Post by: Dave Workman on July 15, 2023, 06:23:27 PM
That said, the countdown has begun. It is 2 months until the Sept 15 opener, and now would be a good time to make sure your rimfire rifle and/or pistol is shooting true; time to stock up on cartridges, too, before the season approaches and you wind up racing to the gun store along with everyone else.
Shotguns? My 12- and 20-gauge guns are always ready to rock, plenty of shells in the workshop, and I've even got a couple of boxes of 3-inch .410 shells!
In some of my usual haunts, I saw nary a bird last fall. THAT is alarming and concerning. Grouse can be cyclic, of course, but now's a good time to share your 2022 results..photos if you please :tup:
Watch for my September column in Northwest Sportsman.
Post by: jackelope on July 15, 2023, 07:12:39 PM
Going back again this year hoping for a little more fast paced hunting. This was the weekend of 9/23.
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Post by: Humptulips on July 15, 2023, 07:50:27 PM
That being said I end up doing most of my grouse hunting in December so the late start doesn't bother me.
Post by: jrebel on July 15, 2023, 07:51:31 PM
Good luck hunting this year folks. :tup: :tup:
Post by: jackelope on July 15, 2023, 08:16:23 PM
Post by: boneaddict on July 16, 2023, 06:35:11 AM
Post by: C-Money on July 16, 2023, 08:26:57 AM
Post by: GASoline71 on July 16, 2023, 09:16:29 AM
I cant help but think the date change was to lessen human to human conflict on labor day weekend in the woods.
I would tend to agree. Since there is way more of the non-hunting public in the woods nowadays during our traditional "openers" for certain seasons.
Gary
Post by: BLDtraLR on July 16, 2023, 09:29:27 AM
Post by: hunter399 on July 16, 2023, 11:02:02 AM
They raised the bag limit,then turn around two years later and shorten the season. And propose a spring grouse permit season.
What a joke,we have enough grouse to propose a spring season,but not enough to open Sept 1.
It was a scam to get some more money,less opportunities,and we got screwed with a later opener cause of there greed.
Bag limit should of been lowered before cutting the season.
I'm not the type to suger coat somebody's BS.
Post by: BLDtraLR on July 16, 2023, 11:36:53 AM
Post by: Dave Workman on July 16, 2023, 07:03:29 PM
I cant help but think the date change was to lessen human to human conflict on labor day weekend in the woods.
I suspect there may be something to your theory. After all, a majority of the commission appears to have a problem with hunters, eh? Depending, of course, on whether you believe some of the stuff that's been printed in the past several weeks...along with the lawsuit I linked to in my opening post.
Post by: Dave Workman on July 16, 2023, 07:06:21 PM
We would hunt grouse in the morning, and go after doves in the evening on the 9/1 opener. The Grouse opening on the 15th makes us focus on doves. Pushing back the grouse opener lessens opportunity for my family as we probably would never hunt them during the 15 days they plugged into January. The 9/1 opener was a day we always really looked forward to. I would always put in for a vacation day on the first.
Well, looks like your family activity doesn't mean squat in Olympia, eh? :dunno: :rolleyes:
Post by: Dave Workman on July 16, 2023, 07:12:26 PM
I'm all for lowering the bag limit 2 a day is plenty just give us archers sept 1st back :dunno:
Whoa, time out! What about the rest of us having a Sept. 1 opener?
Post by: MtnMuley on July 16, 2023, 07:54:15 PM
Post by: Dave Workman on July 17, 2023, 03:47:19 AM
Saw a lot of grouse in their mating hounds this spring, but have yet to see a hatch. I think I'm too high for them though right now. I don't think this weather so far has been beneficial to the hatch here in NCW. As for the Sept 15 start and the extra 15 days in January.............it doesn't get any more moronic.
Forgive my curiosity, but "NCW?" Where is that?
And I concur about the "moronic" nature of adding 15 days in January. It's a season on paper, IMHO. ;)
Post by: Ridgerunner on July 17, 2023, 07:25:08 AM
Adding 15 days at the end of the season and taking it from the first part of the season is only aimed at one thing, to keep the season length the same and have significantly less harvest. No one is hunting grouse in January.
Post by: Dave Workman on July 17, 2023, 08:10:41 AM
NCW = North Central Washington
Adding 15 days at the end of the season and taking it from the first part of the season is only aimed at one thing, to keep the season length the same and have significantly less harvest. No one is hunting grouse in January.
I hear ya! I gave it some thought, right up to the point I opened the front door and got hit in the face with snowflakes. "Dave," I said to myself, "no grouse in its right mind will be out in this weather, and only a moron of your age would think otherwise!" I put the shotgun back in the safe, put the sixgun back in its hideout, tossed another log into the stove and turned on an old Duke Wayne movie. Or, at least, that's how I prefer to recall the occasion! :chuckle:
Post by: blackdog on July 17, 2023, 08:20:04 AM
Post by: Dave Workman on July 20, 2023, 10:07:55 AM
Saw a couple of broods up Grisdale over the 4th. Fingers crossed for a good year.:yeah: :tup:
I'm hoping for a better season than last year for sure! September grouse hunting is a guilty pleasure for me, but somehow I never feel guilty being out in the woods chasing fool hens. I just hope I have a few more years to keep enjoying it.