My grouse opener(PIC heavy)

[Mad Mikey]

Going to be hard to compete with you guys shooting elk and deer with a post about the oft chided grouse.

Since Mitch is new to this I thought I'd throw in some pointers as well.

I'm too lazy to get up early for grouse, no need to. I can find the Blues at any time of day, been hiking for them for over 25 years. When I post my Blue grouse stories I always get some responses about how dumb they are, just shoot em' in the road etc.

No problem, I've witnessed those birds do some incredibly stupid things, coulda' dang near killed some with a stick.

The reason I like to hunt them is that most of the areas you find them are public lands, very challenging wing shooting and you just don't have any competition. Who the heck is crazy enough to hike straight up a hill just to have a chance at a few grouse?

I guess, I am. I like the fact that I can wake up in the morning, think of an area, go to it at any time of day, get a quality hunt, excercise and not worry about running into someone else doing the same.

Besides that, once you actually get out of your rig and hunt them where they live, you will often get humbled by the simpleton that is the big blue timber chicken.

I can't think of another game bird that is so adept at putting an obstacle between itself and the shooter.

With that aside, let's get with my report.

I chose my first spot, a place I've hunted a few times before. But, there's always a bow hunter camp at the access point. I pulled into their camp and chatted a bit, told them I was going up the hill to look for birds and would that interfere with their evening hunt and if they had a tree stand up there.

No, I don't have to do that but I do it anyways. There's a lot of space out here and I can always find another spot. I respect the amount of work and preparation you bow guys have to undertake for your game.

They were done for the day, thanked me for asking and off I went, straight up the hill.

Prolly' took 20 minutes to get up top. When the first few patches of grassy openings appeared I started to get that little rush.



And then it kept getting better....



A lot of folks think you have to have a big wide grassy hilltop to find birds. Those can be good places early AM and the last hour of light. But mid-day it's not really the case.

The birds like low light and low heat. They like to be be close to the top but often times it pays off to side hill and pay attention to the SHADE!





This is a little bowl, the top of a once steep ravine at the intersection of a couple finger ridges. Blue grouse love spots like this. Be ready for action when you find one of these.



Once again, hunt the shade. Approach areas like this in a manner to set yourself up for a good shot.


This ridge was a bust though, too dry. A little moisture and the birds will be right back up on top again.

When I got back to the truck I remembered a ridge I had seen across a ravine that might hold possibilities. I'd never been up it but what I did know was that the road waaaaay down below it had year around water pooled up in it from a spring somewhere above.

So off I went. Due to picture count limitations I must make a second post.

[Mad Mikey]

Ugh!

This hill was tougher than the last one but I got er' done. When I topped out I was pleasantly suprised to find a beautiful grassy ridge with good cover on one side and a treeline about 100 yards below.


I followed it a bit, zig zagging back and forth to birdy looking spots and all of a sudden came across this:


Oh my, a saddle between two ridges with intersecting road cuts, timber on one side grassy ridge on the other. And the spring was up there too.

I've been looking for places like this since I was a teenager.

If this spot was a woman, she'd be talkin' dirty to me.

I didn't even have to question it, I had the safety off and started hearing wings before I could get within range.

By the time I got to the lip of the saddle, birds were exploding left and right, coming out of trees going every which way they could.

I've been in this situation a few times but even those experiences haven't changed my intitial reaction when it happens.

Adrenalin overload, I was lobbing off hasty shots and missing, bug eyed and frothing at the mouth.

Too much! Accck!!!

First three shots didn't connect at all, birds were raining down from all sides as I jacked three more shells into the Wingmaster.

I managed to take a deep breath, calmed down and took a bead on the next bird which took off right at my feet with it's sibling.

Another miss, damn I'm rusty.

But then, it all came together. The second bird took my #5's and went down hard, the first one went in a tree.

I eyeballed the one in the tree, I could have popped him there but decided against it. I took my chances, walked down and found a trail of feathers...


10 feet below I find this beautiful first year bird. Very chunky for early September.


So, the bird in the tree? It was still there. I approached the tree so I had a clear shot if/when it took off.

It took off and dang' did I bust that one bad, waaay high, trailing feathers all the way down.

Feeling a little more confident, knowing I could chase down another bird and probably get an easy kill I figured two was enough. I'll give this place a rest, let the birds get bigger and come back later in the season.

Besides that there was still some other spots I wanted to check out.

And boy howdy did they check out, less than a quarter mile from my last stand I jumped another 20-30 birds. Busted the first one I saw on a right to left downhill shot and it was game over.

Days like these are what I live for. Took a pic of the gun and pack, with my homemade bird stringer.


A closer look, just something I created with a boot lace, a carabiner and a few washers.


It works pretty well. Can't put the birds in the day pack because that has my water, extra ammo, clothes and emergency stuff.

Got a bonus on the way down too.

Jumped a dozen ruffeds in a berry patch and got my first ruffed of the year ON the fly. I take Ruffeds any way I can get em', just not a lot of chances to get them on the wing.

So I guess I got a little of the rust off.

Back at the truck, the curse of hairy legged guys in shorts.
BUUUUURRRSSS!


Saw this little lady and her twins, picture is a little blurry.


And of course, the glory shot on the tail gate of the Blue Puddle jumper of grouse elation....


Oh yummers, grouse fajitas tomorrow!

[konakid]

What is on your leg in that pic?
and im not talkin about the hair

[Mad Mikey]

Burrs.....

[JD77]

MadMike,
That is my favorite post in a long time. You had a little something for everyone- a few hints for hunting grouse, some nice pictures and a story. Good job. I wish I was able to get out more and look for grouse.

[smokerchick]

GREAT POST!! Thanks for sharing! I'm hoping to get some of that action next weekend. I'll take my dog and Model 12, though. Your making me HUNGRY. SC

[Spotted Owl]

Excellent. My boy was already to do a bunch of grouse bustin this year, then he busted up his foot, ankle and leg pretty bad durring football. He was walking the hills to get ready and throwing his own clays for practice. We went out monday and he got his 3 for the day while waking the over grown roads and grown up clear cuts around us.

Soon as his back up and movin he's gonna be a grouse killing machine just like you. Other than you, he is the only one that gets mouth foaming exited about grouse.

I'm gonna subscribe to this thread so I can show it to him when he gets home.


Great thread.


Owl

[scubaseth]

Great story! Like the grouse area pics.

Scuba

[RODACTION]

Way cool, thanks for the tips !!

[Got One!]

Looks like a good day to me!!

[lentz]

I was hoping that you would post something about your hunt today. Looks like it was a succesfull day in all areas. Maybe some of us NEO guys can hook up and do some bird hunting, it would have been fun to go but with all the festivities going on around here it just wasn't meant to be this go-around.

[Fool4FishnHuntn]

MM, that must be a portable picnic table eh? Nice story and very good tips. Some of those spots remind me of areas I always see grouse when I elk hunt and they also remind of some of the spots I visited while at EOSC.

[fisher22]

Great story, nice pics.

[RidgeRunner]

That was great, fun to read and nice pictures also.

[Art Vandeley]

Great Post! Thanks for taking the time to go into such depth and share tips with everyone.

Mitch

[QH's Paw]

Great post! Makes me want to chase the chickens. Definately some of the best eaten birds around.
Those pics remind me of some of the grouse haunts I hit in desolation unit.

[motcha]

Dang Mikey!! Way to put the hurt to the birds.... and the trees I guess since you was throwing lead all over at the start! Wish I could have made it.... maybe next time! get out earlier and maybe chase the elk around for a bit, that would be a fun day. I would call and you can take pics. thanks for the post and story!!

LOL... if it was a lady, she would have been talking dirty to me!! thats an instant classic!!

[loper]

Thanks for the best story w/ pics I've read on here to-date.

Way to go on capturing a great September hunt and allowing the rest of us to relive it with you.

[James in Idaho]

Great post, but I gotta ask............why #5's?? Try 7 or 7.5's, grouse are light boned birds and easy to kill.

[Herm]

Originally Posted by James in Idaho

Great post, but I gotta ask............why #5's?? Try 7 or 7.5's, grouse are light boned birds and easy to kill.

not blue grouse, 5 is about right for a blue....great report, wish there were more like it!

[Mad Mikey]

Originally Posted by James in Idaho

Great post, but I gotta ask............why #5's?? Try 7 or 7.5's, grouse are light boned birds and easy to kill.

A few reasons. I worked up a good all around re-load for ducks, pheasants and Blue grouse(not ruffeds) back in the 80's when lead was still legal for waterfowl. I don't hunt waterfowl anymore but stuck with this hot load(1320fps according to the manual) beacause it's been very effective. I'm very comfy taking a 50 yard shot(full choke) with the heavier pellets, not so with the lighter ones.

Some of those blues can get pretty big!

I like less pellets too, I usually miss big or hit big these days, less shot to pick out!

Because of the terrain I usually have the light loads in the gun at the beginning of the hike but swap em' out when I get near the top where the blues should be.

I'll post the recipe for the #5 mag's(2&3/4") if anyone is interested.

[Rubber Robin]

Thanks for a great report and pics. Good tips.

I have only chased grouse once or twice. I'm usually after elk. Nothing like the heart attack you get when you are silently stalking elk and that bird explodes out of the brush.

[Linejerk]

Nice work

[Hunt'nFish]

Originally Posted by Mad Mikey

A few reasons. I worked up a good all around re-load for ducks, pheasants and Blue grouse(not ruffeds) back in the 80's when lead was still legal for waterfowl. I don't hunt waterfowl anymore but stuck with this hot load(1320fps according to the manual) beacause it's been very effective.

I'll post the recipe for the #5 mag's(2&3/4") if anyone is interested.

I think I have a box of these.......

Great post Mike! But your missing one pic.......the dinner plate pic!
Hunt'nFish