Coast upland report 9-6-03

birdhunter · 09-08-2003, 03:56 PM

Well my first trip of the season was this weekend, and it was still probably a little too early. Hunting was good, but I'd dislocated my right shoulder a few weeks before. Scaled down to my 20 ga, but still too soon to be swinging and shooting I learned. Ran around the mid coast. Saw 9 grouse. 6 ruffs and 3 blues. They're still in coveys. Fired one shot and got one bird. Decided just to "scout" after that. Found a nice herd of elk, saw a few bulls and a bear. Also saw a rooster pheasant out there in the Coast Range. Middle of nowhere, logging roads and clearcuts galore, and here is this rooster pheasant standing in the road not 10 feet from me when I turned the corner. I have no idea what he was doing there or how he got there. Be fun if I could get a "mountain" pheasant come the opener. Anyways, that's the report. Plenty of birds to be had. Bandtails around for when that opens. Good luck.

GutshotApe · 09-08-2003, 04:49 PM

Did you see any mtn quail?

I hunted the upper Siuslaw area opening day...saw no grouse or quail.

skein · 09-08-2003, 05:50 PM

Hey, Birdhunter, welcome back! I wondered what happened to you - thought maybe the wolves had eaten you. :grin:

Sorry to hear about your shoulder. I suppose you'll have to give up your linebacker spot for this season, eh? Darn. I think the Beav's cudda used ya.

Let's catch up and see what you've been up to.

Good to hear from you.

Skein

MarlinMark · 09-08-2003, 07:15 PM

Must have been a small bear, huh?

Mark

C-lice · 09-08-2003, 09:07 PM

GSA--

The cascades (South Umpqua drainage) certainly had an excellent mountain quail year as far as I can tell. Ran into 8 coveys on the afternoon of the first, each with about a 1/3 to 2/3 split of mature vs. young birds. I'd suppose the coast range did too. They really seemed to be enjoying the elderberries. :smile:

BlueWater · 09-09-2003, 08:23 AM

I was out as well with a friend for the opening morning. Jumped 4 grouse and one covey of ~8 quail. We killed 1 young grouse and one young quail. Saw two more Sunday while bow hunting for deer. Looking forward to The rest of the season.

BlueWater.

Bait O' Eggs · 09-09-2003, 08:34 AM

Ben - to bad your wing isnt healed up yet.

Maybe you need to try a 410

:tongue:

I was in the cascades this weekend and saw 3 grouse and one covey of quail. Knocked an arrow for one grouse and it managed to get in the brush before I could get ready, one was in a certain arrow loss spot and I couldnt see donating a $10 arrow for a grouse.

birdhunter · 09-11-2003, 03:23 PM

GSA - Saw no mountain quail out there this trip, but I've seen plenty in the area before. Ran into two coveys in the same area a couple of weeks before season.

Mark - It was a smallish bear. Had I had a rifle it might have been shootable. Don't need another little rug nor do I want to deal with a fall bear though.

Hey Skein, couple more weeks and I'll be back in Corvallis. Still working up in Clackamas for now. Gonna be a busy fall. Eastern Oregon deer and elk, bird hunting, plus fishing. Gotta new boat and electric kicker. Should be fun with the fallies.

elkaholic · 09-11-2003, 07:41 PM

Hey Birdhunter, Was thinking the same as Skein on the wolf thing.

Hope you have a good fall after the wing heals.

The meetings start soon on a "conservation" plan so maybe I'll see you there.

PS Lots of whiskey to dull the pain does the trick for me when wounded :grin:

Jeremy · 09-12-2003, 01:21 PM

whats the best gauge and load to use for upland hunting, it looks like bi-mart has some pretty good deals going on right now??? thanks for the info