Grouse Season 2011:

[JKEEN33]

Spent some time in 204 looking for deer and grouse. Knocked these two down the first day. My dog kicked up a lot of birds while there. I was able to knock down 6 for him.

[Heartsblood]

 

Spent some time in 204 looking for deer and grouse. Knocked these two down the first day. My dog kicked up a lot of birds while there. I was able to knock down 6 for him.

I'm headed out that way this weekend. Can't wait.

[Buckmark]

Spent the 1-5th hunting grouse in the morning and deer in the late afternoon/evening, was not real hopefull for groue considering the cold spring/summer we had in my area and the lack of grouse i had heard/seen during my time scouting/cutting wood.
After hitting the usual "spots" that during good years produce limits in the first hour and not seeing a whole lot we hit some "new" ie never had to hunt them before draws and found some birds, figured out what they were eating and the side of the mountain they liked and the hunting got pretty good, was able to put a few in the cooler every morning after that.
The deer hunting was also promising, did not notch my tag, saw bucks everyday, 4x4 & basket 3x3 (not counting eye guards) opening evening hunt but could not get closer than 80yrds, doe's that i let walk, a lone spotted fawn i saw every day and started to feel sorry for it, a broken horn buck that has the broken spike still attached to hide and bothering him, would shake his head every few mintues, i named him floopy the wonder buck LB really wanted me to take him and was trying really hard to get me to hunt him, i said if he is still around come late season maybe    and had a nice 3x3 at 22yds that busted me when i started to draw (my fault i should have waited).
Going back over the 16th-25th or when i tag out...should get some more grouse then...

[Heartsblood]

Spent the 1-5th hunting grouse in the morning and deer in the late afternoon/evening, was not real hopefull for groue considering the cold spring/summer we had in my area and the lack of grouse i had heard/seen during my time scouting/cutting wood.
After hitting the usual "spots" that during good years produce limits in the first hour and not seeing a whole lot we hit some "new" ie never had to hunt them before draws and found some birds, figured out what they were eating and the side of the mountain they liked and the hunting got pretty good, was able to put a few in the cooler every morning after that.
The deer hunting was also promising, did not notch my tag, saw bucks everyday, 4x4 & basket 3x3 (not counting eye guards) opening evening hunt but could not get closer than 80yrds, doe's that i let walk, a lone spotted fawn i saw every day and started to feel sorry for it, a broken horn buck that has the broken spike still attached to hide and bothering him, would shake his head every few mintues, i named him floopy the wonder buck LB really wanted me to take him and was trying really hard to get me to hunt him, i said if he is still around come late season maybe    and had a nice 3x3 at 22yds that busted me when i started to draw (my fault i should have waited).
Going back over the 16th-25th or when i tag out...should get some more grouse then...

Nice! Thanks for the report. I was thinking about you guys yesterday and wondering how it went. Glad to hear there are birds around. I have plans to hunt the Twisp area on sunday and hope to hike up to the ridge above our place on Tonasket maybe monday morning. I'm told there are birds up there so we'll see. Still looking to find good grouse areas closer to the ranch so, maybe this is it.

[2dognight]

I got a few outside of Tonasket

[fethrduster]

Just got back from an evening/morning hunt near Cle Elum.  3 flushes/6 birds seen, a couple shots, nicked one.  My setter had a good time and so did I.  At least we saw some birds.   He even flushed a flock of turkeys above me, two of which flew right over me.  I tried hard to turn them into blue grouse, but to no avail.   

[Shoffy]

Got a Blue this morning around Greenwater. First grouse of the year. I hunted my butt of last week on opening day and got/saw nothing.

[Dave Workman]

Hunted south of Cle Elum, kicked up 6 birds, only got a shot at one of them and missed. I am in complete depression. 

What I did notice though is that the blues are lower on the slopes a bit and they are hugging the timber because of the heat. And it is dry out there.  Awfully dry.

[jamesjett]

Went to an area in the NE that I had not been to in a couple of years that I usually
found grouse...Two days, two limits!

[Heartsblood]

Had a good day on Sunday - made new friends and nearly limited on Spruce Grouse.

[Buckmark]

Good job heartsblood, those look like blues 

[Cap.Silver]

Nice looking birds ...and where was I ?

[Heartsblood]

Good job heartsblood, those look like blues 

Here's another picture of 'em. Being that I am newish to grouse hunting, I had a heck of a time trying to I.D. them. Maybe I was incorrect?

I also assumed by what was in their crops:

Besides the berries and ants, pine needles!

[Heartsblood]

Okay. Finally, here are the differences in tail fans - the larger one was the Blue from last week and the smaller one is one of the birds from Sunday. So let's hear it from all y'all grouse experts it's bird I.D. time! What does everyone think?

[Stickerbush]

Had a good day on Sunday - made new friends and nearly limited on Spruce Grouse.

limits 4 right? I only see 3 birds there. Better than I ever done though, great job