How to find grouse perched in trees?
« Reply #7 on: October 24, 2022, 01:46:35 PM »
I hunted without a dog for a few years after my setter died. We had always hunted high country blue grouse in the Winthrop/Okanogan area and always had a great time. When hunting with a dog, we would focus on birds near the ground and if they busted and got into trees, I would be too impatient to spend a lot of time looking for them so we usually moved on after a few minutes. Without a dog, when I bumped a bird and it treed, I spent more time learning how to find it. Patience is key here. Make a mental note of which tree the bird flew into and how high in the tree it was. Start looking for the silhouette of the bird in any open areas between branches. Take your time. If you don't see it from the first vantage point, slowly walk a circle around the tree and keep looking. You'll hear it if it flies away but they usually hold pretty tight because they believe you can't see them. Just keep looking for that lump on a branch that doesn't look like a tree part. Maybe circle the tree several times if you're sure it didn't fly off. Once I started being more methodical about searching treed birds, I was amazed at how successful I'd be. Hunting with a dog is still the best, but if you are willing to alter your technique a bit, you can still bag some birds in trees.
"...t'aint never a thing wrong with a man such that the mountains can't cure."

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Poll: Supreme Court will decide if 'habitual drug users' lose their gun rights by HunterStrait
[Today at 06:00:53 AM]


Anyone use game carts? by jhouckwsu
[Today at 05:59:36 AM]


Weatherby Vanguard vs. Browning x bolt by JBar
[Today at 04:39:39 AM]


Restraining Order to Prevent Sherman Wolf Removal by Dan-o
[Yesterday at 09:48:27 PM]


GMU 368 Nasty Creek Rd Access (Gate) by Kingofthemountain83
[Yesterday at 09:36:40 PM]


FS Surbu BFG 50 by Tacticalhammer
[Yesterday at 09:36:18 PM]


Pack wheel by millerwheeler
[Yesterday at 09:26:47 PM]


E WA waterfowl guide by 92xj
[Yesterday at 09:13:44 PM]


Where do the bulls go? by TeacherMan
[Yesterday at 09:04:39 PM]


Winthrop - Winter Range Road Closures by Kingofthemountain83
[Yesterday at 08:55:31 PM]


Bearpaw Season 2025 by kramman
[Yesterday at 08:51:05 PM]


Mushroom ID Thread by MLHSN
[Yesterday at 08:50:05 PM]


No upland with dog during deer and elk season? by buglebuster
[Yesterday at 08:22:23 PM]


Let’s see ur heavy pack out pics by ganghis
[Yesterday at 07:11:45 PM]


2025 blacktail rut thread by swanderek
[Yesterday at 07:01:53 PM]


West side antler buyers by trophyhunt
[Yesterday at 06:18:29 PM]


2025 deer, let's see em! by bigmacc
[Yesterday at 03:45:16 PM]


Mt. St. Helens Goat by Gonehuntin01
[Yesterday at 03:23:04 PM]


My new BB Gun by JDHasty
[Yesterday at 02:41:00 PM]


Comment against Ski Resort expanding into Colockum elk/deer habitat by Boss .300 winmag
[Yesterday at 02:11:14 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2025, SimplePortal