A couple more Duskys in Colorado.

[COrookie]

After finding ptarmigan success last year, I've been really trying to get a couple for a mount but have not been very lucky. Decided to change things up and go to one of my grouse honey holes this weekend

The mountain is very steep. Down low is sage brush, with coniferous forests up top. Mixed in aspen groves along creeks that trickle from the forest to the sage. Extremely tough hike up, I always get sore and sometimes injured

After no luck getting into birds in a couple spots I always get into them, I reevaluated the weather and decided maybe I'll get lucky in the aspens. I bushwacked my way through treacherous terrain, downed trees, steep grade, thick brush. Eventually made it into the aspens.

As soon as I was giving up hope, I see some movement in the grass under the yellow aspen canopy. Sure as heck is a grouse. It wouldn't budge, so I took a head shot ground and pound style. The covey explodes and I'm able to get a second bird in the wing.

Great little adventure. Elevation I found them was 9.8k. 2 hens. They were full of red currants and snow berries. Hope y'all are having a good season.

Pictures attached.

 

[TruckStevens]

Great pics! Not sure where these were shot - but I have run into a lot of grouse in the Flat Tops.

 

[cedahm]

Nice report and pics.

We were surprised 'up north' the other weekend in Southern WY that the family groups had not made it up the hill as yet. That probably changed with the recent weather, but we were only getting into single males so were about to start descending to the Aspen edge, but a buddy got an arrow in a bull nearby our grouse spot, which resulted in a long tracking exercise.

 

[JLS]

Ptarmigan in the lower 48 is a bucket list item of mine.

 

[COrookie]

Ptarmigan in the lower 48 is a bucket list item of mine.

Ptarmigan is one of my favorite hunts. Last year was my first time trying and we managed a couple birds our last little trip.

No luck this year but I'll probably give it a go one more time this Friday.

 

[Westok]

After finding ptarmigan success last year, I've been really trying to get a couple for a mount but have not been very lucky. Decided to change things up and go to one of my grouse honey holes this weekend

The mountain is very steep. Down low is sage brush, with coniferous forests up top. Mixed in aspen groves along creeks that trickle from the forest to the sage. Extremely tough hike up, I always get sore and sometimes injured

After no luck getting into birds in a couple spots I always get into them, I reevaluated the weather and decided maybe I'll get lucky in the aspens. I bushwacked my way through treacherous terrain, downed trees, steep grade, thick brush. Eventually made it into the aspens.

As soon as I was giving up hope, I see some movement in the grass under the yellow aspen canopy. Sure as heck is a grouse. It wouldn't budge, so I took a head shot ground and pound style. The covey explodes and I'm able to get a second bird in the wing.

Great little adventure. Elevation I found them was 9.8k. 2 hens. They were full of red currants and snow berries. Hope y'all are having a good season.

Pictures attached.

What is some advise for a rookie blue grouse hunter, I’ve been a couple times in New Mexico mainly. Found 1 small group 1 time.

 

[COrookie]

What is some advise for a rookie blue grouse hunter, I’ve been a couple times in New Mexico mainly. Found 1 small group 1 time.

My biggest advice is don't give up. I know that's cliché but it's the truth. It took my 3 or 4 seasons of going all the time before I finally saw a single grouse.

Additionally, grouse like steep mountains, and a mosaic of habitat from low to high. Think sage shot early season, aspen and coniferous forests mid season, and at way up high late season.

It really is one of those hunts where you're just gonna have to put in miles and hike a lot. Have a good first aid kit, compass, map, and don't navigate obstacles with a loaded gun.

 

[jlmatthew]

In drought years go straight to the high ground.
Normal years look for grasshoppers. when they are gone go high

 

[tormenter]

Is there any way to identify the males from females before you shoot them?

 

[cedahm]

Is there any way to identify the males from females before you shoot them?

I can ID them on the wing most of the time now, but that's after 25+ years of hunting them and I still get it wrong occasionally (sun/shade, cover type, angle, etc). Ntm, it's rare to have a long lead-time from flush to shot, even with pointed birds.

If you see them on the ground or they're staring at you from a tree limb, obviously you can. And I would bet the majority of dusky grouse that get harvested across the west are shot while they are stationary.

 

[jlmatthew]

These are young birds, but still males are a little larger and darker in color.

 

[tormenter]

So the way to identify the males is they are darker and larger? I shoot a bunch each year and would definitely only shoot males if I could identify them.

 

[cedahm]

So the way to identify the males is they are darker and larger? I shoot a bunch each year and would definitely only shoot males if I could identify them.

They ‘appear’ darker due to their size - but particularly when they reach ‘bomber’ size (2+ years old) - they are actually much more grey and uniform coloration versus females which maintain their mottled feather patterns their whole lives minus the solid (but more subtle) dun-colored tail band.

The key in the air is mature males show a ton of white around their neck and chest and are both large and monochromatic.



Below is two males and a (fairly large) female. Note the white necks and lack of mottled feathers on the males:



The yellow eye and throat patches on males heads that they use in breeding displays are a dead giveaway but nearly impossible to diagnose in flight.



As a rule - I ‘attempt’ to shoot males but in practice it’s very hard unless they are standing still (and as first and foremost a ‘dog guy’ I don’t really ground or tree pound them any more). There really isnt that much real pressure on Dusky’s at a population level so I’d just shoot the bird and be happy

 

[tormenter]

Good info.

Thank you!

 

[COrookie]

Is there any way to identify the males from females before you shoot them?

Cedahm provided some great info with great pics to show the difference. In flight I can barely tell if at all. Most times its just a blur and I am focusing on getting the shot off before they disappears in the trees.

 

[shrapnel]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blue grouse fly…