Grouse Scout

Bait Bucket · 08-27-2003, 02:47 PM

Has anybody seen many? I have put a thousand miles on logging roads and what feels like 2000 miles on my legs and I have only flushed a few ruffed grouse and fewer blues..... What's up with this?

outdoor.spec.ops · 08-27-2003, 03:47 PM

Maybe they were in the trees? :shocked:
Seriously, I can't say, but I hope more start to show up!

Mello-Yello · 08-27-2003, 03:59 PM

Yesterday I received a letter from the ODFW (Roseburg office) requesting I submit the wing and tail of any grouse I take for analysis. They claim that the mild spring this year should provide very good chick survival, and numbers should be good.

Maybe they're getting road-smart. Wait, I don't think a grouse can get anything smart...gotta love them dumb birds...

M-Y

KingFisher85 · 08-27-2003, 04:29 PM

I don't know where you guys have been but I've seen more grouse (blues and forest grouse) this year then in the past 10 years. Them dumb things are all over the place.
Seen 15 blues just the other day.

Rauly · 08-27-2003, 06:39 PM

Have you tryied driving the gravel roads the last 3 hours of light. You can usually find them out getting gravel then.

Rauly

Bounty Hunter · 08-28-2003, 07:43 AM

Crap that reminds me I've still got 3 sets of wings and tails in the freezer I was supposed to send in. Sorry Mr. Bales if you are reading this. They'll come in with this year's results...

I've always hear that Grouse are a lot thicker the further away you get from Portland along the Cascade Range. Makes sense. I hope to make a pilgrimage to southern Oregon one of these days...

Blue Tip Spinner · 08-28-2003, 03:37 PM

i agree with kf85. i have seen lots of grouse (both blue and ruffies along with quite a few bandtails) on both sides of p-town in the timbered areas away from traffic. i have even been seeing them in the middle of the day in sunny areas near berries. if the numbers are as good as the were last year, it's gonna be a great year!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Perfect Drift · 08-28-2003, 03:59 PM

Starts Monday, right?

MountainLion84 · 08-28-2003, 06:24 PM

They should be due for an upcycle pretty soon. Seems like they have been pretty bleak the last few years.

Bait Bucket · 08-29-2003, 01:57 PM

A little better this morning. There should be a limit of ruffed grouse on Monday. I really haven't looked higher up for the blues.

Good luck to all on Monday.

ReelTrouble · 08-30-2003, 07:09 PM

I havent spent much time scouting, but i flushed a few last weekend backpacking and they startled me so much I nearly fell over backwards. Im sure they are out there.

Boy am I ready for monday, taking my girlfriend, it will be her first hunt ever. hope it goes well.

hntngirl · 08-31-2003, 01:35 AM

I'm with KF85! I have been seeing more grouse ( and quail) than I have seen for any years that I can remember! I'm completely stoked! Can't wait till Monday!

Mad Mikey · 08-31-2003, 01:14 PM

Should be a GREAT season for grouse. Am off to extreme E OR in a week or so to haunt my home areas.
We chase the Blues around up top and then top it off with ruffeds in the creek bottoms in the PM with a little fishing on the side.
Grouse have a fairly deserved reputation for being dumb but after those big blues get shot at a few times they can be downright annoyingly difficult. They figure out to put a tree between them and the gunner and go barrelling down the hill.
Anybody here ever put the sneak on a knot or limb that looks like a grouse??? I did that last year, worked it for a long time and then decided, "no way", that IS NOT a grouse and turned away....
The "knot' took off into a tree but I still dumped it, then two more got up, got them too.
While walking down to pick them up I jumped a half dozen ruffeds that went a half dozen different directions, only got one out of the bunch but was able to pin-point where one went and got him up in the air again. PuFFFF!!!!
Gotta love E OR. I hope to move back someday...

Blue Tip Spinner · 09-02-2003, 08:55 AM

YUP, there are alot of grouse out there!!!!!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] i ran into bunches after bunches going to my elk hunting spots on sat and sunday. however, everyone else beat me to the spots. oh well, i got some grouse on monday and i am happy with that!