Any Hare or grouse hunters have success this season?

[Gunner]

Any one have success finding Hare this season?

  I hunted tug hill area this past friday and sat. approx. 14 hrs. with 2 beagles and Just me . Only jumped one Hare (which I almost stepped On).Dogs chased it 230 yds.; then ran back on the same track.(think it went to a brushpile).Lots of moisture on the ground. 

Flushed 12 or more grouse but no shots .(dang birds are fast !) Also missed 2 woodcock albeit bad shooting.   Hunted the same areas as back in febuary where the dogs found 11 hare in one day. The Hare seem to be really spread out now and lots of high weeds/grass,etc. for them to hide. Found some new likely looking areas and the dogs logged 19.5 miles in 2 days. I know my butt is a little sore today. Oh and saw about a dozen turkeys along the road getting gravel I suppose.

Nice 2 days to be out in the great outdoors though!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

( Note to self : don't drive 325 miles home after walking all day in the woods)

[wolc123]

I noted a lot of grouse near fort Drum last weekend while I was deer hunting with my crossbow and ML.  I wonder if the current high coyote population has reduced nest predators (coons and foxes) and that has helped the grouse numbers.      

[Pygmy]

I haven't flushed 12 grouse here in Steuben County in the last two years...When I was 14, I killed 14 grouse  my first year of hunting with a single shot 16 gauge...It was m nothing to flush 20-30 birds in a day of hunting, WITHOUT a dog...That was back when the cover was at optimum for grouse and rabbits, however..

I have done a limited amount of hare hunting, but loved every minute of it. but all my hare hunting has been done later in the winter, with a good snow cover..

Edited October 21, 2018 by Pygmy

[turkeyfeathers]

1 minute ago, wolc123 said:

I noted a lot of grouse near fort Drum last weekend while I was deer hunting with my crossbow and ML.  I wonder if the current high coyote population has reduced nest predators (coons and foxes) and that has helped the grouse numbers.      

I think you just contradicted yourself in a way and almost said coyotes are not entirely evil    So NO 365 season

[turkeyfeathers]

Friend is heading to Tug Hill tomorrow   Will have a report in a few days to post

[airedale]

Hare will hold very tight this time of year, as their coat changes over to winter white they seem to sense they are easily seen and hide themselves in heavy cover. As long as they do not raise them selves off the ground while sitting tight they do not give off hardly any scent. Many years ago I decided I wanted to get an early season brown colored Hare to get mounted and had a heck of a time getting one.

I was standing in a large dried up swamp that was full of Alder saplings and tall brown swamp grass and that was lying pretty much flat on the ground. I had hunted this area many times before in the winter with snow on the ground and always found many Hare there but my Beagle was having zero luck getting one started.

Anyhow there happened to be a loud sonic boom and suddenly there were a half dozen Hare poking their heads up out of that swamp grass where they were sitting as tight as could be and just as quick as they had popped up they ducked back under the grass.. I walked over to the closest one and could see him hiding, called my Beagle whom I do not mind bragging was about as good a Rabbit-Hare dog as they come. She ran over the top of that Hare twice, he did not move and she did not detect him. I walked in a gave him a boot and as soon as he raised up and bolted she caught his scent and the race was on with her in hot pursuit.

I ended up taking him out about two hours and several large circles later.

Al

Edited October 21, 2018 by airedale

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, turkeyfeathers said:

I think you just contradicted yourself in a way and almost said coyotes are not entirely evil    So NO 365 season

They have some redeeming qualities, that I do appreciate.  In addition to saving some grouse and turkeys from nest predators, they help control the deer population in the town of Amherst.  I have to drive thru there twice each weekday to get to and from work.  There have been a lot less deer for me to dodge since the coyotes have established a firm foothold.   In areas like that, where all hunting is banned, I am ok with them.  

I would like the year round season, only in areas where deer can be hunted.  The bulk of our family's protein comes from venison, so protecting that is my primary reason for supporting the year-round open coyote season.   Maybe I will relax that a bit, if the hen turkey I just popped out back, tastes ok for dinner tomorrow.   

[SilentStalker]

I saw 8 this weekend east of you in Lewis County. Could have shot 4 of them if I had the shotgun. 

[Gunner]

6 hours ago, airedale said:

Hare will hold very tight this time of year, as their coat changes over to winter white they seem to sense they are easily seen and hide themselves in heavy cover. As long as they do not raise them selves off the ground while sitting tight they do not give off hardly any scent. Many years ago I decided I wanted to get an early season brown colored Hare to get mounted and had a heck of a time getting one.

I was standing in a large dried up swamp that was full of Alder saplings and tall brown swamp grass and that was lying pretty much flat on the ground. I had hunted this area many times before in the winter with snow on the ground and always found many Hare there but my Beagle was having zero luck getting one started.

Anyhow there happened to be a loud sonic boom and suddenly there were a half dozen Hare poking their heads up out of that swamp grass where they were sitting as tight as could be and just as quick as they had popped up they ducked back under the grass.. I walked over to the closest one and could see him hiding, called my Beagle whom I do not mind bragging was about as good a Rabbit-Hare dog as they come. She ran over the top of that Hare twice, he did not move and she did not detect him. I walked in a gave him a boot and as soon as he raised up and bolted she caught his scent and the race was on with her in hot pursuit.

I ended up taking him out about two hours and several large circles later.

Al

Great observation Airdale.

I was helping the dogs out stomping cover and bushwacking through the thickest cover I could find. Swamp grass included. The dogs searched hard but the one Hare I found was in low lying grass/ferns. It's called hunting for a reason some days. At one spot I found great Looking cover with small pines ; adjacent to a marshy area with larger pines sorounding it. I'm sure there were Hare there ; just didn't step on one .They are nocturnal so dogs are a huge help. Here's a pic of the cover I found.