Grouse - Page 2

whitetail Junkie · #31 09-14-2020, 02:23 PM

Heading Out for a 3 day Blue grouse hunt later this week...looking for a prime male specimen for the wall....fingers crossed.

Dean2 · #32 09-14-2020, 02:32 PM

Grouse seem to be VERY patchy this year. Most places I was seeing zero birds, a couple of small areas I saw a few. Seems like the spots that got a lot less rain this spring have a bit better bird numbers. I think I will skip the upland bird shooting this year. I know hunting pressure isn't anywhere near the biggest impact on population but every little bit helps.

CDN offroader · #33 09-14-2020, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Heading Out for a 3 day Blue grouse hunt later this week...looking for a prime male specimen for the wall....fingers crossed.

I'm not looking for an exact location, but where generally do you find blue grouse? I don't think I've ever seen one.

Dean2 · #34 09-14-2020, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDN offroader

I'm not looking for an exact location, but where generally do you find blue grouse? I don't think I've ever seen one.

Foothills and Mountains, closer to treeline usually. Population is much higher in B.C. than most of Alberta. I don't shoot them because to me they taste like Spruce Grouse, and I don't like them either.

whitetail Junkie · #35 09-14-2020, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDN offroader

I'm not looking for an exact location, but where generally do you find blue grouse? I don't think I've ever seen one.

Where Im going its common to see sheep and mountain goats just above where these blue grouse are.Some years ive been skunked and some years ill manage a few in a day.My inlaws went bow hunting there this year and only saw 1 however they were looking for elk not birds...white meat like ruffies which taste great.

ZJHoban · #36 09-14-2020, 06:46 PM

I've only ever seen one grouse while out in the bush, although admittedly I am as green as it gets.

Do you guys just find their habitat and put on miles?
Asking for a friend, lol.

Stinky Buffalo · #37 09-15-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZJHoban

Do you guys just find their habitat and put on miles?
Asking for a friend, lol.

Pretty much! It's said, "Grouse are where you find them".

I've had many times where I've been sitting in the woods, and they just materialize. They wander around, grazing. Sometimes the'll be on a log or a tree branch, trying to get a better look at you. They are so much fun to observe and hunt.

Smoky buck · #38 09-15-2020, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZJHoban

I've only ever seen one grouse while out in the bush, although admittedly I am as green as it gets.

Do you guys just find their habitat and put on miles?
Asking for a friend, lol.

For ruff grouse. Early in the year you will find them hanging around areas with berries near thick cover. Mixed timber near water can be good

Spruce are usually found in areas with more ever greens

Blues like other have said higher elevations

This is really more opinion from what I have noticed. In all honesty I just pay attention to where I see them out in the bush and come back to try to find them with a shotgun lol

The Fisherman Guy · #39 09-15-2020, 03:55 PM

Been out three times this year, and it sure has been slim pickings.

Fwee6 · #40 10-01-2020, 04:18 PM

Loaded up and going for a full day tomorrow between 318 and 320.

Anyone been out for grouse in the last 2 weeks since some areas got a few frosty mornings?
Sure looks like it will be easier to see a little deeper into the woods from trails, etc.

Fwee

Jayhad · #41 10-01-2020, 05:33 PM

I've been out a couple of times this season and the number of birds I've seen makes me excited for this season, bring on the breasts.

whitetail Junkie · #42 10-01-2020, 11:27 PM

Bitter sweet victory on my blue grouse hunt...saw 3 of them and got 2...both were juvenile birds however the one I missed was a nice big male that would have looked great on the wall...I got some pictures but can’t seem to know how to post them on this site anymore...

Smoky buck · #43 10-02-2020, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Bitter sweet victory on my blue grouse hunt...saw 3 of them and got 2...both were juvenile birds however the one I missed was a nice big male that would have looked great on the wall...I got some pictures but can’t seem to know how to post them on this site anymore...

If they are on your phone use Tapatalk it’s really easy

kujoseto · #44 10-04-2020, 09:35 AM

Everywhere I have been (3 WMUs about 7 hours between the furthest two) the numbers of ruffed grouse seem way down. Mind you, everywhere I have been seems down over the past 5+ years.
Wet springs and increased coyote populations in these areas. Not to mention increased hunting pressure for some specific land locations.

I typically see them in early September in thicker stuff and on drumming logs and now this time of year I am seeing them more out on the gravel.
Shot one yesterday with the bow at a ranged 41m. Right through the neck, breast meat in tact

cuttincircles · #45 10-04-2020, 12:42 PM

We have only seen a couple this year in areas that we would normally see more.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Fwee6 · #46 10-04-2020, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fwee6

Loaded up and going for a full day tomorrow between 318 and 320.

Anyone been out for grouse in the last 2 weeks since some areas got a few frosty mornings?
Sure looks like it will be easier to see a little deeper into the woods from trails, etc.

Fwee

UPDATE: I put 40km's on my quad, and another 4 km's on my boots on Friday and saw 2 ruffies (got them both) and 1 spruce (left him live...those aren't for my liking).

Holy smokes the numbers are down so much in central AB.

Taylorchambers5 · #47 10-04-2020, 06:39 PM

Went out a few weekends ago with a buddy and saw 14 , kept 6. Did a quick day trip from Edmonton yesterday In a different spot and we saw 12 and kept 6. Were we hunt it seems to have more grouse than we have seen years!

bessiedog · #48 10-04-2020, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean2

Foothills and Mountains, closer to treeline usually. Population is much higher in B.C. than most of Alberta. I don't shoot them because to me they taste like Spruce Grouse, and I don't like them either.

Dean, I’ve shots d eaten dozens of blues. I e never had one that ever tasted like a spruce grouse.
The meat looks exactly like a ruffie and tastes just like a roughie....

You sure your not shooting spruce?

Btw... early spruce tastes pretty good.

Dean2 · #49 10-04-2020, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Dean, I’ve shots d eaten dozens of blues. I e never had one that ever tasted like a spruce grouse.
The meat looks exactly like a ruffie and tastes just like a roughie....

You sure your not shooting spruce?

Btw... early spruce tastes pretty good.

They were definitely Blues and yes the meat is white like a Ruffy rather than dark like a Spruce. The two Blues I tried to eat, two different occasions but from the same area, to me tasted very gamey, and more like a Spruce than a Ruffy, and I really like Ruff as well as pheasant and huns. Not a fan of Sharptail. May have been the diet from that local.

mindoutside · #50 10-04-2020, 07:49 PM

There has been quite a few ruffed and blue grouse where I hunt. But I have yet to see a spruced this year. Probably walked on top of those statues

KGB · #51 10-04-2020, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylorchambers5

Went out a few weekends ago with a buddy and saw 14 , kept 6. Did a quick day trip from Edmonton yesterday In a different spot and we saw 12 and kept 6. Were we hunt it seems to have more grouse than we have seen years!

Lucky guy! We went west of the city and saw one bird for the whole day!

OL_JR · #52 10-04-2020, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fwee6

UPDATE: I put 40km's on my quad, and another 4 km's on my boots on Friday and saw 2 ruffies (got them both) and 1 spruce (left him live...those aren't for my liking).

Holy smokes the numbers are down so much in central AB.

Would agree that there are pretty low numbers around here this year. Last few years haven't seen much for spruce grouse at all.

We spent last week in Peace Country and seemed to be a fair amount of ruffies around. Didn't see any spruce grouse but we were flushing sharptails in certain areas constantly. Planned to do some sharptail hunting friday to close out our last day but my son just had to shoot an elk in the morning and kill that plan lol.

whitetail Junkie · #53 10-04-2020, 08:56 PM

Hopefully next year or even this early winter if the snow ain’t to deep I’ll run into my wall hanger.

OL_JR · #54 10-04-2020, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Hopefully next year or even this early winter if the snow ain’t to deep I’ll run into my wall hanger.

Awesome I've never shot a blue grouse, super cool going to have to put that on the list.

Hunter3006 · #55 10-05-2020, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OL_JR

Would agree that there are pretty low numbers around here this year. Last few years haven't seen much for spruce grouse at all.

We spent last week in Peace Country and seemed to be a fair amount of ruffies around. Didn't see any spruce grouse but we were flushing sharptails in certain areas constantly. Planned to do some sharptail hunting friday to close out our last day but my son just had to shoot an elk in the morning and kill that plan lol.

Seems to be a few in 536, been out a few times and shot 3 and 4 ruffed grouse each time. Seems to be good up here unless I’m just hitting the lucky patches

Haven’t seen many spruce grouse yet, usually see them a bit later sll over the roads lol.

JonC · #56 11-08-2020, 11:11 PM

Sometimes, you have to look up.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

Speckle55 · #57 11-09-2020, 10:28 AM

Nice upland hunts out here in foothills

seeing about the same as last year

last year Nov 10 seen 160 this year 143 Nov 9

some Spruce early now mainly Ruffed

went 2hrs north with gf she took pic's n video of a Sow Grizz 3 cubs
https://www.facebook.com/jill.waldo/...59246779085229

fun hunts

David

skain11 · #58 11-09-2020, 11:33 AM

Great video speck...I miss those wrestling days with my brother...now we would break a hip with some of those takedowns.

JohninAB · #59 11-09-2020, 11:48 AM

Was out all last week and saw over 30 ruffies myself and buddy saw good numbers as well. They are skittish but managed to fill my daily quota twice with my 410. Wish I had my 17 Mach 2 as it reaches out there considerably further than my 410.

Was moose hunting end of September first week of October by Fox Creek. Spruce grouse were everywhere and ruffies were scarce as saw only 5 in the 10 days I was there.

nast70 · #60 11-09-2020, 02:16 PM

Just got back from my solo Elk hunt up north. Was in the same place our family was in September. We might have seen 10 birds between all of us then. Saw well over 20 on my trip. Was able to watch several for a long time while sitting. I observed one bird balanced on a twig a bit too small to support him, reaching for berries, just beyond his reach. Bouncing up and down, flapping when he lost balance.
Watched another get chased out of a squirrels back yard, only to fly back when the squirrel was absent.
Watched a clutch of 10 birds with no leader, comically wander back and forth across the trail looking for forage. Very entertaining birds to watch when there's no 410 between us.