It's Grouse hunting time.

[Grouse]

Got my deer in the freezer and not planning on doing a lot of muzzle loader or yote hunting this year.  Some, but not a lot, depending on the weather. This is when I get serious about winter Grouse hunting. 

Put in quite a few miles on Grouse in the fall, then stopped for deer hunting.  Now that I have my fill of deer hunting, especially since sitting on stand is cold as hell, I want to start hunting Grouse again.  Great exercise, beautiful landscapes and I love toting my little 28 ga CZ Ringneck SxS.  Besides, nothing is better table fare than Ruffed Grouse.  Need to get a few in the freezer.  Also want to get one mounted in full flight with the tail spread out to hang on the wall.  Been wanting that for years now and hooked up with a new taxidermist that does amazing work for a great price.

Any other devotees to the sport of Grouse hunting in the snow here?

[Swamp_bucks]

I will be out big time this year also.  One thing I did find out this year during gun was a very healthy flock of grouse on a piece of stateland.  I usually only go once it snows I have a hard time leading them with the gun without the snow in the background.  

[Grouse]

5 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

   I only wish there were Ruffed Grouse in my area of Orange County. I have not see 1 Ruffed Grouse in Sterling Forest or North New Jersey in Many Years now.  I used to love to listen to that " Spring Thumping" of a male Ruffed Grouse. I have not heard that for a good 15 years.

If you are willing to drive about 1 hour further north, you can find some good spots to hunt.  

[airedale]

If the heavy snows hold off for a bit I will do some small game hunting and Grouse will be one of my objectives along with Squirrels, Rabbits and maybe a little Varmint calling mixed in. I have a 28 GA Ringneck myself and it is a sweet gun. I do favor a lot the little Franchi 20 GA below with it's 23 inch barrel and 5 lb weight it is a joy to carry and I shoot it very well.

Al

[GreenDrake]

Grouse hunting is without question my favorite type of hunting. My setters are itching to get out once the SZ deer season ends. I may take them this afternoon  to a great spot I have in the NZ. Picking up a new Dickinson Prestige 16ga sxs this morning. Need to break it in. 

[meateater]

i havent seen a grouse in 20 yrs the first one to scare the sh*t out of me walking to my stand was opening weekend like i said the first in 20 yrs they would sit tight and fly when you are right on top of them thick as anything i always jumped grouse 

[Grouse]

Airedale, love that little Franchi 20 ga.  I almost bought one myself a few years back.  Wish I did.

GreenDrake, those Dickinson SxS guns are really nice.  Enjoy it in good health for many years to come, and may many Grouse fall to it's thunder.

[Swamp_bucks]

I forgot to mention I will be using my uncle's 16gauge pump.  It was handed down to my dad and now me.  Little heavy but it shoots great.  I'm hoping in the spring to pick up a springer spaniel and figure out a way to train it to hunt.  Then get a 12 or 20 over under.

[Steve D]

13 hours ago, Grouse said:

Any other devotees to the sport of Grouse hunting in the snow here?

I used to love grouse hunting but couldn't tell you the last time I saw or heard one. The only place we ever had success was around the 1000 island area and s few spots in the Tug Hill area. They have literally disappeared from this part of the state.

[Stoneyktm]

 I got this bird a few weeks ago in Adirondack Park; so far that’s the only area I’ve seen plenty of them. I’ve seen 1 in fultonville that I spooked twice during deer season; couldn’t find him today. So if you walk a crazy amount of miles through the Adirondack Park you’ll see quite a few only a few feet off of the roads

[Grouse]

Oh yeah.  I once hunted along the Cold River on horse back, miles back in the woods from Tupper Lake in the middle of October.  There were lots of big grouse all over that area, and they had no fear of humans.  Getting a limit was easy and they were all big birds.  Gotta get back up there again soon.

[Steve D]

13 hours ago, Stoneyktm said:

I got this bird a few weeks ago in Adirondack Park; so far that’s the only area I’ve seen plenty of them

That sure narrows it down...Nice bird

The boundary of the Park encompasses approximately 6 million acres, nearly half of which belongs to all the people of New York State and is constitutionally protected to remain “forever wild” forest preserve.

[GreenDrake]

Dixie found a couple this weekend.

[Bigfoot 327]

Ruffled Grouse are highly susceptible to the West Nile Virus. Very few survive. Last I knew, PA biologists were researching this. Grouse also suffer from a lack of suitable habitat. Several Northeastern states are working to correct this through young forest initiatives.

[Nytracker]

Most of my favorite  grouse spots are gone . The 1100 acre lease i use to have   was  loaded  with them .  I miss hunting with my gsp .  I should start looking for some new spots .... and perhaps a new grouse dog .

[Grouse]

I was planning on getting out this weekend to hunt grouse,but with 2 feet of snow on the ground now, I think it will have to wait.  That type of snow tires me out very quickly.

[Merlot]

On 12/16/2020 at 7:32 PM, Bigfoot 327 said:

Ruffled Grouse are highly susceptible to the West Nile Virus. Very few survive. Last I knew, PA biologists were researching this. Grouse also suffer from a lack of suitable habitat. Several Northeastern states are working to correct this through young forest initiatives.

property I hunt was once prime ruffed Grouse habitat. Now the land is just large trees. We have cut some trees for profit, but not nearly enough to restore the property to decent bird habitat. Birds , turkey and deer aren't going to hang around much with poor habitat.

[Nytracker]

13 minutes ago, Grouse said:

I was planning on getting out this weekend to hunt grouse,but with 2 feet of snow on the ground now, I think it will have to wait.  That type of snow tires me out very quickly.

And its pretty hard on the dogs .

[Liquidonyx]

You guys get any this time of year? I spent a good amount of time walking around the wood this past weekend and only crossed one set of tracks. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Liquidonyx

[Grouse]

This time of year you have to know where the food they are looking for is.  But they are mostly eating buds off the trees now, so they may be spread out a lot.

This year seems to be on the low side of the ten year cycle grouse populations follow for some unknown reason.  3 or 4 years ago there were a lot of them by me.  This year far fewer.

[Shoots100]

I'll be taking a break from coyote to hunt grouse next weekend, if the snow doesn't pile up that much to effect the dog's from working.

Otherwise, the snowshoes come out and we'll take turns at being the dog.

It's gonna feel weird walking around in the daylight carrying a shotgun.