Am I just that bad? 🥴

[chadmil]

New to hunting grouse in WA, and spent the past two days grouse hunting in Elbe Hills, hunted high, grassy roads, creek bottoms, and behind multiple gates. 10 miles total and didn't see one! Even driving around in the AM, only saw one in preseason. Are numbers that bad there or am I just that bad?!?

[ghosthunter]

Grouse can be spotty.  Popular roads can be shot out.

I have best luck the last two hours of the day. Which is different from when  I was 20 we would get them in them in  am.

[Axle]

There are days when you will see many of them and there will be days when you see none of them.
It happens that way around here.
The brush is thick and they can hide very well.
I've seen their numbers to be fairly consistent for decades. 

[Lady Grouse hunter]

Cladmil,
Hey Like they said Grouse are where there at,, BUT One needs to know there Haunts.. Hmm Where were U @?

[Magnum_Willys]

Drive gravel or dirt/gravel roads from 8:00-10:00 am when not raining but rained yesterday.  Grouse come out to feed and pickup clean gravel.  If sun pops out after early light rain they can pop out as late as 1:00 -especially blues.  Then again 4-6 pm.

[bkaech]

Some days the birds are out and some days they ain't. While there is grouse everywhere, it takes a lot of time in Western WA to find roads, ridges, and spots that you can consistently find them. There is one location that I have hunted for decades and one side of the main ridge we rarely ever see grouse. The other side of the ridge holds lots of grouse, while the habitat appears the same.

[NorseNW]

Sounds like you have right types of areas to find them but they are just not there.  I would say like others have mentioned certain areas just hold birds consistently and others do not even though they are the same type of terrain.  I've seen a handful just driving to my hunting spots this year.  I will say I haven't had one explode and give  me a heart attack while elk hunting in years past but they are out there.  Keep up the work and you will find them.

[GASoline71]

It's hunting.  If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

You'll bump in to them sooner or later. Just keep at it.

Gary

[Jarredhs]

Don’t feel bad I did the same thing! Went to Monroe state land did 15 miles over 2 days then did 6 miles up on Becker peak area didn’t come away with or see anything!

[chadmil]

Thank you all for the input! I'm looking forward to getting back out next weekend!

[JRRJ2021]

I am new to hunting including grouse. I am in pierce county near you it looks like if you ever want a hunting partner to fail at finding grouse with.

[JeffRaines]

I was out Saturday and seen 11 between 6am-12pm.

Honestly, I’ve never even laid eyes on a grouse in Elbe hills and I’ve been in there quite a bit. I’d focus my efforts elsewhere.

Not saying they’re not in there, but at least in my personal experience if they are, the numbers are not great.

[chadmil]

Yea I'm sure there in Elbe, but thinking of just trying east side. When I was over there for spring gobbler I didn't go an hour without hearing or seeing a grouse!

[Ronquillo08]

I kicked them up left and right during Deer season last year, so I decided to hunt them this year. Low and behold I've only seen one bird.