Grouse Questions

[SnowDog]

I'm thinking about trying grouse hunting for the first time this year. I have experience hunting pheasant, chukar, quail, and ducks. My dog is a solid upland hunter and has done a great job last year for his first season hunting. He has an insane bird drive so I figure I'd just approach it the same way I would other upland game, just change locations.

Are there any major differences I need to be aware of in terms of grouse hunting with the dog as compared to say quail or chucar? Obviously location is a big difference

Any pointers to articles or other info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!
SD

[Woodchuck]

Get into the evergreen's and work slow, do not forget to look up, they will sit in the limbs and not give a second thought about watching you walk right by 

[carpsniperg2]

just get into some good area and hunt. you will do fine with knowing what to expect from most upland bird hunting already. always be ready hunt near water has always worked good. roads in the early am and later pms

[sako223]

Look for springs or water source. Sometimes they need a little time in the morning to move around toward water leaving scent for the dogs.
In dry conditions like now watch for tracks on the road or trail. I have literally seen the dogs go right over the tracks in dry powder, then follow them myself to the birds.
Grouse are great at scaring the crap out of you with a great escape route. If you watch them land, most often in a tree for blues, it is possible to get a shot by following up.
If you find one there may likely be more, be ready and look things over well.
After all that I usually get mine by chance driving on the road.

[rasbo]

grassy roads with little or no traffic..

[halflife65]

On the west side, I've had luck hunting in clear cuts where there are huckleberries, as well (think bears).  Just let the dog work through the clearcut and kick them out and pick the easiest way for yourself.   Usually in damp conditions it works best (foggy, sprinkling, etc.) - especially in the morning when you might also find them out in the road.  I don't know how well it would work in hot and dry conditions like east of the mountains (probably not great).  

Otherwise, old roads, especially with alder patches around - roughed grouse seem to like these.  I have better luck with blues in the fir trees.

[Rowdy]

Great advice above.  Old roads are great, clear cuts, around water.  It's fun with a dog but it took my pup some getting used to, we hunt Chukar 99% of the time.

Jake

[NW-GSP]

I have always found them in the thick woods, as others have said pay attention to wich direction they flush cause you will most likely get a second chance

[alecvg]

Kinda what everyone else has said, watch where they go, and you will usually get a second chance.  Also, always be ready, the will pop up when you least expect it!

[ing]

High elevation ridge tops for blues and check stands of larch trees, or tamarack, whatever you want to call them. I have killed lots of grouse that have been feeding on larch needles.

[seth30]

Here is one that uncoolperson and I found last weekend.  This thing was huge, and was bigger than most chickens I have seen.

[seth30]

grassy roads with little or no traffic..

Just tell yourself your bear hunting and they will fly up in your face every 10 feet, and bring a fresh pair of underpants

[Skyvalhunter]

Blues or natives? East or west side?

[sako223]

Forgot to mention that if they scatter you can hold up for a couple minutes and they will start talking to regroup. This helps get a fix on them.

[SnowDog]

Thanks for all the advice! I really appreciate the help. This is exactly the kind of info I was looking for Just enought info to get me pointed in the right direction and now it is time to get out and scout!

Thanks again everyone!
SnowDog

[lokidog]

As mentioned, they will let you walk right by.  They get nervous if you stop, so stop frequently and be ready to shoot quickly.  I used to try to stop in positions where I could at least swingt my gun if one did take off.  Listen carefully as well as they will often peep or chirp a couple of times before flushing.

Of course I've only gotten two grouse in the last 15 years.... 

[Forrestrover]

Oh man! All this talk of grouse is making me excited! Sept. will be here soon!

[danceswitharrows]

Find a gravel road and drive on it, gravel is natures grouse bait

[Dave Workman]

Well, according to Bob Hope:

"They fly to the south, so lean to the left."

"They face the sun, so shoot for the moon"

"They flush low, so walk around the tree"

Yeah, that just about covers it for grouse hunting. 

    

[bobcat]

I haven't had much luck hunting ruffed grouse with a dog. I prefer going after blue grouse in more open country where you can see better, both the dog and the birds when they fly. For blue grouse you want to get up into the higher elevations, and they seem to love hanging out on the top of a ridge. Around here, find an old logging road on a ridge, that is not open to vehicles, and walk it with your dog. Sometimes you will catch them right out in the middle of a clearcut, and in that case you can get some great shooting, especially when you bump into a group of several birds. Another thing to look for is dandelions. A road I used to hunt was covered with dandelions, and any blue grouse I killed there always had their crops stuffed full with dandelions. This year I wouldn't expect to see large groups, as we had a wet/cold spring. Most likely any birds you see will be older birds and my guess is you'll only see 1 or 2 at a time.

[johng]

Great thread with lots of good advice!

[BigGoonTuna]

i've got a spot that's about a mile of lightly-travelled road with dark timber on one side, and a 20' wide strip of grass and dandelions on the other, next to a creek.  find somewhere like that and you'll find those thunderchickens.

the only time i can ever find them in the open is when i'm driving and the season's closed.  i usually see how close i can get my truck to them(usually within about 10 feet).  when i'm on foot with my shotgun, they always either take off 150 yards ahead of me or wait until i just walk past them.

[halflife65]

Could've limited yesterday when I was coming into and then leaving where I was scouting for elk.  Despite the hot temps and dusty conditions, they were out picking at rocks.

[Hyde]

In my Oregon elk area, there is one draw that is full of springs and elk wallows.  The place is filthy with grouse.  I walk into the draw and the as soon as the first one flushes, 3,4,5 or more will follow.  I don't shoot, I just let them fly off.  Within 15 minutes or so, here they come back, one at a time.  It'a almost too easy, except for the hike in and out.   

[Hangfire]

I have had excellent  results hunting both Ruffed and Blues using a dog. You will find many more birds and you will cut your unfound, shot birds way down. I have had many Ruffed that I thought I had missed brought back by my springer.

Find the food and water and you will find the birds. My choice for Ruffed is walking old roads, preferably ones that a vehicle can now longer drive on. They seemed to flush from the shoulder, fly down the road a short distance before veering right or left. This time over the road offers a excellent shot opportunity. I have driven a road seeing nothing and then walk back over it with the dog and limit. Swampy areas with lots of dense cover and berries can be very good. I have a spot in Ferry county where it is not unusual to flush over 25 birds in 200 yards. It is very difficult to get a shot, as very dense.

Hunting grouse with a dog is one of the greatest bird hunting experiences we have in this state, and very over looked. Most grouse shot by road hunting.  In 1980 and 1981 I kept track of the time and flushes my springer made. We averaged for the entire season 16 flushes a hour. The early 80's were excellent bird years, my dog and I got about 25 birds that year. Much more recent I averaged 4 flushes a hour. I hunted with a double barrel muzzle loader a lot  then, great fun.

[Sportfury]

Forrestrover here is what blue grouse like to eat. This came out of a blue grouse crop. There was dandelions, blue huckleberries, red huckleberries, and clover among other things in there.

[Forrestrover]

Man ... that looks like one meannnn salad!!!

Last year the grouse I got was full of those red huckleberries.

[bobcat]

Dandelions! See, I told ya! I've seen blue grouse crops with nothing BUT dandelions.



 

Man ... that looks like one meannnn salad!!!

It DOES look like a pretty good salad, doesn't it?  

[SnowDog]

I was thinking about heading over to the Oly Pen near Forks for some Grouse. Any decent hunting out that way early in the season?

Cheers

[BigGoonTuna]

yes, just find the old overgrown roads(not hard to do)

[skagit]

What size shot and choke do most people recommend for grouse?

[bobcat]

#6 shot, improved cylinder or modified choke.

[uncoolperson]

Here is one that uncoolperson and I found last weekend.  This thing was huge, and was bigger than most chickens I have seen.

seth, when we gonna go track that one down... big enough to feed me, you, and both our wives.

[halflife65]

#6 shot, improved cylinder or modified choke.

   Exactly what I use.  Either choke should be ok.

[woodswalker]

What size shot and choke do most people recommend for grouse?

I'm using a .410 with either 2.5" or 3" shells depending on gun and #6 shot.  Both guns are choked Full.

[JackOfAllTrades]

What size shot and choke do most people recommend for grouse?

Maybe a little less sporting than wing shooting with shottie, but I like my Ruger 10-22 with iron or optical sight. Seeing the birds before they flush is a challenge in thick cover though.

More sporting is an iron sighted rimfire pistol in the hands of an accomplished shooter.

-Steve

[woodswalker]

What size shot and choke do most people recommend for grouse?

Maybe a little less sporting than wing shooting with shottie, but I like my Ruger 10-22 with iron or optical sight. Seeing the birds before they flush is a challenge in thick cover though.

More sporting is an iron sighted rimfire pistol in the hands of an accomplished shooter.

-Steve

My Ruger MkI rides on my hip ALL SEASON.  Lots of camp/pot meat that way.

[Wazukie]

What size shot and choke do most people recommend for grouse?

Maybe a little less sporting than wing shooting with shottie, but I like my Ruger 10-22 with iron or optical sight. Seeing the birds before they flush is a challenge in thick cover though.

More sporting is an iron sighted rimfire pistol in the hands of an accomplished shooter.

-Steve

My Ruger Single Six does a nice job.  ITs that or my Springfield M6 .22/.410