Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: BiggLuke on September 04, 2012, 09:04:41 AM

Title: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: BiggLuke on September 04, 2012, 09:04:41 AM: Just wondering if any body else had problems finding Grouse this last weekend on the opener. :dunno:

Traditionally... I've never gotten skunked on the VERY FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR!

However... this past labor day weekend, it seemed as if no matter where I went, I couldn't find any birds.
NOT A SINGLE ONE.

I wonder if all the dry weather has something to do with it.

And if it wasn't for baggin a couple rabbits, it would have been a fruitless excursion up into the mountains.

Just wondering how your feed back was this weekend for Grouse?

Were numbers low every where?

Or did I just have a bad day? ...not like I never got skunked before, but come on, it was opening weekend. Right? :o
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: NW-GSP on September 04, 2012, 10:17:56 AM: I only found one group of grouse
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: DUCKDUDE on September 04, 2012, 10:38:12 AM: Mybe try getting out of your truck!! :chuckle:
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 04, 2012, 10:39:48 AM: Greenwater area wasent to shabby for birds.
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: FC on September 04, 2012, 10:46:22 AM: We saw 3 on the road and a dozen or so that flushed out of a clearcut that we were glassing for bears.
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: Dhoey07 on September 04, 2012, 10:57:35 AM: One group of 4 and one flew in front of my truck on the way in. I came home empty handed but i did get my trail cam set
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: WaltAlpine on September 04, 2012, 11:25:02 AM: I was on the East side a couple of weeks ago and scared up two groups of at least a half dozen in the 20 acres we were scouting.
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: quadrafire on September 04, 2012, 11:26:45 AM: Where I was in the NE corner there were very few. Not sure if it was just me or the numbers are down?? Was hoping to get my kids onto a few. We had opportunity on one bird, but my son laid his gun down to take a leak when the bird flushed about 5 ft from him. LOL
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: jackmaster on September 04, 2012, 12:18:12 PM: i think the rain has alot to do with it, it has been really dry lately, that first rain we get should kick things up a notch, i do beleive however especially for ruff grouse that the possums have alot to do with it as grouse nest on the ground and possum love eggs hell they love anything they can get their nasty fingers on.....but i am gonna have faith that when we get some rain and a few of the closed areas open back up that the grouse numbers will increase...........I HOPE..... :chuckle:
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: runamuk on September 04, 2012, 12:24:51 PM: I just realized I have not seen or heard any grouse in any of the areas I frequent in the last year....I see turkeys and lots of quail but zero grouse....
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: BiggLuke on September 04, 2012, 02:37:09 PM: @ DUCKDUDE... you suck, of course we got outta my truck. LOTS.
Least I got to go hunting..... :IBCOOL:

Good Point about the rain. The Olympics, where I was hunting, haven't seen hardly any rain in months. Just the little ocassional off shore convergance moister (ie. DEW).
I was thinking the whole time I was up there, That we shoulda been walking around the run off creeks.... well, maybe.

We'll see next week.
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: JimmyHoffa on September 04, 2012, 02:50:36 PM: How early were you hunting? I find them to be out more the darker it is. Besides that, if you are near any roads that head to popular trailheads...you get lots of hikers flying by in their subarus scaring off the birds.
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: DUCKDUDE on September 04, 2012, 02:57:18 PM: BIG LUKE GETTING OUT OF YOUR TRUCK TO TAKE A LEAK OR GRAB A FRESH BEER DOSENT COUNT. :tup:
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: BiggLuke on September 04, 2012, 03:00:15 PM: Hey.... DUCKDUDE, you don't even know what a grouse looks like.

Hell, you don't even remeber how to hunt since now that you have kids. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: shedcrazy on September 04, 2012, 03:05:48 PM: Got into 18 on Sunday with a buddy. I limited he got three, blues and ruffed
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: DUCKDUDE on September 04, 2012, 03:16:21 PM: bIG LUKE I THOUGHT YOU AND DAD WHERE GOING DOVE HUNTING WHAT HAPPEND TO THAT
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: Spencer on September 04, 2012, 03:49:13 PM: Hunt the cover and get a great dog:-) My 2 yr old gsp was a machine this weekend. So much fun to watch. Head over 4,000ft and look for Huckleberries and water, you'll find grouse there. He had his first point in less than a mile and held while 5 blue grouse blew up around him. 3 more finds (mostly pairs) and we were done for the day. A day like that makes the endless hours over the past year with pigeons and planted pen-raised birds totally worth it. I was like a proud pappa watching him do his thing. Can't wait to get back out!
Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: MadHatter on September 04, 2012, 04:54:01 PM: In 20 miles of hiking I shot one... I usually come across more then that by accident... Seems like there are less grouse this year, at least where I was in SW WA...

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Title: Re: Grouse? Why didn't I see any...
Post by: jimmy z on September 05, 2012, 10:41:24 PM: Tig(French Brit) and I pointed and flushed 7 in 2 hrs. one down. Yeah, I missed a few!