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10-14-2019, 08:56 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 121
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I've had my dog out a couple times and it seems like numbers are down from past years
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10-14-2019, 10:10 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ft. McMurray
Posts: 38,530
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We have been seeing good numbers in my areas this year.
Cat
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Anytime I figure I've got this long range thing figured out, I just strap into the sling and irons and remind myself that I don't!
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10-15-2019, 05:33 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,502
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Got a few more over the weekend checking game cams.....better than turkey!...or a tin of spam
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Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
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10-15-2019, 08:59 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 20
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wandering in 406 left me feeling that Spruce populations are up, and ruffs are down --- at least in my normal hunting areas. YMMV
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10-15-2019, 09:48 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 446
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Spent the weekend camping in 318
First day out ended with 3 ruffies
Second day out Managed 2 sprucies
V
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10-16-2019, 08:44 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 16,958
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Limits every weekend so far
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Alberta Bigbore
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10-17-2019, 01:06 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: edmonton
Posts: 3,116
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The grouse population in central Alberta is the lowest I have ever seen. According to my GPS I have put on 107 KM walking in what used to be prime habitat and have only seen 3 birds from a distance. Its very possible that it was the same bird spotted 3 times on different trips.
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" Everything in life that I enjoy is either illegal, immoral, fattening or causes cancer!"
"The problem was this little thing called the government and laws."
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10-17-2019, 03:11 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,516
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Grouse numbers
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghostguy6
The grouse population in central Alberta is the lowest I have ever seen. According to my GPS I have put on 107 KM walking in what used to be prime habitat and have only seen 3 birds from a distance. Its very possible that it was the same bird spotted 3 times on different trips.
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Agreed, in my area of east central Alberta, ruffle populations are practically nonexistent, and it I haven’t seen a covey of huns yet this fall. Why they have an extended season around here is completely beyond me?
Last edited by trigger7mm; 10-17-2019 at 03:13 PM.
Reason: More info
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10-17-2019, 03:49 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: GRAND PRAIRIE
Posts: 5,720
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With the limited hunting I've done this year in 521 have been seeing many many grouse will be pulling the 410 out next week
Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk
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10-17-2019, 07:50 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,516
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Grouse numbers
What I don’t get is that here central Alberta we have more Specklebelly geese than you can imagine, and the limit is only 5 per day, but we have virtually no upland game, and yet there is an extended season. Don’t ask me why?
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10-17-2019, 09:06 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,844
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger7mm
What I don’t get is that here central Alberta we have more Specklebelly geese than you can imagine, and the limit is only 5 per day, but we have virtually no upland game, and yet there is an extended season. Don’t ask me why?
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Migratory waterfowl limits are established under an international treaty. Upland gamebirds are very cyclical and hunting doesn't seem to have as much of an impact on them as predators, weather, habitat etc. That said I was happy to see the limits dropped from 10 to 5 on ruffies.
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You can't spend your way out of target panic......trust me.
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10-18-2019, 11:07 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Alberta
Posts: 540
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Yeah for sure. If there are none around and you cant shoot 5 why would you shoot 10?
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10-18-2019, 11:18 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Edmonton Area
Posts: 4,093
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348 seemed fairly good. After a morning sit for Elk on Wednesday, I took 3 with the bow in less than a 1 km walk back to my truck. They sure were tasty in a stir fry tonight.
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10-18-2019, 11:25 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Beaumont
Posts: 3,386
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Seen a lot of spruce today, a couple of ruffies and even a pair of sharptails.
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The kill is the satisfying, indeed essential, conclusion to a successful hunt. But, I take no pleasure in the act itself. One does not hunt in order to kill, but kills in order to have hunted. Then why do I hunt? I hunt for the same reason my well-fed cat hunts...because I must, because it is in the blood, because I am the decendent of a thousand generations of hunters. I hunt because I am a hunter.- Finn Aagard
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10-19-2019, 04:56 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 816
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My better half and I spent the morning out around the open creek area west of Rimbey, Charley the dog put in lots of time and we only put up one mature bird that will live to drum another day. I would guess the wet spring has had a diverse affect on the hatch for the 2019 season. All the same it was nice to get out on such a beautiful fall day. David.
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10-19-2019, 05:29 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 598
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didn't seen any on a recent trip in 316
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10-19-2019, 06:23 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Bonnyville
Posts: 190
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger7mm
Agreed, in my area of east central Alberta, ruffle populations are practically nonexistent, and it I haven’t seen a covey of huns yet this fall. Why they have an extended season around here is completely beyond me?
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If you don't agree with the extended season do your part and don't utilize it. Stay at home...sell your shotguns. I enjoy the extra 6 weeks out there immensely. Does it mean all the serious upland hunters are bagging an extra 200 birds per season? Absolutely not. Some of us are conservatively minded and 1 single wingshot is all that is needed to call the outing a complete success. Get a dog, there's plenty of birds to be hunted in east central Alberta.
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10-20-2019, 12:56 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: CANADA
Posts: 6,268
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last year out here count was 141 seen
this year 82
hunting different zone too
it was a wet year here though and saw a second clutch of Sharp-tail
the clutch size is down too on the Ruffed (some didn't make it)
but then you have a 20 bird day (seen)
they are just coming to the edges
just beautiful too get out enjoy everyone
upland hunting has a special place in our hearts
get out and have fun fun fun
David
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Scientific and Analytical Angler/Hunter
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10-20-2019, 06:44 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Stony Plain
Posts: 6,570
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Seem to be seeing more smaller or juvenile birds this season ,Wonder if it was a late hatch or just luck of the draw.
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10-21-2019, 09:27 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Calgary
Posts: 467
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Tons in the Wabasca area. Limited on ruffies every day. Big and healthy birds too.
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10-21-2019, 10:10 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cold Lake
Posts: 1,722
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Was out yesterday, saw 12, got 2. Those other 10 were ninjas in disguise.
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10-21-2019, 12:09 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teledogs
I have been out twice in the Hinton area this fall and I have not seen one yet.
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Ive probably seen 2-3 a day just out past Hinton but far less then last year
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11-18-2019, 12:43 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 207
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Now that we're getting later on in the season is anyone seeing more birds? I'm hoping to head out to the Drayton Valley/Cynthia area in a week or so with my kids. Any reports from that area?
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11-18-2019, 12:49 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 308
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Still seeing good numbers in 512
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11-18-2019, 01:35 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,334
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TippyCanoe
Now that we're getting later on in the season is anyone seeing more birds? I'm hoping to head out to the Drayton Valley/Cynthia area in a week or so with my kids. Any reports from that area?
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Seeing the odd grouse around well deer hunting but not enough for an actual grouse hunt
To give you an idea I stopped putting my shotgun in the truck back in September
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11-18-2019, 01:43 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Near Edmonton
Posts: 14,972
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We saw maybe 4 grouse along roads or trails in 3 weeks south of GP. The rest we saw were deep in the bush. Didn't even bother with a bird license the last few years.
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11-23-2019, 08:41 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 11
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Almost spat out my coffee this morning. Wife was looking saying look at those birds running down the walking path. Look out and a dozen spruce females ran past my yard pretty slow. Few chicks in there that were a bit smaller. Watched them go hide in a small group of trees a bit further down.
This might be a pretty good indicator that food sources are an issue if they are coming into residential neighborhoods from the fields.
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11-23-2019, 11:02 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 5,509
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Went out again on Wednesday, the weather was great, it was a nice sunny day. We saw 6 and got 3. The ones that got away were very well educated, the moment they saw the vehicle coming they took off into the bush! They were mostly under the trees, on the free of the snow grounds. Haven’t seen any roosting on the trees at all!
Almost by the end of the legal lights time, around 4 pm , came across a mama and baby moose. They were right by the side of the road, maybe 2-3 meters away from us. We stoped and took a better look at them. They moved deeper inside the bush, maybe 20 yards.
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11-23-2019, 02:25 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 3,516
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Grouse numbers
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prewar
If you don't agree with the extended season do your part and don't utilize it. Stay at home...sell your shotguns. I enjoy the extra 6 weeks out there immensely. Does it mean all the serious upland hunters are bagging an extra 200 birds per season? Absolutely not. Some of us are conservatively minded and 1 single wingshot is all that is needed to call the outing a complete success. Get a dog, there's plenty of birds to be hunted in east central Alberta.
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I have 2 labs that are my hunting companions, both are excellent. What I’m saying is that the populations are way down in my area. I wouldn’t have the heart to shoot an upland bird around here. That being said, I did see two ruffles this morning while deer hunting. They were the first ones I’ve seen in a long time. Between hunting, snaring coyotes, and work, I spend a ton of time in the field. It’s great to see that you aren’t one of the guys who have to shoot every bird they get a chance at. You’re right though, nothing beats a nice wing shot on a nice plump upland bird.
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11-23-2019, 07:49 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: At the end of the Thirsty Beaver Trail, Pinsky lake, Alberta.
Posts: 24,502
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Got rifle...see birds...gonna pack the 410....but I want to get my whitey
Tuff decisions....but good ones to have
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Be careful when you follow the masses, sometimes the "M" is silent...
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