Grouse

[AK_Skeeter]

We have 3 species of grouse in interior Alaska: sharptailed, ruffed, spruce.
I often see ruffed and spruce in my backyard (aspen/white spruce).
These were from this morning.


These are mostly sharptails from a September hunt in an old wildfire burn area:

 

[dtrkyman]

Grouse are awesome birds, been hunting dusky(blue) here. No dog, so lots of miles and few birds but I enjoy it.

 

[WMag338]

Fantastic! Super fun birds to chase.

 

[Mt Al]

Really want to bird hunt in AK some day! I never thought sharptails were that far North until a few years ago.

I especially like your original Dana Design - Atralplane or Terraplane?

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Really want to bird hunt in AK some day! I never thought sharptails were that far North until a few years ago.

I especially like your original Dana Design - Atralplane or Terraplane?

I bought that Dana Design pack in the 1990s...at the time one of the largest capacity packs they made.
It is an arcflex Astralplane...after nearly 30 years of heavy use, it is still in great shape.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Best eating wild game out there in my opinion.

 

[mossyoak52]

hunted waterfowl and biggame in alaska but never upland game

 

[VernAK]

Skeeter,

The grouse population is very low here in Delta. I'm hoping it recovers a bit this year.
Our area was attracting grouse hunters from L48 because of the high limits published in the regulations.
We finally got that knocked down to a reasonable number so expectations weren't over the top.

I don't even shoot grouse any more. I call my lady partner with dogs so she can have fun with the pooches.

 

[49ereric]

I hunt ruffed grouse in Mn but hard to hit most the time.
need to find a cheap 20 gauge and saw it off for the heavy cover sneak hunts. Can‘t bring myself to cut my 311 Stevens 20 gauge double. mostly Use a single shot 410 For the short range.
bird numbers been low the last few year.

 

[dkell]

The stoeger coach gun is a nice little grouse gun for the MN woods if you aren’t an O/U S/S purist.

I have also used an old Remington semi that my pops had cut the stock short to fit his short little arms and it works just about perfect for those quick draws in thick cover.

 

[z987k]

Much prefer the 22 to a shotgun. Or even a pellet/air rifle. Or a stick.

 

[GilG]

I wish they were as abundant here in PA

 

[49ereric]

Much prefer the 22 to a shotgun. Or even a pellet/air rifle. Or a stick.

sounds likes the grouse in Ontario cuz a BB gun is all you need

 

[MadMaxx]

We have 3 species of grouse in interior Alaska: sharptailed, ruffed, spruce.
I often see ruffed and spruce in my backyard (aspen/white spruce).
These were from this morning.
View attachment 415547

These are mostly sharptails from a September hunt in an old wildfire burn area:
View attachment 415548

Nice..I am a jealous old man

 

[MadMaxx]

sounds likes the grouse in Ontario cuz a BB gun is all you need

LOL

 

[johnnycake]

Hopefully these hot, dry temps in June and so far into July will translate into strong hatch and brood survival counts. A couple more weeks and Ava and I will be helping ADFG count ptarmigan chicks in south-central, so here's to hoping!

 

[AK_Skeeter]

Hopefully these hot, dry temps in June and so far into July will translate into strong hatch and brood survival counts. A couple more weeks and Ava and I will be helping ADFG count ptarmigan chicks in south-central, so here's to hoping!

YES. Since they eat buds during the winter, my impression is spring conditions are much more important.
This ruffy was budding in our backyard .

 

[johnnycake]

YES. Since they eat buds during the winter, my impression is spring conditions are much more important.
This ruffy was budding in our backyard .
View attachment 425495

I've gotten to know the small game bio in SC pretty good the past few years. The biggest population driver is the weather for grouse and ptarmigan. Most grouse chicks hatch around 6/15, ptarmigan a week later. Cold or heavy rain from mid June to about July 7 will kill a bunch of chicks.

But this hot, dry weather this year is ideal for them.

 

[VernAK]

Grouse populations here in delta have been dismal the past couple years. Hopefully this warm dry summer with lotsa bugs will help.

 

[49ereric]

The stoeger coach gun is a nice little grouse gun for the MN woods if you aren’t an O/U S/S purist.

I have also used an old Remington semi that my pops had cut the stock short to fit his short little arms and it works just about perfect for those quick draws in thick cover.

Just ordered a Stoeger 410 coach shotgun fixed full chokes.
I just hope it is not a lemon.
at least they sell hardened firing pins so not worried about that.
hope it shoots to same point of aim.