Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Wow, I'm surprised to hear that the grouse population is down! I
    hunt an area in Royalston in which I was constantly flushing them
    unintentionally while scouting. So much so in fact, that I made
    it a point to get up there once on a Sat. rather than Sunday, so
    I could carry my shotgun to see if I could score on a couple.
    
    Well, I flushed 5, yet didn't get a decent set up for a shot on
    any of them! They're tuff to put it mildly!
    
    I would recommend lots of pine and hemlock, as place to look for
    preferred cover. Thats where I flush them in this area. Also have
    many time flushed these birds out from under OLD apple trees. You
    know the kind you'd find in the middle of the woods, remnants from
    years ago! 

    Chalk up another grouse hunter thats batting 0!  The population
    is supposedly up in Vermont, however I'd have to admit I've
    done alot less hunting for them this year than years past.  The
    types of cover previously mentioned are usually good odds.
    I've also had good luck in dried or semi-dry creek beds.  Also
    try following stonewalls on sunny afternoons and logging roads
    early in the morning (they are still coveyed up from the previous
    night's roost and are filling their gizzards with stones, etc.).
    
    I'll be trying to improve my odds this weekend.  Let's hear about
    some more positive results.
    
    Dave
                                   

      The area in Vermont that I hunt had what I considered record numbers
    of both grouse and woodcock this year.  I only wish I had budgeted
    at least one day to hunt either.  I haven't seen any birds in N.H.
    so I'd have to agree that the numbers are down in this state.
    
    good luck

    RE:1
    Royalston had alot of woodcock. Are you sure that's not what you
    flushed ? I live next door in Winchendon.
    
    Jim

    
    Ahhhh Grouse...Partridge as we call'em. Don't ya just love to moessy
    down a logging road on a early December morn with fresh fallen snow
    and its so quiet and peaceful and you have all the time in the world
    of which don't have a care in the world....





                         
    
    
                                               
    
    SUDDENLY---- A PARTRIDGE TAKES FLIGHT!!!! KABOOM,KABOOM----- Are
    there any BB's in these shotshells you wonder.
    
    There a great-bird for sure...
    
    Rick...

    Rick,
    
      We call 'em partridge also, however I get alot of ribbing from
    *serious* bird hunters, friends from down south and out west.
    
    Due to my background (I guess), grouse always sounded sort of
    funny.  
      ^
      |
    
    Thats not the word I was going to use but I didn't want
    to ***ruffle any feathers***.
    
    
    Dave

    
    RE:6
    
    Always wondered how they got to be called Partridge.
    
    It must of happen one day long ago when one Pilgrim said to the
    other. 
    
    Any-Luck.
    Yeah
    But it DEparted towards the Ridge (Partridge)
    
    Whata think ?  
    
    I know, I know pretty-bad huh, ok I'll be quiet.. I don;t want to
    ruff any feathers---- That was a good-one!!
    
    See Ya,
    Rick

    Ahh   good ole Pa'ridge hunting, I have been hunting them for years
    in N.H. (although I live in MA.) anyway I got my limit (4) on opening
    day and 2 the following day, BUT I was in Pittsburgh, by the Canadian
    border.  Since then I have been hunting the Ossipee and Effingham
    area, we have put up a few birds but have only bagged 3, and that's
    going every Sunday for 4-6 hour/days.  
    
    Both my hunting partner and I have never seen such a decline in
    the # of birds flushed and shot.  Maybe they just moved out of the
    area we've been hunting for the last 10 years.....we can't figure
    it out, there hasn't been any logging, house building, nor have
    we ever seen any other hunters.  Does acid rain affect birds? I
    dunno.
    
    Anyway we decided that next year we'll drive the 4 hours to
    Pittsburgh/Colebrook twice a month to fill our game bags instead
    of hunting every weekend and not seeing anything (barely).
    
    Gotta love the rush when you here one thunder out from under you
    though!!!!!!!!  oooohhh   Love that sound!!!!
    
    Erik

    I think I've seen about as many grouse this year as last.
    I even managed to hit a couple :-) , but they are in little
    danger from me.................
    
    Mark,
    

    I gotta question for you veteran grouse hunters. Do you use a dog?
    If so how does your dog work them ?
    
    Reason why I'm asking is that saturday I was out with my springer
    and she's working great. The only bird I seen was one that went
    up so far in front of us, that if I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have
    known one went up. Now, my wife goes out for a walk in the same
    area and puts up several. I'm wondering if the dog forces them to
    fly sooner than than they would if I didn't have a dog. I've keep
    the dog in tight so it's not like she to far out in front of me.
    
    Jim

    Oh, yeah, I'm not about to use my wife instead of the dog, so
    don't bust my *alls on that one.
    
    Jim

    I'm hardly an expert in this area, but here's my $.02 worth.
    
    Some days grouse seem to hold reasonably well and some days they
    seem to flush wild.  I don't know why.  I hunt with a lab.  The
    best luck we've had is when she gets on a trail.  That gives me
    a chance to get ready and in position as best as possible.  When
    she immediately flushes the bird without working a trail, I rarely
    gain composure in time for a shot.  When I flush grouse they always
    put a big tree between us.  (I shot several nice birchs so far)
    That's not so much a problem with the dog.
    
    Grouse certainly flush much farther from the dog than a pheasant.
    Most of the grouse we've put up have been while we were pheasant
    hunting, and I'm never expecting the flush from where it is.
    
    I would guess that grouse hunting over a good pointer would be
    a real advantage, but I've never had a chance at that.

    RE: .0  Jim, you mentioned that you haven't had much luck hunting
    grouse thi year. Maybe the following might help:
    
    **NOISE & MOVEMENT
      There are days when the grouse seem to be extra careful because
      they seem to jump up way ahead of you.
        >>>I usualy try to walk slowly and try not to make too much
           noise in likely feeding areas.
           (They wont jump up so far ahead of you)
    
    **LOCATION
      Remember the locations that you have seen grouse before because
      these are places you are likely to see them again.
        >>>As a matter of fact if you return about an hour or so back
           to a spot where you jumped a grouse it (MIGHT) return to
           the same spot. If it is a good feeding area.
    
    **FOOD
      The type of food they seem to like are:
       >>>Apples, Wild Berrys and Tree Buds.
          ( I'm not sure if they eat Seeds. )
    
    
    The way I found out that the sometimes return to the same spot where
    they jumped was on a saturday when I missed my chance at a Grouse.
    It was about 12:00 noon so I desided to sit down and have some lunch.
    I placed my shot gun down against a log. Just about the time I was
    almost finished with my lunch, a Grouse landed about 30 yards from
    me and my shot gun was just out of reach.........OH BOY.
    
    
            I hope this helps
    
            FRANK G.

    I have to ask a question here.
    
    I hunt a lot of grouse.  Luckily, in Eastern Oregon, there is a
    good population.  As an aside I should comment that when I was a
    kid (30 yrs ago), the population wasn't this good.  A strong statement
    for game management.  Anyway, what kind of birds are you guys hunting??
    The birds we hunt are either "blues" or "ruffs".  The hunting
    techniques are different for both, but nothing like what you are
    doing.
    
    Must be different birds and different (obviously) terrain.
    
    
    Ken

    hello,
    
    re: .14
    
    Most of the partridge/grouse/whatevers I have hunted in New Englad have
    been of the ruffed variety.  I have seen some chukkar partridge that
    have been released at shooting events (Skat club in New Ipswich...)
    that appear to have a blue tinge like a dove, but enever heard of
    "blues" around here.  Maybe you have chukkar out there as well?
    
    
    RE: .8   where have all the birds gone...
    
    One reason may be the resurgence of the coyote in New England.  Hell,
    they are even taking cats and small dogs in urban areas in southern NH. 
    My uncle has one hell of a time keeping his sheep protected in northen
    NH (Woodsville/Bath area), and he even has Turkish Sheep herding dogs
    to protect them, but that's another story.
    
    I have also heard related to me a story that came from the Maine
    Sportsman magazine that partridge will go in cycles.  They were
    studying affects of feed and predators and such, and I believe
    concluded those factors did not matter and the partridge just have a
    cycle where they are more plentiful some years than others.  I can try
    to find the article through my buddy -- has anyone else heard the same?
    
    
    While hunting in maine this year I saw plenty of partridge up on the
    hardwood ridges.  they were climbing all over the tree I was under and
    around me.  ohh for a good pellet pistol  --  pffft -- flop.  
    
    Quick birds -- great challenge.   Trees 10   birds 5
    
    
    Mike
    

    I saw more partridge this year in NH then I had ever seen before.
    I actually flushed a whole covey of about 12 birds. I haven't seen
    that many birds bust out of the brush in over 12 years of hunting.
    Of course I was deer hunting, If I had been bird hunting a twelve
    pointer would have jumped out instead. But durning the course of
    the black powder season in NH I must have push up thirty birds.
    It got the ole heart pounding..............
    
    sjn

    RE:  Cycles
    
    
    A few years ago I read an article in an outdoor magazine that explained
    a phenomenon about a parasite which lives in decayed wood, fruit,
    etc.  This parasite has a life cycle of (I think) 7 years.  The
    article theorized that when the partridge would eat these berries,
    seeds, and nuts, the parasite would affect the bird's health badly.
    The article also explained that this is why you see cycles in the
    bird populations, and also why they are more skiddish some years 
    than others.
    
    I'm not sure if I buy the "cause" but I know I've observed the
    "effect".
    
    Dave

    RE: Cycles
    
    Something else that is supposed to cause a lot of trouble for Grouse
    is a frozen crust on the snow.  This kills in three possible ways:
    1) bird gets buried alive and can't break out, 2) bird breaks neck
    when diving into snow, 3) bird can't gain protection of insulating
    snow and is eventually killed by the elements.  Just something I
    read somewhere along the way......
    
    Went out Grousing this past Monday with a friend.  We had a spike
    horn walk up between us, my partner had a good (40 yard) look at it as it
    stood there watching me.  Oh well, we didn't find a Grouse but it
    was nice to get out there.  I didn't get a good look at the deer
    but I was surprised to hear that it still had its' horns.  My partner
    is strictly a bird hunter and boy did he have fun with ribbing me
    about how easy it must be to bag a deer.  "Could have killed it
    5 times, etc.."   8^)  
    
     I'll give it one last try this Saturday........ maybe it would
    be worth a trip to VT?  I'll have to check the book but I think
    it's still open through Saturday..............?

    Season ends on Dec 31, 1988 in VT.  Go for it.
    
    Dave

    Well the trip was worth it.  Put up the first two about 100 yards
    from the truck.  They were about 60 yards out and although too far
    out to shoot at I was glad that I put in the full choke before leaving.
    Anyway, 10 more steps produced a fine set up at a bird that should
    have ended up in the oven and in some of next years flies... oh
    well lets not ponder.  Now I'm kicking myself for putting in the
    full choke.  300 yards later and on the side of a hardwood ridge
    with a lone hemlock on it this unsuspecting hunter is caught with
    his gun down and in the wrong hand (still plenty of time for two
    shots, but then I could still blame the choke heh?).  At the top
    of the ridge (where Fra and I share one of the most productive archery
    stands in the area) I heard a Grouse chirping and I had a pretty
    good idea as to which tree.  So I "Elmer Fudded it" over to the roost
    and doesn't that bird just take off with the trunk of that tree
    providing perfect cover!  And that was that!  The sun disappeared
    and it started to snow so I "called it a year" and packed it in.
    
    -Dave
    

    Has anyone considered using a hawk whistle on those days when the
    grouse flush wild.  I would think that would hold them down, but
    I've never tried it or heard of anyone doing that.
    
    Mark,
    

    On what days DON'T they flush wild? Do you think a "hawk whistle"
    would calm them down? ;^)

    No writing in this section for a while, but I think this is the
    right section for this.
    
    Went out over Labor Day to the cabin to try and and get some wily
    blues.  Saturday dawned cold and windy.  The birds were holed up
    and hard to find.  We did get into a bunch (15-20), but they were
    below us and the wind was really whistling.  When they jumped with
    that tail wind we didn't stand much of a chance.  One delayed a
    little and he was history.  Later on in the morning we picked up
    another.  Sunday was just as bad.  Finally we got one, a nice swinging
    shot with him going full tilt.
    
    Spent the rest of the time working on the woodshed that was flattened
    last winter.  Thank god that's done so I can deer and elk hunt without
    any interruptions.