kickingfrog Posted October 30, 2016 Report Share Posted October 30, 2016 Not much fishing lately but my brother joined me for a grouse hunt. It was his 3rd day out of 4 hitting the woods for birds (lucky son of a gun). There was more snow on the ground than we expected (3-4 inches). I like a dusting of snow sometimes because I can see what stories have played put in the snow but I was a little disheartened to see that much. We were parked just after sunrise and maybe a hundred metres down the trial a bird flushed unseen form the left. It sounded like it only went up into a nearby tree. As I was trying to work my way through some think stuff I heard it flush again. I brought my gun up but never saw it. Right then a second unknown bird flushed from the ground and I hit it with the bottom barrel.This was after the 1st bird went down. My brother wanted me to pose, I just wanted to get it and find another.Walked a ways and followed a few grouse tracks that crossed the trail but didn't see/hear another for a bit. Second bird was off the trail a ways. I swung on it, used the wrong trigger, but still dropped the second grouse of the day in less than an hour. On the way back we both missed birds that went straight down the trail.A photo of the 2 back at the vehicle. Grey and brown.We drove a short ways and hit another trail. My brother got one but we couldn't find it. With the snow we thought it should have been easy but the wasn't a sign of it, not a feather. Finally I found a fresh track and then a single feather, more tracks and some more feathers, and finally the bird. During the search I flushed a bird but was so focused on looking for the downed bird that I didn't have a chance.I went bushwacking for a bit but didn't see anything. Drove a bit to walk another trail. Another single flush that alerted me and the 2nd bird went down. Photo back at the truck.It was about this point that we realized that just about all the birds had been in pairs. The second bird was S.O.L. after the first alerted us.We saw one more bird, a single of course. It turned out to be Usian Bolt and ran as fast and as long as I've ever seen a healthy grouse go. My brother followed the trail in the snow but it finally flushed and he didn't get a shot.A good day in the bush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Nice shootin! Thats my favorite game meat right there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted October 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 It's close for me. Walleye and grouse are side by each. I think grouse win, only because I don't get them as often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grimsbylander Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Your grouse hunting reports sure bring back memories KF. After first getting my license at 15, grouse hunting was what I did the most of. Walking along those long town lines bordered with old, scraggly apple trees while listening for the faint bump, bump bump of the mating males. And no matter how many times you tell yourself you'll be ready when a bird blows up out of the cover, it startles the daylights out of you and the bird gets a head start on their escape route. Grey County had a lot of birds back then...probably still does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.brock Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 A good day in the bush. I'd say a great day Rob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sinker Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Good shootin! S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fang Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Just back from Nipigon moose hunt. Good thing the birds were active as we saw no moose up there. Got my first Spruce grouse - nice red meat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontcryformejanhrdina Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Nice report, they're such beautiful birds. I love grouse, so tasty! I've got a dozen so far this year but have missed many more. Very unpredictable birds. I don't know how many times I've thought I had one lined up and they make a sudden left/right turn and all I'm shooting is air. I once had one flying about 5 feet off the ground, I shot and it dropped down at the exact same time. I'm thinking I hit it for sure. I bend over to pick up my shell and look up to see it running back in the opposite direction into heavy shrubs. Had to laugh at the sneaky little bugger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 Pretty birds, never seen one here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted October 31, 2016 Report Share Posted October 31, 2016 (edited) Pretty birds, never seen one here.Taste even better? Hey Rob, my pops and I got out yesterday. Tried a new spot and had limits in about 2 hours? They must be dumber up here? Is that possible? Never had one fly that day. All shot just off the trails Edited November 1, 2016 by manitoubass2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickingfrog Posted November 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Generally the farther north/more remote in Ontario you go the less "flushy" the grouse are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted November 1, 2016 Report Share Posted November 1, 2016 Generally the farther north/more remote in Ontario you go the less "flushy" the grouse are. I spose less traffic etc??? If ya find a group of 4 maybe 1 flies, maybe. I hardly use the 12 gauge because of it. Just a 4/10, 20 gauge or .22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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