Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: grousehunter10 on January 05, 2025, 10:43:28 AM

Title: New to Western Washington Grouse Hunting
Post by: grousehunter10 on January 05, 2025, 10:43:28 AM: Hey all. Happy to have found this forum! I am new to Washington and live way out West. I am from the midwest and basically exclusively hunt grouse with success there, which is why it hurts my pride to say I cannot find anything here.. I understand the grouse hunting is better in Eastern WA, but I simply cannot find the young forests, with mixed conifers, poplar, birch, aspen that grouse need. Also, when it comes to blues, I understand that they are higher up in the mountains, usually in huckleberry/fruit fields. Well, everywhere I've tried so far is so steep with huge, old forests and sheer cliffs that I cant even imagine huckleberry fields being viable there.

I've tried near Lake Cavanaugh, the mountain roads near Index and Galena, the Mt Baker St Forest areas Northeast of Welcome all multiple times this season and haven't even seen one :'( Basically, any advice would be much appreciated.
Title: Re: New to Western Washington Grouse Hunting
Post by: hunter399 on January 05, 2025, 11:23:08 AM: Go east,far east.
Northeast.
Title: Re: New to Western Washington Grouse Hunting
Post by: ghosthunter on January 05, 2025, 12:04:26 PM: East is good , but closer to home is Jackman Creek , also explore FS roads off Skagit Hwy.

When you get east after 20 opens explore Cub Creek Area. Good luck.
Title: Re: New to Western Washington Grouse Hunting
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on January 05, 2025, 12:23:06 PM: Quote from: ghosthunter on January 05, 2025, 12:04:26 PM
East is good , but closer to home is Jackman Creek , also explore FS roads off Skagit Hwy.

When you get east after 20 opens explore Cub Creek Area. Good luck.

Not many up Jackman this year, baker had more but not like the year before.

Sauk was dismal this year as well. But it has gated roads for walk and flush if that’s what your looking for.

Keep in mind some years areas carry more grouse, and other years they don’t.
Title: Re: New to Western Washington Grouse Hunting
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 05, 2025, 03:21:29 PM: What time of the year have you been hunting them? They are easier to find around the season opener (Sept 15th). As you get later into the year they are harder to find staying further from the roads and are not as active as earlier in the hunting season.