# Do blue grouse really exist?



## cachevalleyhunter (Sep 5, 2012)

Ok, so I know they exist but I'm feeling a bit stumped. I hear so many people talking about the blue grouse they take, even mentioning they saw more blues than ruffed. I've been hunting grouse pretty serious for about six years now not to mention many summers spent in the high country, and I have yet to see any blue grouse for myself. I hunt with a bird dog and have been successful with ruffs. I've read many places that blues are in the higher elevations, but no matter how high I go I've yet to see one! I've spent most of my time hunting within an hour or two of Utah county and one season here in Cache Valley. Any explanations?


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## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

i have been hunting them for over 25 years and yes, they do exist but the past couple of years they seem to be down in numbers, this year included. they can be a very easy bird to get or a very tough bird to get depending on the year.


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## muleylove (Aug 6, 2012)

I have never seen a blue in Utah but in Colorado it's all I see


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

You are elk hunting for a piece of chicken. Step out of your house and look at the mountains to the east of your home. Find a patch of thick pines on that steep hillside. Dark, nasty stuff. Got it? Good. There are blue grouse in there somewhere. 

My personal opinion is that the berry crop is terrible this year. That's just what I've seen on the Cache unit while out hunting. Grouse can usually be found where the berries are. Blue grouse will eat forbs, greens, and even pine needles to survive when berries are not available. The birds are there. I take as many blues as ruffies on the Cache. You just have to find their kitchen. Look to the pines.


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

I agree with BirdDogger. I like to find a nice watering hole with plenty of green forbs, and pines mixed with quakies (see my post under grouse pics). You don't have to be there at the crack of dawn, but sometime before noon. They feed and water early then head for heavier cover in the afternoon. Later in the day is when you need to work the heavier cover, or just get lucky that some will cross your path off the road.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Near the top of the nebo loop has always had blues. Look for pines or drive the one of the few roads up there that has pines and you should see them unless your of the anti pine hen hunter.


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## cachevalleyhunter (Sep 5, 2012)

Thanks for the input fellas! I will put it in my memory bank.


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## pheaz (Feb 11, 2011)

Hit the top of the ridges above the pines, there are tons of blues this year.


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## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

I jumped one on the face of timp earlier this year.


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Blue grouse do not exist in Utah. Stop looking


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## StillAboveGround (Aug 20, 2011)

I used to see lots of Blues in Cache Valley when I lived there 92-2000. Try ridges up Right Hand fork and Temple fork and the ridge on the West side of Cache Valley.


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## hoghunter011583 (Jul 21, 2008)

Funny because I only see blues and rarely find a ruff


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## ultramagfan2000 (Nov 27, 2009)

My dad and I just went for a ride and found that blues exist in Utah. He got 3 with one shot due to the way they were sitting on the log. I wing shot the other two in all the commotion.


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## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

yeah, they do exist but somedays you have to put on a few miles.......we found 3 today.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)




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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Nice pics!


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