Grouse Season is Almost Here

[44hunter45]

August 30th open in Idaho. Tick Tock....

Regarding dogs, our free-to-a-good-home Brittany cross would rather roll in piles of horse poop and wild flush everything 200 yards out front.
It seems the Border Collie dig under the fence DNA makes them want to herd the birds back to the sheep pen.
The Border Collie blood makes her smart though. She seems to know the range of a load of #7 1/2 and stays just outside while I scream at her.

 

[cedahm]

I've done a lot of reading on blue grouse habitat and feeding. Everything I read says they eat bugs until they roost up in the trees. Every year, even on the opener they are eating pine needles already in an area I frequent!

I think the bug proportion of diet is very true for the family groups (hens and birds of the year). We see males in the fir/spruce zone from about July onwards given their reverse migration. They are very opportunistic but we predominately find vaccinium berries and leaves, and those little white subalpine flower buds until about the first snowfall or hard freeze in late September. After that, it's predominately fir needles and vaccinium leaves where they are still green along creeks and seeps.

Excited to get the new-to-us Brit out this fall. I've more or less abandoned Archery elk season for dog training.

 

[Ben Lamb]

The pup had her first spot & flush on a covey of Ruffeds this morning in Northern MI. Watching her put it together was a lot of fun. Watching the big dog rush in on command and b ust them just right, sending 4 left, 3 right and 1 overhead was a bonus. Sometimes, dumbasses do things right.

 

[EWO]

I think the bug proportion of diet is very true for the family groups (hens and birds of the year). We see males in the fir/spruce zone from about July onwards given their reverse migration. They are very opportunistic but we predominately find vaccinium berries and leaves, and those little white subalpine flower buds until about the first snowfall or hard freeze in late September. After that, it's predominately fir needles and vaccinium leaves where they are still green along creeks and seeps.

Excited to get the new-to-us Brit out this fall. I've more or less abandoned Archery elk season for dog training.

Great info! I love hunting those things, even though they scare the hell out of me by flushing at my feet 90% of the time! haha

 

[jtm307]

I’m stoked Labor Day weekend is late this year. Last year’s opener was brutally hot. Got some hot tips for some new dusky spots I’m excited to try. My main sharptail spot is no longer accessible to the public .

 

[802flyfish]

Just reserved some BMA around Denton, MT.

 

[westbranch]

Our <2 yr old springer did a good job on grouse this past week while we were backpacking. Ended up with 6 separate flushes. Would have had some good opportunities to miss some shots if in season. Pretty sure we were just seeing spruce and ruffed grouse.

 

[JLS]

Sometimes, dumbasses do things right.

Talking about you or the dogs?

 

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

Always have wanted to hunt grouse! Our first dove season opener is Sept 1 in CA, nothing more humbling as a wingshooter than shooting dove.

 

[BrentD]

Always have wanted to hunt grouse! Our first dove season opener is Sept 1 in CA, nothing more humbling as a wingshooter than shooting dove.

Having shot both doves and hunted grouse, the only reason doves are so humbling is that you get more chances to shoot and miss than grouse hunting. But I have proven I can miss anything anywhere, anytime... 2+ months before I prove it on pheasants however.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Talking about you or the dogs?

6 of 1, brother.

6 of 1

 

[Nameless Range]

Last winter my 4-wheeler died, and though it took 9 months I convinced my wife I needed a SXS. To her it is for family fun and plowing the driveway, for me it is for driving up chit roads to get to the ridges where the October Blues live.

This has been the summer of the grasshopper, and on a Sunday drive the other day we popped multiple coveys of Huns off the side of the road.

I didn't even pick up my bow this summer and I'm not even gonna try and archery hunt. This fall is about my dog and the birds.

And keeping the marriage together.

Less than a week now.

 

[44hunter45]

Saw the first ruffed of the year this evening. Tick Tock

 

[manitou1]

Well they aren't grouse but they are close. Been getting my dog out a few times this fall chasing Ptarmigan. View attachment 115388View attachment 115389View attachment 115390View attachment 115391

You are spoiled!

 

[Bigjay73]

Can’t wait! This is the first year I’ll have a trained dog (mostly) and I’m reasonably confident of hitting what I fire at.

I found that just getting out, taking long drives together, letting them get out and hunt, spending hours in the field together does more for their training than actually training them. Amazing what a bind that creates between man and beast. I'm gonna get teary eyed now dammit, miss my dog

 

[Hunting Wife]

Skid plate
Vet box
Bird vest
Shotgun

I can barely contain myself!!!

Can’t get out until after work on the opener. I predict that may be the longest day of my life.

 

[rbinhood]

I can barely contain myself!!!

Can’t get out until after work on the opener. I predict that may be the longest day of my life.

Now that is some enthusiasm. I know the feeling, having felt that way myself on many occasions before our ruffed grouse opener.
This year I will be in Montana bowhunting for elk on our grouse opener. I feel guilty knowing I will not be out with my dog, but there are an awful lot of leaves on the trees yet, so shooting would be really tough, and it will also likely still be fairly warm, which is hard on the dog. Lot of season left after I get back.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Now that is some enthusiasm. I know the feeling, having felt that way myself on many occasions before our ruffed grouse opener.
This year I will be in Montana bowhunting for elk on our grouse opener. I feel guilty knowing I will not be out with my dog, but there are an awful lot of leaves on the trees yet, so shooting would be really tough, and it will also likely still be fairly warm, which is hard on the dog. Lot of season left after I get back.

Can’t help it. I’m nuts about sharptails.

Bring some judo points in case you run into tasty little distractions

 

[JLS]

Saw the first ruffed of the year this evening. Tick Tock

We saw quite a few grouse the other day while mountain biking. One really nice covey of blues and a couple of single ruffies.

 

[JLS]

Bring some judo points in case you run into tasty little distractions

Pretty easy to waste a lot of time and a number of arrows if you find some sharptails. There's a coulee I can think of in HD 621 that has a few arrows of mine in it somewhere....