Grouse in Vail?

[Goshawk]

As I posted on another page, I've put down almost 200 miles over the past two weekends looking for grouse and bear in the Vail area, mostly North of the windfarm into the Skookumchuck drainage, and some of the Newaukum area.  It's depressing! Zero grouse so far, and my season starts in August.  Have I just gone blind, or are the grouse in that area still on the decline?  Anyone else doing any scouting? 

[Alan K]

Listen for the "hooting" and drumming. Still hearing plenty when I'm doing layout etc. But haven't seen much at all on the roads for the last month plus.

With this drought (and whenever it's this dry) you don't see nearly as many in the road as you do with wet weather.  I assume they need or prefer some moisture to get the gravels down their throat.  I suspect they're getting their gravels from streambeds right now.

When we get back to rains you'll see a bunch more, but when deer season gets rolling up there they get annihilated.

[DaMitt Mystagin]

Listen for the "hooting" and drumming. Still hearing plenty when I'm doing layout etc. But haven't seen much at all on the roads for the last month plus.

With this drought (and whenever it's this dry) you don't see nearly as many in the road as you do with wet weather.  I assume they need or prefer some moisture to get the gravels down their throat.  I suspect they're getting their gravels from streambeds right now.

When we get back to rains you'll see a bunch more, but when deer season gets rolling up there they get annihilated.

Thanks Alan.  I was planning to start scouting in the next week or two myself, and what you say makes sense but I had never thought of it that way.

[ghosthunter]

Go later in day.

I noticed that when it’s hot I see more grouse on roads around dusk.

Today out scouting in the Skagit Valley ,saw two grouse and an owl.

Grouse 2:30 pm
Owl  5: pm
Grouse 6 pm.

[poor_choices]

I always saw blue grouse up high around Newaukum. I saw more grouse on the Forest Service side of the gates than on the Vail side FWIW. I'd get 5-10 blue grouse a year up there. I got most of my forest grouse down low along the Deschutes River.

I shot 4 bears in 5 seasons, 2018-2022, in the valleys right on the border of Vail and the NF land north of Newaukum. They were all a little later in the season when the berries on the north-facing slopes were ripe though.

[hunter399]

Go later in day.

I noticed that when it’s hot I see more grouse on roads around dusk.

Today out scouting in the Skagit Valley ,saw two grouse and an owl.

Grouse 2:30 pm
Owl  5: pm
Grouse 6 pm.

I call it .
Being in the grouse zone,at prime time.