Ruff grouse tend to be more solo whereas if you jump/flush a Blue Grouse there's probably a few more around. Also, Ruff Grouse tend to be in dense thicket while Blues tend to congregate around edge of gravel roads.
I am familiar with the one called "Is-that-a-deer-or-is-that-a-stump?" Now I know the rock-grouse one ha ha! Someone seriously needs to give you your own TV show. Awesome videos!
I have had very good luck over the years finding grouse on old logging roads that are grown up with alder saplings on the sides. They also like intersections in the roads and mud puddles. Maybe it's just the area I have hunted but I limit out every time I go out for grouse
That's awesome! After I made this video I realized I forgot a major hint.. water/puddles! I have also seen quite a few grouse at intersections and open corners of the road but ALSO at mud puddles. Good call :)
Nice work. Thanks for taking the time to do the video. I’ve done some for Woodcock without a dog. I’m in the Northeast but the habitats are very similar with the 4 required elements. Habitat managers like to mention “twig density” for Grouse and Woodcock. Basically refining “thick” and “jungle” to actual twig density levels in successional or transitional forests. You point out some of these qualities. You touched on the benefit of “the edges” where these successional differences exist and the Grouse and Woodcock take full advantage of it for Roosting, Cover and Food. Over 30+ years in the upland covers and sharing / learning from others I’ve developed that “Grouse sense” and can often predict their presence. Your “does it feel Grousey”. “Is it a Grouse?” Just two days ago I was in a known good cover, overcast and foggy. I was convinced I saw a Grouse in a conifer to the point of thinking I saw the head, eye and beak. Even seeing it move. I’m an on the wing hunter so I tried to get it to flush. As I stepped to a different angle I realized I was hallucinating any movement since it was a perfect arrangement of branches and bark! No one else was there to hear the hearty laugh at myself! Lol. Thanks again for the nice video to share with new Grouse hunters. Happy New Year.
Sounds like you got your area down pretty well over that time. Developing your "grousey" sense haha I've always wanted to do some upland bird hunting in the NE but obviously it's kinda far away! Thanks for sharing!
I've been hunting grouse for a while in Ontario, but I will be looking at habitat differently now and hopefully be a more successful hunter. Thanks for taking the time to make this well put together and informative video!
That's a very in-depth look at habits for grouse. One other thing I would consider is how some spots can change as the season advances and this mostly applies to food and ground cover. A really good early season area may not be as good late in the season and vice versa. This might be more spot on the spot type stuff though as most of those best habits you showed are likely to have enough of those 4 keys that the birds are not going to leave, but maybe, just be more likely in other areas within the spot.
I completely agree with you. There is kind of a part one to this video where I talk about different shot sizes that can be used throughout the season as foliage changes. Does that count? Haha I could talk about grouse all day but this video was already getting super long. Thank for watching and commenting!
Great information, thanks for putting this together. Grouse are just tricky critters and so challenging to hunt with a trad bow. This fills in some blanks for me and correlates with my own observations. What I find so weird is that when I'm in "perfect" grouse habitat I see none and then when I'm walking the last 100 yards to my vehicle when i've basically checked out and I'll flush a grouse. Can't win sometimes.
🔥me☝️I live on the Olympic Peninsula, I hunt and fish. I find grouse hunting to be the most challenging of all the game I go after. A LONG time ago when I was a teenager my hunting buddy was a friend of my father’s . We mostly hunted pheasants however we got invited to go grouse hunting. After two days of striking out one of the local good old boys said he would take us out and show us how to get them forest chickens. The biggest tip he gave us was when you see a grouse drive right by it for about 50 feet maybe 75 feet. The grouse “think” the danger has left so they go back to their business and you can walk back all sneaky and usually get a shot off before they notice you. Anyway, thanks for the video I will definitely watch more. Good luck Hunting this year and have a great day.
Yeah grouse can be tricky little guys! I've never hunted out there but maybe someday. I've heard good things plus there's tons of edible mushrooms. I am 100% gonna try that trick! Thanks!
Thank you very much. Delightful video that makes sense of my limited (but successful) experience grouse hunting. Love how your balanced passion comes through.
Great video. I’m wondering where you look while grouse hunting? Do you spend the majority of time keeping your eyes on the edges of the road/path or do you look into the forest floor on either side/ up in trees? Also curious how you approach a bird after you have seen it at a distance? I find most birds I spot on a long stretch of road will flush before I get close enough to take a shot. Thanks for your time. I’m a fan of your videos.
Thanks! My eyes are all over the place. I've trained them to pick out anything that could be a grouse. I'm usually scanning the path and the cover on the side of the path. Not generally into the woods though. Sometimes I look in trees if it looks like a grousey tree, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I'm not even on a path so I'll look lower into grousey stuff. Honestly, there is no right answer. I follow my intuition and go/do what feels right for the area. Comes with practice. When I see a bird, I try to shoot it 😆😁
I just came back from ruffed grouse hunting here in Quebec, Canada. It was slightly raining during the PM, and I got a grouse eating / stones on the side of the road under the rain. I saw a couple more as well under the rain and they were just relaxed.
Nice! Grouse certainly don't mind the rain, I mean, they do live outside haha I see quite a few in the rain. I would love to hunt up north in Canada. Thanks for watching along!
Grouse hunting here in the PNW is definitely not as popular as it is out east.. which is fine by me! Haha Opening day coming up soon!!! Thanks for watching. Gonna plenty of grouse vids this season
I appreciate you putting out this video. I am getting ready for trip to meet up with my hunting buddy in the north east corner of California and this is my first time targeting grouse.
Watched this in anticipation for this coming season! Thanks for all the info, super helpful. I feel like there’s not a ton of info out on upland bird hunting in the cascades. I’m down in the Willamette Valley area and went up in the Willamette Nat’l Forest last year in areas that look just about identical to this habitat with my puppy GSP. Didn’t have any luck last year but this video has me pretty hopeful that I’ll have a better idea what to keep an eye out for! Couple questions for you: have you ever hunted ruffed grouse with a dog? If so, any tips? Do you encounter any other upland birds?
I agree! Not a lot of info on grouse hunting round these parts. The Cascades are not well known for upland bird hunting.. which is fine by me haha I have had a lot of success grouse hunting walking old logging roads using the techniques I mentioned in the video. I don't ever hunt with a dog and I don't really target anything but grouse. I'm not at all opposed to it. Just never needed to. I think it would be fantastic though!
While deer hunting a flushed grouse will scare the hell out of me everytime :-) They usually don't fly far so if you look hard in the direction they went many times you'll see them in a tree trying to hide. Great video thanks!
Yeah where to hunt grouse really tripped me up when I first started. It REALLY depends where ya live. I see guys in Wyoming or Colorado just charging through the woods but in places like Maine or Washington, it's all about old logging roads... with the right set of conditions of course. Good luck out there!
Great video. Grew up on the peninsula West of you. But this all applies. Each time I was going to comment you would mention exactly what I was going to say. Maybe mention as it gets colder they tend to be on the south west side of a mountain to get as much sun during the day. Any area that backs up to valley with slaow brush that has berries, swamp, or berries growing on the road side. I do you a trick that was learned huntin hunting deer.After flashing from a ridge top over an area for a while ,will pick limbs and rods them down behind stumps and fallen logs..it will spike them and jump up to see what it is. So after walking dowǹ a spur road on the way back to the rig, will do the same thing. Grouse are pretty dumb, they will flush and then after a couple of minutes come right back to where they were as it is there prefered place.
Thank you! I'd love to do some grouse hunting in the Olympics. I imagine it's not too shabby. Yeah I like what you said about the south side of slopes. Grouse don't carry much fat and like to stay warm as well as having to eat frequently. Grouse are definitely dumb haha... but then again... I'm pretty dumb too so it's an even match 😆
Really great video. Northern Ontario Canada. Every year, my friends and i go Moose hunting , but in reality we mostly just terrorize the Grouse population. Good fun and great eating. Use a different gun each year for a challenge , but have been most suckseseful with a simple 410 single. Love being in the thick woods.
Dude, you nailed it. I'd like to add one more tip. Make that 2. The farther you can see into the forest. The less likely it will hold grouse. And the more various the habitat (natural, or man-made). Such as different types and ages of trees that would create edges.
Thanks! I would certainly agree with both those statements. They definitely like to have that thick thick cover. And.. I often look for varying habitat! About a month ago, I saw two grouse in the middle of a busy highway haha
This was super helpful! I'm getting ready to go grouse hunting for the first time and really appreciate all the tips. Also, judging by your woods it looks like we're neighbors!
@@CascadeBackcountry Yep! I’m pretty excited bc I mainly mountain bike in the backwoods and see them all the time on. Just yesterday I flushed 5. Next time I’ll have my rifle!
yeah only thing I use online maps for is to see terrain and access. Best way is goin in on foot. and don't be afraid to follow game trails and see where they lead. I found an excellent spot doing this. Just a little grouse paradise lol. Best I have seen on that specific mountain.
What I try to be ready for is .5 to 1 second before they flush they'll make a kinda soft chicken cluck sound. And if your ready for that it can give you the edge.
Yeah it's a great tool to be able to locate them just before they flush. Grouse hunting is tough so anything that can give ya an edge! Thanks for watching
Yes! Thanks dude! This helps a lot. Im going hunting next weekend. We are going for deer and grouse. And maybe rabbit. This will help a lot on the trip!
Great video! I appreciate all the detail that went into this. I went for my first dedicated grouse hunt last weekend at the Capitol Forest and unfortunately went home empty handed. Found a couple spots that seemed very "grousey", but I think the remaining snow hurt my chances. Would appreciate any additional tips you're willing to offer!
Thanks! Yeah the end of this grouse season was pretty weird due to all the crazy weather. Now we gotta wait till September to go grouse hunting again. I'll be doin more grouse videos at that point :)
Exactly what I needed to know. Thx for sharing your knowledge. Hoping to apply it all to my area. Very similar vegetation and lay of the land. Watching from Ontario Canada
Thanks for this video man! I went out today and I finally saw them. I flushed 5 but wasn’t able to connect a shot but at least I got to see them. Question: in your experience, are grouse territorial? Can I assume that they’ll be back at the areas where I spot them?
Awesome! The answer is yes! Grouse tend to occupy a few acres (I can't remember the exact number) so if you found a grouse, then a grouse lives and roosts in that area. There's a decent chance if you go back, you might see em again. They're tricky buggers tho. Good luck :)
@@CascadeBackcountry Got one 10/24 right before the weather turn on me. I followed your dinner recipe with the stuffing and gravy. Now I want more. So good!! Thanks for sharing
This is awesome! What are your takes on Grouse habitats this fall with fire and drought? My offering: Season open on 09/15 was right after that little rain shower before the longer term drought, and I was locating them abundantly for a few days. Then it seemed to become more and more scarce and more and more otherwise seemingly perfect habitats were void of them. Thanks again, videos are great!
I'm pretty dang on board with your assessment! I saw a fair number of grouse right at the beginning of the season. Went out last week when all the gnarly smoke was here.. didn't see a single grouse. Most of the usual spots have been ghost towns! Hopefully this rain will get the season on track. Thanks for watching!
Great video, very well done and seems like alot of thought went into it. I'm not in the pacific northwest but I am in the Northeast and the woods look very similar. I haven't hunted grouse since I was kid and I'm thinking of getting back into next year.
Thanks! Yeah that video definitely took a bit to film. Surely the grouse can't be too different but yeah.. easy and fun way to get out in the woods and get lunch!
I'm much more of a forager these days than a hunter but thought I'd check out some videos/info on Grouse in Washington. It's fairly often when I'm out foraging for berries, mushrooms, Ramps, etc. that a Grouse will flush and more often than not into a tree relatively close by. I've imagined just taking a good pellet pistol or rifle along with. When I see/flush them it's usually well into the Salal, Oregon Grape, Fern and other undergrowth usually in a mix of evergreen and alder. So is this habit of not flying off very far because I'm off the beaten path and more directly in their environs or something different? Also, on things to listen for, what about drumming (or is that when the season is closed on them so it's not useful) ?
They usually fly off several times. The first time usually isn't very far and if you can find em, a .22 or shotgun would work fine. They'll repeat this flying off until they lose ya in the woods 🤣 Drumming, at least where I live, takes place in spring time and grouse hunting season is well and over
Oh nice! I spent the majority of my Summer in the Okanagan this year. Pasayten Wilderness area. Live it over there! I saw quite a few grouse as well. Glad you're gettin into some birds already!
@@CascadeBackcountry That's awesome. Where I go isn't to far from there, about an hour or two north, just south of Copper Mountain. Love the area, lots of large rolling hills, tons of wildlife, and few people.
Dude! These videos are GREAT! Thank you!! I grouse hunt around Coeur dAlene, ID with a Small Munsterlander. I agree with everything you’re putting out for tips. Personally…,I like to look for water….usually a stream, as a higher priority more so than where you seem to prioritize it. Also….you mentioned looking below 2000 ft elevation…,well that doesn’t work by us so well, because everything is above 2500 ft 🤣. Really enjoyed the videos, please keep them coming!
Thanks!! Yeah some of this info is definitely specific to western Washington but a lot of it can be universal. There's water everywhere here but I do perk my eyes and ears up a bit when I know I'm coming up to a stream. Often find them by streams along the road. Grouse season is getting close!
That’s a great point, you have more streams, so it’d make sense that I place a higher priority on riparian areas when I’m looking for ruffies. Thanks again! Great stuff!
@@CascadeBackcountry Ahh, that makes sense. We probably have fewer streams due to your rainy climate so riparian areas in North Idaho probably stand out a little as better habitat. Thanks!
In your checking for Grossy spots are you also looking for the tiny gravel they eat to fill their gizzard? It’s something my dad always told me about. I’ve seen many grouse in my lifetime at the Cottage property. I have flushed many grouse with them without dogs. But I’ve only been hunting for grouse for a year. And to date none on the plate
I do pay attention to gravel yeah! Usually I'm hunting old logging roads which have plenty little pebbles the grouse to eat so it's not an issue. Definitely a great thing to keep an eye out for. Keep at it! You'll get em!
Fantastic video! I am trying to get into grouse hunting in the north east myself. I do have a couple of questions, do you get out with a dog? If not, how do you retrieve a bird from the thick bushes? What shot size do you use? 7.1/2 lead? Do you really need a high brass shot shell? Many thanks for your video!
Right on! I don't hunt with dogs. I do have two, half lab, half GSPs but they were never trained so they're pretty much only good for taking up space on the couch haha If I down a bird into the brush, I gotta go in and get it. I use size 7 to 8 shot typically. No I don't think ya need a high brass shell at all. I think shot size is most important. Doesn't matter if you're using a 12 gauge or 28 gauge as long as you're not using buck shot ;) Thanks for watching!
Oh man... I live on the OTHER end of the state! There's tons of logging down that way. Just head out to any public land, Forest Service, DNR, etc and cruise some roads. You'll surely see some! Boots on the ground is the best way to find em. Maybe Gifford Pinchot? Not super familiar with that area down there
Very informative video. Tomorrow I will go for some grouse hunting. I will definitely put in practice what I've learned from you. It would be my first hunt ever. The fact that the environment you are in is identical with the one I am familiar with (I live by the border with WA state) makes things easier for me now. Using a shotgun would be preferable than a .22 rifle?
Thanks for the great video. Very well done and lots of good tips. My son and I just started grouse hunting this year and have had a lot of success in those areas like you showed that just feel "grousy." I have been known to stop and get out of the truck to roll grouse looking rocks off the road and move grouse looking sticks, and cut those darn grouse looking dark clump plants, just so we don't get fooled next time. Ha ha :)
Awesome! Glad you guys are out there getting into some birds. Some spots definitely feel more grousy than others.. always trust your gut right? Haha Moving those rocks is a great idea. There was one rock that got me like 3 years in a row!
Thank a lot, very tutorial, ,very, very interesting, a lot of tips, , and thank you for your time to make this video. Why you do not use 22, ? in open spaces., areas.
Yeah there's a lot of info in this video! I do occasionally use a 22. Just gotta be careful where you're shooting and more likely to hurt the meat but a 22 is a great option. Thanks for watching!
Just joined the channel and recently moved to Idaho from New Hampshire, haven't moved into the house yet! Anyways, was wondering if yourself or anyone else knows of any apps to find some logging roads to check out. I haven't even purchased a gun yet but am looking at the Mossberg 88 20 gauge to start out with. I've watched your vids and have gained a lot from those, thank you.
Welcome to the Great PNW! My favorite app is OnX. I use it for navigation and to mark locations etc. It does cost abou)$30 a year or something though. My favorite way to locate new spots is go out exploring. Good luck out there. Idaho is awesome
great video. TY for the work and knowledge sharing. I was wondering if you use a dog. My experiences with grouse lead me to believe a dog is a huge asset. Finding these buggers can be very difficult when down. MH
Thank you! I don't ever use a dog. I do think a dog would be great and definitely save me some brush busting to retrieve birds haha I have two big dogs already but if I were to ever get another dog there's a 100% chance it'd get trained for bird hunting!
Great video. My brother in law has many tactics on how to maneuver the truck when Road hunting so you can get out without spooking a bird. Any thoughts?
Thanks! Thoughts... you should share those tactics with me! Haha I usually just stop and get out slowly. I don't think I have any specific moves. I'd say 80% + of birds will give you time to shoot
@@CascadeBackcountry One example is if two hunters are in the truck… the Hunter opposite side from the bird goes out first. He will position the truck at an angle so the bird has less of a chance to see the feet hitting the ground…. Also if close enough the Hunter can use the front of the truck as a screen for a shot….. Michigan forest road rules apply…..
I like it! If I ever have another person in my car, I'm gonna try it. I'm not super with Michigan rules but here ya can't have a loaded shotgun in the car so while you're getting out of the car, hoping the bird doesn't fly off, ya also gotta load a few rounds in haha
@@CascadeBackcountry First rule when out of the vehicle…load the gun….too many hunters get transfixed on the bird ….and miss shots due to late loading…. Another of his tactics ….leave car running … claims it kinda of mezmorizes sp…bird
Hey mate, tank you for that great video. The only thing is that i don't know how much it's similar up here in Quebec, Canada (you know where we all speak french) but i would imagine so because they're still the same bird, even though it's quite a lot northeast from you. So it's probably not a huge deal right?
I would imagine everything I said in this video still applies to your area. The vegetation may be a bit different but yeah... they're still grouse. I'll have someone translate that into French for ya haha
I know from WDFW that the most grouse are harvested in the northeast corner of the state, HOWEVER, if you south, say around Longview or something, there's gotta be plenty of old logging roads to cruise!
Oh man.. tough questions! If I actually find a grouse and actually get a shot off on it..... maybe 50% Usually the reason I "miss" is due to the thick brush and my pellets not being able to get through it. I don't really wanna use bigger shot cuz I'd ruin too many birds. It's kinda like taking photos.. if you take enough of them, eventually you'll get a great one ;)
I generally don't scout new grouse areas. I usually just cruise or walk old logging roads. Cover enough ground and you're bound to see a few ditch chickens!
This weekend, opening deer, in the Kid valley and Toutle Valley area, I did not see one grouse. However, there was a TON of traffic. I agree with your assessment. Those are the same types of areas I see grouse down here in Lewis County. I joined Ruffed Grouse Society to help with habitat and learn what those habitats are. They don't seem to be a very active group up here in Washington state. Maybe all of us here could bolster their ranks?
Not one grouse huh!? I definitely don't see as many in high traffic areas.. which I'm sure everywhere is during deer season! I have thought about joining the RGS too. Seems like it way more active out east
My understanding is that grouse have an 11 year population boom and bust cycle, so if you find a lot of grouse in an area, you can figure out how it will be next year
Here in North Carolina it is easy to find all the grouse around ,, start at a spring head and follow it down hill for the first 1000 yards ,, that’s during winter ,, but that’s when the season is here ,, food available is a big plus but water here is the key , that’s for the hens and young of the year ,, for the older roosters , laurel ridges on steep ground with fox grapes and or acorn sprouts or fern , or tea berry’s,,also American hawthorn berries is a magnet.
@@CascadeBackcountry in the 70 s and 80 s , I knew places that I could see forty bird Covey’s, with fox grape vines as big as my thighs towering to the very tops of ancient two hundred year old white oaks and black oaks , you could look up at the tops of these vines and see wads of grapes hanging so thick and grouse roosted in those vines at dawn ,, the ground would be literally covered with those wads of grapes. And grouse poop,,I think this was the key to there being at such an unbelievable population,,,there was no deer or turkeys back then.
Wow that sounds amazing. Very cool memory to have! Can't say we have any of those fox grape vines here in the Pacific Northwest but I dunno. I bet those grouse loved having all those grapes for food. Sounds like it based on all the poop! haha I will occasionally in the early season see a group of grouse, maybe five or so at a time. but now nearing the end of the season, they're usually flying solo. Thanks for sharing!
@@CascadeBackcountry I am also old enough to remember seeing the remnants, fallen hollow logs and massive rotting seven and eight foot wide American Chesnut trees that used to be the dominant species of tree in the American forest ,until they caught a blight and went extinct, many of which the grouse would hide in ,,also slid across one in the shining rock wilderness area that a bear crawled out of stood up on hind feet and popped his teeth at me for waking him.
Late to the party, been out deer hunting. Great video, very informative, educational well done! Could tell you put a lot of work into this one. Will be out there soon looking for some chicken of the woods and maybe some chantrells to go along with it.
Thanks! Yeah this video took a bit to film. Lot's of driving around haha How'd the deer hunting go? I can't find a chicken of the woods close to me to save my life! I know of a couple of them but they're literally like 25 mile hikes into them. Probably not gonna do that for a mushroom! Chicken of the woods is at the top of my "to find" list for mushrooms tho
@@CascadeBackcountry Hunting was long and rough, over 90+ hours not adding in the commute and and everything else. Had other hunter issues, and my body is wrecked. But in the end i came home with a gorgeous 2x3 with chocolate antlers with character. Going to rest a bit then get out and work my grousy areas. Question, do you know of a book or books for mushroom foraging and or for plants for gathering in our neck of the woods thats worth buying. I would like to get better at it then just the popular shrooms and plants. That or it might be a good video idea.
You need to first take a hunter safety course, get a hunting license and pick up a copy of the 2023 hunting regulations. You can hunt most BLM, state land or forest service. Season doesn't open until September 15th tho
@Cascade Backcountry I have a hunter license. I duck hunt in Skagit, but maybe my because my reading comprehensive skills are bad. I really don't understand what areas I can hunt or not hunt in washington state. I fn wished like I would give someone 100 dollars to do a comprehensive research on where I can and can't legally hunt in washington state for what animal and at what time of year. Or how exactly to you there map system online.
You have 2 seconds to pull the trigger once they are in the wing!They will try to get between a tree and you so can't shoot them!The barometric pressure drops and animals are on the move.
Grouse are still active in the winter but I usually see them hanging out in the trees more. They don't have much fat to keep em warm. As for cattle.. boy I have no idea. Never encountered that scenario!
just wondering about snow, and if grouse move when snow flys? (i hunt in montana). as for cattle i wonder if grouse and cow pies can co-exist? enjoyed your videos, and find most birds in the areas you noted.
My understanding and experience is that grouse stay up in thick fir trees during winter. It helps them stay out of the cold and wind and they also eat the needles (but don't quote me on that.) As for cow pies.. I think everything coexists with em! Haha Thanks for watching! Can't wait for grouse season this year
As a general rule I use a 12 gauge, steel shot, size #7. I put out a video a few weeks ago that goes over shot size selection if ya wanna check it out. Thanks :)
Hey bud just subscribed! Also a fellow hunter from WA State! I just put up a video of my 9 year old head shooting a grouse with a bow… it’s on our channel if you would like to take a look
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!
Want more grouse hunting videos?
Subscribe: th-cam.com/users/cascadebackcountry
Great video. I haven't grouse hunt in many years. Just getting back into and you refreshed my memory great to start out again thank you.
Thanks! Glad I could assist. Hope ya get into some birds!
Ruff grouse tend to be more solo whereas if you jump/flush a Blue Grouse there's probably a few more around. Also, Ruff Grouse tend to be in dense thicket while Blues tend to congregate around edge of gravel roads.
I am familiar with the one called "Is-that-a-deer-or-is-that-a-stump?" Now I know the rock-grouse one ha ha! Someone seriously needs to give you your own TV show. Awesome videos!
Hey thanks! I'd gladly do a TV show! I play a similar game but it's "is that a stump or a bear... or sasquatch!?"
@@CascadeBackcountry I watched Missing 411: The Haunted now I’m a little freak out about Sasquatch.
I have had very good luck over the years finding grouse on old logging roads that are grown up with alder saplings on the sides. They also like intersections in the roads and mud puddles. Maybe it's just the area I have hunted but I limit out every time I go out for grouse
That's awesome! After I made this video I realized I forgot a major hint.. water/puddles! I have also seen quite a few grouse at intersections and open corners of the road but ALSO at mud puddles. Good call :)
Buying my first shotgun and hunting license today to get after some grouse, your videos have helped loads.
Do it! Its fun. I havent even got my first bird yet but its fun getting out there.
Right on! Glad I could help. Grouse hunting is a super fun great way to spend some time in the woods!
Nice work. Thanks for taking the time to do the video. I’ve done some for Woodcock without a dog. I’m in the Northeast but the habitats are very similar with the 4 required elements. Habitat managers like to mention “twig density” for Grouse and Woodcock. Basically refining “thick” and “jungle” to actual twig density levels in successional or transitional forests. You point out some of these qualities. You touched on the benefit of “the edges” where these successional differences exist and the Grouse and Woodcock take full advantage of it for Roosting, Cover and Food.
Over 30+ years in the upland covers and sharing / learning from others I’ve developed that “Grouse sense” and can often predict their presence. Your “does it feel Grousey”.
“Is it a Grouse?” Just two days ago I was in a known good cover, overcast and foggy. I was convinced I saw a Grouse in a conifer to the point of thinking I saw the head, eye and beak. Even seeing it move. I’m an on the wing hunter so I tried to get it to flush. As I stepped to a different angle I realized I was hallucinating any movement since it was a perfect arrangement of branches and bark! No one else was there to hear the hearty laugh at myself! Lol.
Thanks again for the nice video to share with new Grouse hunters. Happy New Year.
Sounds like you got your area down pretty well over that time. Developing your "grousey" sense haha I've always wanted to do some upland bird hunting in the NE but obviously it's kinda far away! Thanks for sharing!
I've been hunting grouse for a while in Ontario, but I will be looking at habitat differently now and hopefully be a more successful hunter. Thanks for taking the time to make this well put together and informative video!
Ontario, I hear, has some great grouse hunting. Hope some of this info helped and thanks for watchin!
That's a very in-depth look at habits for grouse. One other thing I would consider is how some spots can change as the season advances and this mostly applies to food and ground cover. A really good early season area may not be as good late in the season and vice versa. This might be more spot on the spot type stuff though as most of those best habits you showed are likely to have enough of those 4 keys that the birds are not going to leave, but maybe, just be more likely in other areas within the spot.
I completely agree with you. There is kind of a part one to this video where I talk about different shot sizes that can be used throughout the season as foliage changes. Does that count? Haha I could talk about grouse all day but this video was already getting super long. Thank for watching and commenting!
Great information, thanks for putting this together. Grouse are just tricky critters and so challenging to hunt with a trad bow. This fills in some blanks for me and correlates with my own observations. What I find so weird is that when I'm in "perfect" grouse habitat I see none and then when I'm walking the last 100 yards to my vehicle when i've basically checked out and I'll flush a grouse. Can't win sometimes.
Haha! Yeah they're tricky little birds. Good luck hunting with your bow! That sounds pretty awesome!
🔥me☝️I live on the Olympic Peninsula, I hunt and fish. I find grouse hunting to be the most challenging of all the game I go after. A LONG time ago when I was a teenager my hunting buddy was a friend of my father’s . We mostly hunted pheasants however we got invited to go grouse hunting. After two days of striking out one of the local good old boys said he would take us out and show us how to get them forest chickens. The biggest tip he gave us was when you see a grouse drive right by it for about 50 feet maybe 75 feet. The grouse “think” the danger has left so they go back to their business and you can walk back all sneaky and usually get a shot off before they notice you. Anyway, thanks for the video I will definitely watch more. Good luck Hunting this year and have a great day.
Yeah grouse can be tricky little guys! I've never hunted out there but maybe someday. I've heard good things plus there's tons of edible mushrooms. I am 100% gonna try that trick! Thanks!
Thank you very much. Delightful video that makes sense of my limited (but successful) experience grouse hunting. Love how your balanced passion comes through.
Glad it could help and thank you! Sounds like you're already ahead of the game tho 😁
Great video. I’m wondering where you look while grouse hunting? Do you spend the majority of time keeping your eyes on the edges of the road/path or do you look into the forest floor on either side/ up in trees? Also curious how you approach a bird after you have seen it at a distance? I find most birds I spot on a long stretch of road will flush before I get close enough to take a shot. Thanks for your time. I’m a fan of your videos.
Thanks! My eyes are all over the place. I've trained them to pick out anything that could be a grouse. I'm usually scanning the path and the cover on the side of the path. Not generally into the woods though. Sometimes I look in trees if it looks like a grousey tree, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I'm not even on a path so I'll look lower into grousey stuff. Honestly, there is no right answer. I follow my intuition and go/do what feels right for the area. Comes with practice. When I see a bird, I try to shoot it 😆😁
Fantastic video - thanks so much for posting this. Tons of great information. I look forward to the next one!
Hope it helps! Thanks for watching :)
The “that’s what she said” joke was pretty funny too😂
You know I'm fond of "that's what she said" jokes! It's just that usually I'm walking around in the woods alone and I'm just saying to myself haha
I just came back from ruffed grouse hunting here in Quebec, Canada. It was slightly raining during the PM, and I got a grouse eating / stones on the side of the road
under the rain. I saw a couple more as well under the rain and they were just relaxed.
Nice! Grouse certainly don't mind the rain, I mean, they do live outside haha I see quite a few in the rain. I would love to hunt up north in Canada. Thanks for watching along!
Man, here I was thinking I'm the only guy nerding out on Grouse hunting in the NW. Great video and thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Grouse hunting here in the PNW is definitely not as popular as it is out east.. which is fine by me! Haha Opening day coming up soon!!! Thanks for watching. Gonna plenty of grouse vids this season
I appreciate you putting out this video. I am getting ready for trip to meet up with my hunting buddy in the north east corner of California and this is my first time targeting grouse.
Heck yeah! Cover enough ground and I'm sure you'll get into some birds!
Watched this in anticipation for this coming season! Thanks for all the info, super helpful. I feel like there’s not a ton of info out on upland bird hunting in the cascades.
I’m down in the Willamette Valley area and went up in the Willamette Nat’l Forest last year in areas that look just about identical to this habitat with my puppy GSP. Didn’t have any luck last year but this video has me pretty hopeful that I’ll have a better idea what to keep an eye out for!
Couple questions for you: have you ever hunted ruffed grouse with a dog? If so, any tips? Do you encounter any other upland birds?
I agree! Not a lot of info on grouse hunting round these parts. The Cascades are not well known for upland bird hunting.. which is fine by me haha I have had a lot of success grouse hunting walking old logging roads using the techniques I mentioned in the video. I don't ever hunt with a dog and I don't really target anything but grouse. I'm not at all opposed to it. Just never needed to. I think it would be fantastic though!
While deer hunting a flushed grouse will scare the hell out of me everytime :-) They usually don't fly far so if you look hard in the direction they went many times you'll see them in a tree trying to hide. Great video thanks!
Nobody knows fear until they've been silently walking alone in the woods for hours and have grouse loudly flush near them haha Thanks for watching!
Until this video I had no idea what types of areas to look for. I now have a great starting point. THX 🙏
Yeah where to hunt grouse really tripped me up when I first started. It REALLY depends where ya live. I see guys in Wyoming or Colorado just charging through the woods but in places like Maine or Washington, it's all about old logging roads... with the right set of conditions of course. Good luck out there!
Great video.
Grew up on the peninsula West of you. But this all applies. Each time I was going to comment you would mention exactly what I was going to say.
Maybe mention as it gets colder they tend to be on the south west side of a mountain to get as much sun during the day.
Any area that backs up to valley with slaow brush that has berries, swamp, or berries growing on the road side.
I do you a trick that was learned huntin hunting deer.After flashing from a ridge top over an area for a while ,will pick limbs and rods them down behind stumps and fallen logs..it will spike them and jump up to see what it is.
So after walking dowǹ a spur road on the way back to the rig, will do the same thing. Grouse are pretty dumb, they will flush and then after a couple of minutes come right back to where they were as it is there prefered place.
Thank you! I'd love to do some grouse hunting in the Olympics. I imagine it's not too shabby. Yeah I like what you said about the south side of slopes. Grouse don't carry much fat and like to stay warm as well as having to eat frequently. Grouse are definitely dumb haha... but then again... I'm pretty dumb too so it's an even match 😆
Really great video. Northern Ontario Canada. Every year, my friends and i go Moose hunting , but in reality we mostly just terrorize the Grouse population. Good fun and great eating. Use a different gun each year for a challenge , but have been most suckseseful with a simple 410 single. Love being in the thick woods.
Nice! Moose... grouse... same thing! Haha You using a 410 huh? I've been debating getting a 28 gauge. Thanks for watching!
I can never get more than 2 on a trip.. 😢😢😢 these guys are feasting over here
Two moose!!!???? Haha
@CascadeBackcountry I wish!!!!
Sadly I'm talking about grouse... Everyone else seems to have much better luck.
I think if ya wanna limit out, ya gotta go back east to like Wisconsin or Maine haha Have you grouse hunted here at the beginning of the season?
Dude, you nailed it. I'd like to add one more tip. Make that 2. The farther you can see into the forest. The less likely it will hold grouse. And the more various the habitat (natural, or man-made). Such as different types and ages of trees that would create edges.
Thanks! I would certainly agree with both those statements. They definitely like to have that thick thick cover. And.. I often look for varying habitat! About a month ago, I saw two grouse in the middle of a busy highway haha
I guess it leans towards the man made features.. I once had a gross fly into me on a highway.
Great video! Super helpful to have an idea of where to start and what to look for. Thanks!
Right on! Hope it helped :)
This was super helpful! I'm getting ready to go grouse hunting for the first time and really appreciate all the tips. Also, judging by your woods it looks like we're neighbors!
First time! Heck yeah!!! You in the Northwest WA area?
@@CascadeBackcountry Yep! I’m pretty excited bc I mainly mountain bike in the backwoods and see them all the time on. Just yesterday I flushed 5. Next time I’ll have my rifle!
Five! That's a pretty grousey day! Just mount a machine gun on your mt bike haha
Awesome clip ! Really love the PNW .
Thanks! PNW is pretty great 😀
I've hunted Central Washington land around Cle Elum and Ellensburg for many years. Miss it a lot.
Lots of animals out that way!
Dude, this is such an informative video. Thank you so much for putting this together.
Thanks! Hope it helps!
yes sir! @@CascadeBackcountry cant wait to learn more about this and utilize the knowledge learned from your channel into my personal adventures.
great content dude! love the channel and the positivity!!
Hell yeah! Thanks man!
Just was out yesterday on North Vancouver island British Columbia Canada and nailed some ruffled grouse
Great video
Nice! Only been up that way once... beautiful area. Thanks!
yeah only thing I use online maps for is to see terrain and access. Best way is goin in on foot. and don't be afraid to follow game trails and see where they lead. I found an excellent spot doing this. Just a little grouse paradise lol. Best I have seen on that specific mountain.
Nice!
What I try to be ready for is .5 to 1 second before they flush they'll make a kinda soft chicken cluck sound. And if your ready for that it can give you the edge.
Yeah it's a great tool to be able to locate them just before they flush. Grouse hunting is tough so anything that can give ya an edge! Thanks for watching
Great video, I am up in the Olympic peninsula and grouse hunting is by far some of my favorite hunting right now.
Yeah grouse hunting is awesome! So rewarding to get em and eat em. Thanks for watching!
Thank you, nice video and tips. I agree with what you said. The walk-pause is well known and important,glad you presented it.
Thanks! It was a long video but hopefully some good info there :)
I love the video bro! It really helps me get started as I am a new grouse hunter and have a ton to learn.
Awesome! Hope it helps. Grouse can be a ton of fun and delicious!
Great info!! Thanks! Headed to Northern Wisconsin in a couple weeks.. cant wait! Great tips
Right on! I've obviously never hunted in Wisconsin but the grouse can't be too different
Thank you for the video. Really enjoyed watching it!!!
Thanks for watchin!!
In Montana both ruffed grouse and blue grouse are going to be around 5000 to 7000 ft
That's awesome! It would be nice to be able to hunt both simultaneously. Maybe I'll get out to Montana sometime!
Yes! Thanks dude! This helps a lot. Im going hunting next weekend. We are going for deer and grouse. And maybe rabbit. This will help a lot on the trip!
Heck yeah! Hope you get all three :)
@@CascadeBackcountry id take 1 of any of the 3 lol! Supposed to rain on us the whole weekend though. :/
Uh oh! Maybe the rain will help hide you.. like Rambo
@@CascadeBackcountry hahaha cover ourselves in mud like Dutch from predator? Lol
100% do that! The deer won't stand a chance
Great video! I appreciate all the detail that went into this. I went for my first dedicated grouse hunt last weekend at the Capitol Forest and unfortunately went home empty handed. Found a couple spots that seemed very "grousey", but I think the remaining snow hurt my chances. Would appreciate any additional tips you're willing to offer!
Thanks! Yeah the end of this grouse season was pretty weird due to all the crazy weather. Now we gotta wait till September to go grouse hunting again. I'll be doin more grouse videos at that point :)
Love the videos dude thanks for sharing! Hope to see you land a bow elk, if you haven't yet
Thank you! I hope I get an elk too! 😄
Exactly what I needed to know. Thx for sharing your knowledge. Hoping to apply it all to my area. Very similar vegetation and lay of the land. Watching from Ontario Canada
No problem. Hope it helps! You'll be knee deep in grouse in no time. I'm sure of it! Haha
Hey what are you doing in my hunting spots Lol I recognize every one of those spots it's nice to see someone else that is local out hunting.
Ha! Plenty of good grouse hunting round these parts. If ya ever see me wandering around the forest with a shotgun, say hello.
Thanks for this video man! I went out today and I finally saw them. I flushed 5 but wasn’t able to connect a shot but at least I got to see them. Question: in your experience, are grouse territorial? Can I assume that they’ll be back at the areas where I spot them?
Awesome! The answer is yes! Grouse tend to occupy a few acres (I can't remember the exact number) so if you found a grouse, then a grouse lives and roosts in that area. There's a decent chance if you go back, you might see em again. They're tricky buggers tho. Good luck :)
@@CascadeBackcountry Got one 10/24 right before the weather turn on me. I followed your dinner recipe with the stuffing and gravy. Now I want more. So good!! Thanks for sharing
That's freakin awesome! Glad ya got one. Careful tho.. gets addictive haha
This is awesome! What are your takes on Grouse habitats this fall with fire and drought? My offering: Season open on 09/15 was right after that little rain shower before the longer term drought, and I was locating them abundantly for a few days. Then it seemed to become more and more scarce and more and more otherwise seemingly perfect habitats were void of them. Thanks again, videos are great!
I'm pretty dang on board with your assessment! I saw a fair number of grouse right at the beginning of the season. Went out last week when all the gnarly smoke was here.. didn't see a single grouse. Most of the usual spots have been ghost towns! Hopefully this rain will get the season on track. Thanks for watching!
Great video, very well done and seems like alot of thought went into it. I'm not in the pacific northwest but I am in the Northeast and the woods look very similar. I haven't hunted grouse since I was kid and I'm thinking of getting back into next year.
Thanks! Yeah that video definitely took a bit to film. Surely the grouse can't be too different but yeah.. easy and fun way to get out in the woods and get lunch!
I'm much more of a forager these days than a hunter but thought I'd check out some videos/info on Grouse in Washington. It's fairly often when I'm out foraging for berries, mushrooms, Ramps, etc. that a Grouse will flush and more often than not into a tree relatively close by. I've imagined just taking a good pellet pistol or rifle along with. When I see/flush them it's usually well into the Salal, Oregon Grape, Fern and other undergrowth usually in a mix of evergreen and alder. So is this habit of not flying off very far because I'm off the beaten path and more directly in their environs or something different? Also, on things to listen for, what about drumming (or is that when the season is closed on them so it's not useful) ?
They usually fly off several times. The first time usually isn't very far and if you can find em, a .22 or shotgun would work fine. They'll repeat this flying off until they lose ya in the woods 🤣 Drumming, at least where I live, takes place in spring time and grouse hunting season is well and over
Nice video Thank you. I'll apply this to hunting here in Northern Michigan.
Good luck this year!
Was just out in the Okanagan region in BC, tons of grouse. Filled my bag limits and saw dozens of them. Lots of huge blues.
Oh nice! I spent the majority of my Summer in the Okanagan this year. Pasayten Wilderness area. Live it over there! I saw quite a few grouse as well. Glad you're gettin into some birds already!
@@CascadeBackcountry That's awesome. Where I go isn't to far from there, about an hour or two north, just south of Copper Mountain. Love the area, lots of large rolling hills, tons of wildlife, and few people.
Yeah it's a fantastic area! Can't wait to head back. MAYBE for a deer this year
Dude! These videos are GREAT! Thank you!!
I grouse hunt around Coeur dAlene, ID with a Small Munsterlander. I agree with everything you’re putting out for tips. Personally…,I like to look for water….usually a stream, as a higher priority more so than where you seem to prioritize it. Also….you mentioned looking below 2000 ft elevation…,well that doesn’t work by us so well, because everything is above 2500 ft 🤣. Really enjoyed the videos, please keep them coming!
Ohhhh…,and thank you for NOT adding music!! I wanna hear what you’re saying. So many TH-camrs don’t get that.
Thanks!! Yeah some of this info is definitely specific to western Washington but a lot of it can be universal. There's water everywhere here but I do perk my eyes and ears up a bit when I know I'm coming up to a stream. Often find them by streams along the road. Grouse season is getting close!
Heck yeah!
That’s a great point, you have more streams, so it’d make sense that I place a higher priority on riparian areas when I’m looking for ruffies. Thanks again! Great stuff!
@@CascadeBackcountry
Ahh, that makes sense. We probably have fewer streams due to your rainy climate so riparian areas in North Idaho probably stand out a little as better habitat. Thanks!
Very good video! Should be more videos on youtube like this. 👍
Thanks!
In your checking for Grossy spots are you also looking for the tiny gravel they eat to fill their gizzard? It’s something my dad always told me about. I’ve seen many grouse in my lifetime at the Cottage property. I have flushed many grouse with them without dogs. But I’ve only been hunting for grouse for a year. And to date none on the plate
I do pay attention to gravel yeah! Usually I'm hunting old logging roads which have plenty little pebbles the grouse to eat so it's not an issue. Definitely a great thing to keep an eye out for. Keep at it! You'll get em!
I subscribed because of this video. Thanks!
Thank you good sir!
Fantastic video! I am trying to get into grouse hunting in the north east myself. I do have a couple of questions, do you get out with a dog? If not, how do you retrieve a bird from the thick bushes? What shot size do you use? 7.1/2 lead? Do you really need a high brass shot shell? Many thanks for your video!
Right on! I don't hunt with dogs. I do have two, half lab, half GSPs but they were never trained so they're pretty much only good for taking up space on the couch haha If I down a bird into the brush, I gotta go in and get it. I use size 7 to 8 shot typically. No I don't think ya need a high brass shell at all. I think shot size is most important. Doesn't matter if you're using a 12 gauge or 28 gauge as long as you're not using buck shot ;) Thanks for watching!
I recently moved to Clark county. I'd like to try grouse hunting. Which National Forest should I try first? Thanks!
Oh man... I live on the OTHER end of the state! There's tons of logging down that way. Just head out to any public land, Forest Service, DNR, etc and cruise some roads. You'll surely see some! Boots on the ground is the best way to find em. Maybe Gifford Pinchot? Not super familiar with that area down there
Very informative video. Tomorrow I will go for some grouse hunting. I will definitely put in practice what I've learned from you. It would be my first hunt ever. The fact that the environment you are in is identical with the one I am familiar with (I live by the border with WA state) makes things easier for me now. Using a shotgun would be preferable than a .22 rifle?
Hey how'd it go? Thanks for watching! I would definitely choose a shotgun over a 22
Awesome video thumbs up
Thanks!!
Great video. The area you film looks very similar to the rain forest area near the Sol Duc River. Have you ever grouse hunted that area?
Thanks! I'm in NW Washington. Always wanted to do a grouse hunt in the Olympics tho!
Excellent video!
Thank you!
Thanks for the great video. Very well done and lots of good tips. My son and I just started grouse hunting this year and have had a lot of success in those areas like you showed that just feel "grousy." I have been known to stop and get out of the truck to roll grouse looking rocks off the road and move grouse looking sticks, and cut those darn grouse looking dark clump plants, just so we don't get fooled next time. Ha ha :)
Awesome! Glad you guys are out there getting into some birds. Some spots definitely feel more grousy than others.. always trust your gut right? Haha Moving those rocks is a great idea. There was one rock that got me like 3 years in a row!
Thank a lot, very tutorial, ,very, very interesting, a lot of tips, , and thank you for your time to make this video.
Why you do not use 22, ? in open spaces., areas.
Yeah there's a lot of info in this video! I do occasionally use a 22. Just gotta be careful where you're shooting and more likely to hurt the meat but a 22 is a great option. Thanks for watching!
Just joined the channel and recently moved to Idaho from New Hampshire, haven't moved into the house yet! Anyways, was wondering if yourself or anyone else knows of any apps to find some logging roads to check out. I haven't even purchased a gun yet but am looking at the Mossberg 88 20 gauge to start out with. I've watched your vids and have gained a lot from those, thank you.
Welcome to the Great PNW! My favorite app is OnX. I use it for navigation and to mark locations etc. It does cost abou)$30 a year or something though. My favorite way to locate new spots is go out exploring. Good luck out there. Idaho is awesome
Just found your channel. Are you on the east or west side of the cascades?
Right on! I live on the west side but spend a LOT of time on the east side
Great video !!
Thank you!
great video. TY for the work and knowledge sharing. I was wondering if you use a dog. My experiences with grouse lead me to believe a dog is a huge asset. Finding these buggers can be very difficult when down. MH
Thank you! I don't ever use a dog. I do think a dog would be great and definitely save me some brush busting to retrieve birds haha I have two big dogs already but if I were to ever get another dog there's a 100% chance it'd get trained for bird hunting!
@@CascadeBackcountry check out a German Shorthair Pointer or a Lab. Both are great dogs.
@@markhansen3111 My dogs now are 50/50 GSP and black lab. Cool dogs, just never trained them
Great video. My brother in law has many tactics on how to maneuver the truck when Road hunting so you can get out without spooking a bird. Any thoughts?
Thanks! Thoughts... you should share those tactics with me! Haha I usually just stop and get out slowly. I don't think I have any specific moves. I'd say 80% + of birds will give you time to shoot
@@CascadeBackcountry One example is if two hunters are in the truck… the Hunter opposite side from the bird goes out first. He will position the truck at an angle so the bird has less of a chance to see the feet hitting the ground…. Also if close enough the Hunter can use the front of the truck as a screen for a shot….. Michigan forest road rules apply…..
I like it! If I ever have another person in my car, I'm gonna try it. I'm not super with Michigan rules but here ya can't have a loaded shotgun in the car so while you're getting out of the car, hoping the bird doesn't fly off, ya also gotta load a few rounds in haha
@@CascadeBackcountry First rule when out of the vehicle…load the gun….too many hunters get transfixed on the bird ….and miss shots due to late loading…. Another of his tactics ….leave car running … claims it kinda of mezmorizes sp…bird
Awesome tips thank you
Thanks! Hope it helps
Hey mate, tank you for that great video. The only thing is that i don't know how much it's similar up here in Quebec, Canada (you know where we all speak french) but i would imagine so because they're still the same bird, even though it's quite a lot northeast from you. So it's probably not a huge deal right?
I would imagine everything I said in this video still applies to your area. The vegetation may be a bit different but yeah... they're still grouse. I'll have someone translate that into French for ya haha
@CascadeBackcountry haha dont worry about it, i speak english too 😅
Awesome pointers man
Thanks!!
Wish you were close to Denver. I might have better luck 👍🏼👍🏼
You can still apply a lot of these principles wherever you are! Probably some great grouse hunting in Colorado!!
can you do a video of how to clean the grouse? What do you do
Yeah I can do that. It's super easy!
I'm just getting in to grouse hunting, as I always stumble upon them hunting deer in your area!
Oh nice! Any luck deer hunting up this way?
@@CascadeBackcountry not yet this year! Blacktail so elusive.. I haven't had much time though to get out and scout..
Yeah they're tough to find! I spend most my free time in the woods and rarely see male blacktails
@@CascadeBackcountry exactly! Seen 13 last weekend, only 1 was a spike, and couldn't get a clean shot where I was..
I guess seeing deer is a good start.. on the bright side haha Bucks should be getting a little dumber in the next few weeks tho!
What part of the state would be best to target Grouse? Me and my brother are just getting into hunting we are in southern WA.
I know from WDFW that the most grouse are harvested in the northeast corner of the state, HOWEVER, if you south, say around Longview or something, there's gotta be plenty of old logging roads to cruise!
What would you say your successful shot ratio is once you find a grouse and pull the trigger?
Oh man.. tough questions! If I actually find a grouse and actually get a shot off on it..... maybe 50% Usually the reason I "miss" is due to the thick brush and my pellets not being able to get through it. I don't really wanna use bigger shot cuz I'd ruin too many birds. It's kinda like taking photos.. if you take enough of them, eventually you'll get a great one ;)
Where are your spots getting ready for the upcoming season. Still new to the area
I generally don't scout new grouse areas. I usually just cruise or walk old logging roads. Cover enough ground and you're bound to see a few ditch chickens!
Hey we have the same look alike rocks/ grouse here on Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada 😎
Those bastards are everywhere! Haha
This weekend, opening deer, in the Kid valley and Toutle Valley area, I did not see one grouse. However, there was a TON of traffic. I agree with your assessment. Those are the same types of areas I see grouse down here in Lewis County. I joined Ruffed Grouse Society to help with habitat and learn what those habitats are. They don't seem to be a very active group up here in Washington state. Maybe all of us here could bolster their ranks?
Not one grouse huh!? I definitely don't see as many in high traffic areas.. which I'm sure everywhere is during deer season! I have thought about joining the RGS too. Seems like it way more active out east
Good video!
Thanks!
My understanding is that grouse have an 11 year population boom and bust cycle, so if you find a lot of grouse in an area, you can figure out how it will be next year
Hmmm.. I'll have to look that up! Thanks
Here in North Carolina it is easy to find all the grouse around ,, start at a spring head and follow it down hill for the first 1000 yards ,, that’s during winter ,, but that’s when the season is here ,, food available is a big plus but water here is the key , that’s for the hens and young of the year ,, for the older roosters , laurel ridges on steep ground with fox grapes and or acorn sprouts or fern , or tea berry’s,,also American hawthorn berries is a magnet.
Sounds like you got grouse hunting in North Carolina pretty nailed down!
@@CascadeBackcountry in the 70 s and 80 s , I knew places that I could see forty bird Covey’s, with fox grape vines as big as my thighs towering to the very tops of ancient two hundred year old white oaks and black oaks , you could look up at the tops of these vines and see wads of grapes hanging so thick and grouse roosted in those vines at dawn ,, the ground would be literally covered with those wads of grapes. And grouse poop,,I think this was the key to there being at such an unbelievable population,,,there was no deer or turkeys back then.
Wow that sounds amazing. Very cool memory to have! Can't say we have any of those fox grape vines here in the Pacific Northwest but I dunno. I bet those grouse loved having all those grapes for food. Sounds like it based on all the poop! haha I will occasionally in the early season see a group of grouse, maybe five or so at a time. but now nearing the end of the season, they're usually flying solo. Thanks for sharing!
@@CascadeBackcountry I am also old enough to remember seeing the remnants, fallen hollow logs and massive rotting seven and eight foot wide American Chesnut trees that used to be the dominant species of tree in the American forest ,until they caught a blight and went extinct, many of which the grouse would hide in ,,also slid across one in the shining rock wilderness area that a bear crawled out of stood up on hind feet and popped his teeth at me for waking him.
Oh man that's crazy. He musta been having a great nap.
Late to the party, been out deer hunting. Great video, very informative, educational well done! Could tell you put a lot of work into this one. Will be out there soon looking for some chicken of the woods and maybe some chantrells to go along with it.
Thanks! Yeah this video took a bit to film. Lot's of driving around haha How'd the deer hunting go? I can't find a chicken of the woods close to me to save my life! I know of a couple of them but they're literally like 25 mile hikes into them. Probably not gonna do that for a mushroom! Chicken of the woods is at the top of my "to find" list for mushrooms tho
@@CascadeBackcountry Hunting was long and rough, over 90+ hours not adding in the commute and and everything else. Had other hunter issues, and my body is wrecked. But in the end i came home with a gorgeous 2x3 with chocolate antlers with character. Going to rest a bit then get out and work my grousy areas. Question, do you know of a book or books for mushroom foraging and or for plants for gathering in our neck of the woods thats worth buying. I would like to get better at it then just the popular shrooms and plants. That or it might be a good video idea.
That's a lot of hours put in! Glad you bagged a buck tho. I'll try and point out some good mushroom guides for our neck of the woods in a video soon.
@@CascadeBackcountry Perfect thank you.
Great video 👍🏻Thanks
Heck yeah!
What is your shot gun gauge and choke that you prefer?
I use a CZ Upland Ultralight 20 gauge with and improved cylinder choke and I prefer shot size 7.5 in steel. Hope that helps!
@@CascadeBackcountry just what I thought but, I was thinking of 6 shot. Thank you.
Subscribed!
Heck yeah! Thanks!
Grouse come out on the gravel roads in the evenings before roost to eat the gravel to help them digest their food.
Haha yeah they do! They love them some rocks!
Just moved to Washington State, would love to go and learn from you if your up for it
I'm not entirely opposed but my schedule is pretty packed. Where abouts you live?
@@CascadeBackcountry Yelm/Lacey Area
Oh snap. I'm all the way up by Canada 😮
@@CascadeBackcountry Oh I see lol no worries. We will have to plan a trip then
the walking speed tip is my mistake, thanks.
Any little thing helps when you're out hunting!
Where can you legally go grouse hunting? How do I figure that out, I'm from Seattle.
You need to first take a hunter safety course, get a hunting license and pick up a copy of the 2023 hunting regulations. You can hunt most BLM, state land or forest service. Season doesn't open until September 15th tho
@Cascade Backcountry I have a hunter license. I duck hunt in Skagit, but maybe my because my reading comprehensive skills are bad. I really don't understand what areas I can hunt or not hunt in washington state. I fn wished like I would give someone 100 dollars to do a comprehensive research on where I can and can't legally hunt in washington state for what animal and at what time of year. Or how exactly to you there map system online.
@Cascade Backcountry sorry if I sound a bit nutz but this is so frustrating.
No problem! Do you have OnX maps?
@@CascadeBackcountryhchcucu
You have 2 seconds to pull the trigger once they are in the wing!They will try to get between a tree and you so can't shoot them!The barometric pressure drops and animals are on the move.
Yeah sometimes happens fast! They definitely love to fly into that thick stuff!
Is it ok to shoot from the road?
never mind . you answered my question at 29:23.
Haha nice!
I emailed you for the location that you showed in this video. Please share. Thanks :) loved your videos btw.
Thanks! I commented back on your other comment :)
how does snow pack and cattle ranges effect these areas?
Grouse are still active in the winter but I usually see them hanging out in the trees more. They don't have much fat to keep em warm. As for cattle.. boy I have no idea. Never encountered that scenario!
just wondering about snow, and if grouse move when snow flys? (i hunt in montana). as for cattle i wonder if grouse and cow pies can co-exist? enjoyed your videos, and find most birds in the areas you noted.
My understanding and experience is that grouse stay up in thick fir trees during winter. It helps them stay out of the cold and wind and they also eat the needles (but don't quote me on that.) As for cow pies.. I think everything coexists with em! Haha Thanks for watching! Can't wait for grouse season this year
I call it the grouse walk. But most of all I get off the road. Without a dog the slower the he better. No ground swiping
What do you consider ground swiping?
What gage shell do you use.
As a general rule I use a 12 gauge, steel shot, size #7. I put out a video a few weeks ago that goes over shot size selection if ya wanna check it out. Thanks :)
Nobody shows what kind of gun they use hold it up in front of camera let us get a good look at it thanks good video
Did I do that? Haha Thanks!
I don't get alot of good flushes other then the toilet bowl handles cheers
Yes!!! I love this comment haha
Can I hunt with a 10 gauge 1oz slug?
Haha I feel like you should DEFINITELY do that!
Headshots only lol
@@Imragnar1 you would be a legend!
"is that a pheasant or is that slightly different color brush"
Hey bud just subscribed! Also a fellow hunter from WA State! I just put up a video of my 9 year old head shooting a grouse with a bow… it’s on our channel if you would like to take a look
Oh man I'll go check that out! And thanks :)
What part of the northwest are you in?!
I live in northwest WA. I do most of my outdoor activities in the North Cascades :)
@@CascadeBackcountry what part of the cascades?! What city do you hail from?!
@@zacstewart3858 well I dunno if I wanna give away ALL my secrets! Haha let's just say I live near Canada ;)
Looks like whatchom county
Let's do a hunt!
Can hunt grouse with 10/22
You most certainly can! Little tough in the thick brush of the PNW but you absolutely could :)