Colorado dusky/blue grouse

[smw110136]

My wife and I are planning a camping/hiking trip around Summit County the last weekend in September (29 & 30). I’ve always seen plenty of grouse when bowhunting elk in early to mid-September, but I’ve had issues coming across them when I’m finally out with a shotgun. Anyone have some advice for mid-season blues in that general area? Big aspen stands up above the sage flats? Food and water sources to look for? Any advice is always appreciated! It’s a great time to be in the woods

 

[Colorado kid]

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[jlmatthew]

Start heading higher, especially if you aren't seeing grasshoppers anymore. Drought years like this year I have noticed they head up earlier than normal too. once higher look for vaccinium, once you find lots of it you are in good grouse country

 

[COEngineer]

I feel like I often find them on the edge of treeline. Sometimes further down along old logging roads (but maybe just because that's where I walk a lot?).

 

[cedahm]

Start heading higher, especially if you aren't seeing grasshoppers anymore. Drought years like this year I have noticed they head up earlier than normal too. once higher look for vaccinium, once you find lots of it you are in good grouse country

I've made this comment a lot in my life: "You won't always find Grouse just because you find vaccinium, but you will almost never find grouse without it"

We've seen family groups moving up the mountain a couple of weeks earlier than normal. We harvested 5 this weekend and all were in the spruce zone near water sources. 3 of them were birds-of-the-year which we normally don't see at those elevations until later in September. All of the brids had vaccinium leaves in their crops. I saw a couple in the aspen zone driving in and out of camp, but I'd be looking at "bench-y" spruce/fir transition areas near creeks right now.

 

[Hummer]

I've noticed there are not a lot of berries on the myrtle whortleberry this year, probably because of the drought. The dry conditions also explains why the birds are along and to and from the creeks. I came across a family group of dusky grouse on Monday at 10,200 ft. In late July and August we had a family group in our yard by the St. Vrain River, and feeding on the bird seed on our patio. We're in spruce-fir and aspen forest.

Btw, elk and moose also feed on the vaccinium/myrtle whortleberry.

 

[smw110136]

Thanks to everyone who posted some info. I've got a good idea on what to focus on as far as area and food source. Hopefully I can bag a few!