# Grouse



## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

The Blue/Dusky grouse are looking really good in Northern Utah, should be a good year. We saw a lot of birds strutting during turkey season, And I found several hens on Wed, that all had clutches of 8-12 chicks, all about the same age, right where you would expect them.



















Can you see the chick in the center of the picture?


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## outdoorser (Jan 14, 2013)

Cool stuff LT


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## Mtnbeer (Jul 15, 2012)

Should be a good year for ruffies too. Having two warm springs in a row usually produces a good crop of birds. Now we just need some water to keep em going.


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## ram2h2o (Sep 11, 2007)

Need some rainfall to give them some water and keep the insects around for food.


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## jeff788 (Aug 7, 2009)

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. That's good news. I'm hoping to have a little more success grouse hunting this year. Last year my pup and I put a lot of miles under our feet and only had 2-3 flushes. I've only found one spot where I can consistently find birds, but I only hunt that spot once a year with my buddy since it is kind of "his" spot. When we hunt other spots where I've seen them hiking or bow hunting we rarely find them in the same area again. We hunt near water, berries, edges, etc. but it seems like we're searching for a needle in a haystack. At least its a very beautiful haystack!


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

Good news for sure.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

jeff788 said:


> Nice pics, thanks for sharing. That's good news. I'm hoping to have a little more success grouse hunting this year. Last year my pup and I put a lot of miles under our feet and only had 2-3 flushes. I've only found one spot where I can consistently find birds, but I only hunt that spot once a year with my buddy since it is kind of "his" spot. When we hunt other spots where I've seen them hiking or bow hunting we rarely find them in the same area again. We hunt near water, berries, edges, etc. but it seems like we're searching for a needle in a haystack. At least its a very beautiful haystack!


They move through out the year, and this changes from place to place. Where they are right now, is not where they will be in Sept, and that is not where they will be in Nov. There are a few place I know, that at particular times of the year, I have no idea where they go.


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## Mtnbeer (Jul 15, 2012)

Lonetree said:


> They move through out the year, and this changes from place to place. Where they are right now, is not where they will be in Sept, and that is not where they will be in Nov. There are a few place I know, that at particular times of the year, I have no idea where they go.


Yep, for such small birds, they have a pretty wide range of elevations and habitats they use throughout the year. Jeff, you're looking in the right areas, as far as types of habitat, for early fall. The only other area I'd suggest is dry ridgetops in close proximity to water.

In my experience, you just have to find areas that hold birds, kinda like elk. Once you find those areas, birds will use them pretty consistently year after year.

Later in the fall and winter, they tend to hole up more in conifers that provide shelter and thermal cover. I hunt without dogs and can usually find grouse most times out, but it sure gets tougher as winter sets in.


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