Extended Grouse Season

[Whitetail200]

Just wandering has anyone taking the opportunity to hunt Grouse before the season ends on Jan 15 .

[Pioneer2]

wipe out next year's seed?

[catnthehat]

We are headed out tomorrow, it will be fun
We hunt over dogs ( pointer and a flusher) with shotguns, tomorrow I will be using an early to mid 1800's Hughes 14 gauge muzzle loader!
Cat

[3blade]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

wipe out next year's seed?

You can’t. You could hunt every day of the season, over the best dog, and be the best shot on earth, and still have exactly zero impact on next years population. This has been studied extensively.

Grouse populations are based on habitat and weather, in that order.

[StiksnStrings]

I've been out a few times now. I usually wait until a week or two after big game closes and the woods qiuet down. Birds aren't so skiddish. This year with the lack of snow we've been quadding to places we would not be able to get to in the warmer weather so that has added to the fun of getting out bird hunting.

[jungleboy]

Was out on the 21st got one bird. They have been a little harder to find since November. Planning to get out a few more times before it closes. It has been a very good grouse yr .

[MK2750]

Originally Posted by 3blade

You can’t. You could hunt every day of the season, over the best dog, and be the best shot on earth, and still have exactly zero impact on next years population. This has been studied extensively.

Grouse populations are based on habitat and weather, in that order.

No it has not. The vast majority of the birds harvested are young birds. In nature this is a natural occurrence with all species. The majority of the birds harvested in September and October would never make it until winter let alone spring thus the consensus that hunter harvest has little impact.

It does have an impact however as bag limits were lowered just a few years ago because of dwindling numbers.

The same thing applies to deer. The vast majority of young deer in the forest are harvested, lost to predation or succumb to the winter elements. Mature birds and animals are the future of a species not the young.

Even if you are not hunting deer, your presence alone may stress them when they are recovering from rutting activity. Stress kills deer whether you want to believe it or not.

Winter grouse are survivors. They have learned to avoid predators and have a good chance of reproducing in the spring.

If you shoot a mature hen in winter there is no doubt that it will not breed in spring and you most likely have killed several birds that you could have been hunting next fall. To say killing a breeding hen has no effect is ridiculous. 100% of the coveys you encounter next season will be produced by a hen that was not killed this winter.

Fortunately winter birds are skittish and most hunters have little motivation to hunt them when they are struggling to get through the winter. Their diet has changed from berries, plants and bugs to frozen buds and dried seed making the table fair much less desirable. The survivors have generally left the road side for small pockets of dense cover and have learned to avoid vehicles. Most hunters will be unsuccessful.

I have no problem with winter hunting but people should be aware of the impact. I like to get the dogs out for a few runs in the late season. I just don't bother shooting grouse and avoid areas where I know the deer winter. I make note of grouse encounters and most often there is good numbers of grouse near those areas next fall. They didn't grow on the trees.

Harsh winters are generally hard on animals however they do keep the vast majority of hunters at home. It will be interesting to see game numbers next fall with this mild weather. I have hunters on trail cameras where I have never encountered a hunter or even a foot print before this fall. The nice weather had lots of couples out this fall which was nice to see.

You may want to take note of marked trap lines and be aware that there might be snares in any area. Regular wire cutters will not cut snare cable very well. You should carry cutters designed for cutting cable and keep dogs close.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

wipe out next year's seed?

Can you explain your logic of the difference between killing a grouse in Sept as opposed to Jan and how that will affect their population?

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by MK2750

No it has not. The vast majority of the birds harvested are young birds. In nature this is a natural occurrence with all species. The majority of the birds harvested in September and October would never make it until winter let alone spring thus the consensus that hunter harvest has little impact.

It does have an impact however as bag limits were lowered just a few years ago because of dwindling numbers.

The same thing applies to deer. The vast majority of young deer in the forest are harvested, lost to predation or succumb to the winter elements. Mature birds and animals are the future of a species not the young.

Even if you are not hunting deer, your presence alone may stress them when they are recovering from rutting activity. Stress kills deer whether you want to believe it or not.

Winter grouse are survivors. They have learned to avoid predators and have a good chance of reproducing in the spring.

If you shoot a mature hen in winter there is no doubt that it will not breed in spring and you most likely have killed several birds that you could have been hunting next fall. To say killing a breeding hen has no effect is ridiculous. 100% of the coveys you encounter next season will be produced by a hen that was not killed this winter.

Fortunately winter birds are skittish and most hunters have little motivation to hunt them when they are struggling to get through the winter. Their diet has changed from berries, plants and bugs to frozen buds and dried seed making the table fair much less desirable. The survivors have generally left the road side for small pockets of dense cover and have learned to avoid vehicles. Most hunters will be unsuccessful.

I have no problem with winter hunting but people should be aware of the impact. I like to get the dogs out for a few runs in the late season. I just don't bother shooting grouse and avoid areas where I know the deer winter. I make note of grouse encounters and most often there is good numbers of grouse near those areas next fall. They didn't grow on the trees.

Harsh winters are generally hard on animals however they do keep the vast majority of hunters at home. It will be interesting to see game numbers next fall with this mild weather. I have hunters on trail cameras where I have never encountered a hunter or even a foot print before this fall. The nice weather had lots of couples out this fall which was nice to see.

You may want to take note of marked trap lines and be aware that there might be snares in any area. Regular wire cutters will not cut snare cable very well. You should carry cutters designed for cutting cable and keep dogs close.

We hunt deer in a very heavy traffic area, and grouse in the same area at times.
Most hunters up here are on quads or SxS's , not on foot.
As far as heavily hunted gruse areas go, we quit one area we have used the last couple of years simply because we were putting up three or four birds up every time we we went out.
Today we will be going to a spot we know does not get hunted for birds much because it has lots of hilly trails and mos guys are shooting them on gravel roads , not in the bush over dogs
Cat

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by 3blade

You can’t. You could hunt every day of the season, over the best dog, and be the best shot on earth, and still have exactly zero impact on next years population. This has been studied extensively.

Grouse populations are based on habitat and weather, in that order.

With all our wildfires, no doubt habitat has taken a hit, weather hasn't been "normal" either.

[catnthehat]

Lots of tracks today, the Spaniel put one up but it was through some thick stuff and got away from son.
By the time I got a chance for a shot it was about 45 yards and of course I shot behind it!
Cat

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Lots of tracks today, the Spaniel put one up but it was through some thick stuff and got away from son.
By the time I got a chance for a shot it was about 45 yards and of course I shot behind it!
Cat

Of coarse you shot behind it. With that old blunderbus and sulfer powder you use theres a pretty good chance the bird is flying faster than your pellets..or is it carpet tacks your loading!..............

[1899b]

These pics are from last year Jan 15th last day…. thinking of heading out tomorrow just to be outside for a bit. My regular ice fishing spot is iffy ice wise so maybe a little upland on the menu…

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by bushrat

of coarse you shot behind it. With that old blunderbus and sulfer powder you use theres a pretty good chance the bird is flying faster than your pellets..or is it carpet tacks your loading!.............:sha_shakeshout:.

[IMG][/IMG]

[overhere]

Is THAT ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CAT?

[jungleboy]

Originally Posted by overhere

Is THAT ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CAT?

After a week in the woods

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Of coarse you shot behind it. With that old blunderbus and sulfer powder you use theres a pretty good chance the bird is flying faster than your pellets..or is it carpet tacks your loading!..............

Figured I would go old school - a good stiff load of raw oats
Cat

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

After a week in the woods

Danged varmints ,anyway!
Cat

[Glion]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

After a week in the woods

I thought that was him dressed up for going out.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by jungleboy

[IMG][/IMG]

Must be Cats other brother Curious what is the fine looking piece of ordinance he has slung over his shoulder? Looks fairly high grade.

[trapperdodge]

Hunting has very little effect on the grouse cycle. Ontario just extended their season in northern zones to March 31.

[Desert Eagle]

Originally Posted by 1899b

These pics are from last year Jan 15th last day…. thinking of heading out tomorrow just to be outside for a bit. My regular ice fishing spot is iffy ice wise so maybe a little upland on the menu…

Is your top picture from 339?

[jungleboy]

That’s like asking a fella for his girlfriends phone number

[C&C Outdoors]

Originally Posted by 1899b

These pics are from last year Jan 15th last day…. thinking of heading out tomorrow just to be outside for a bit. My regular ice fishing spot is iffy ice wise so maybe a little upland on the menu…

I'm heading out tomorrow as well with my 8 year old son for 3-4 days of camping. Will do a bit of grouse hunting, check for some pred sign in the area and just enjoy the time being out there.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by Desert Eagle

Is your top picture from 339?

No im more northwest of the Braz…..

[1899b]

Originally Posted by C&C Outdoors

I'm heading out tomorrow as well with my 8 year old son for 3-4 days of camping. Will do a bit of grouse hunting, check for some pred sign in the area and just enjoy the time being out there.

This sounds awesome!!!! I hope you and your son have an awesome adventure!!!

[MRLEE2uall]

I have been out cruizing the bush every weekend, I have seen minimal birds since 3rd week of november, some weekends I see no birds in 40 km of trail.