# Early Season Grouse Habitat



## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Duskies that is....

So I've been out hunting a little earlier this year and struggling to find many birds. I'm finding great habitat: mixed conifer near Aspen, other cover like ground juniper, feed such as currant or snowberry, etc. But I am noticing that the currants and snowberry are largely gone already. But the Aspen aren't turning at all yet and still pretty early in the season.

Do other folks start to head up in elevation as they see such fruit decrease in abundance or do y'all stick around mid- elevation until the snow starts to fly and the hens and chicks definitely move to high elevation pines for the winter? Seems like there is still plenty of Aspen and other leaves for them to graze/browse on. Or are folks actually focusing on the Aspen/sage habitat I hear hunters discuss in CO?

Appreciate any guidance. I flushed one this past weekend at higher elevation but I assume it was a male as they migrate up much earlier. Today was some of the "grousiest" terrain I've ever hunted but not a peep. 

The life of a beginner.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Are you running a dog?

I try to cover a bunch of terrain from 7,000ft on up and let the dog do the work. Key to finding birds is to cover a lot of ground. There was so much water last winter I am seeing berries everywhere--makes it harder to find birds as they are not as concentrated around berry bushes near springs/seeps because both are very abundant this year.

Over time, after you cover a bunch of areas you will find places they like to be and revisit those each year. Sometimes there will be two canyons with what appears to be the same habitat and one will have birds and one will not. I can't figure it out. Last year I did a 5 hour run and covered a ton of ground and found one single bird, I load up in my truck and a quarter mile up the road there is a 6 bird covey off the asphalt! They are where you find them. I generally only hunt grouse from September to mid October then move to chukars so that could change stuff up some later.

Key is to get yourself in forest type habitat with berries, creeks, pines, and aspens and then start walking and walking and walking

If I didn't have a dog I would probably just pick up a bow and walk around. Always seemed to find grouse while bowhunting for big game!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Airborne said:


> Are you running a dog?
> 
> If I didn't have a dog I would probably just pick up a bow and walk around. Always seemed to find grouse while bowhunting for big game!


This!
Up north I've seen a ton of grouse this year. I mostly hunt between 7-8000 ft. Most have been Ruffs but a few Blues.


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## brendo (Sep 10, 2013)

I tend to find blues on ridges in the morning. They seem to be very localized though. So once you find an area that has them they seem to always be there as long as you don’t shoot them all and leave some of the covey to reproduce.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

No dogs. 

The one I flushed (chose not to take shot given trees blocking most of view) was on a ridgeline where I had found them before. 

Trying to find more spots so I don't overhunt the one area. 


Never tried much below 8500 around here given most of that land within a short drive is private but I'll probably try a new area further away next.

How early do y'all hunt?


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## ns450f (Aug 28, 2018)

I have heard there are a lot of birds on monroe mtn west of otter creek reservoir. I keep meaning to get up there and check it out but I am just to busy because of school and work. Not to mention the upcoming elk hunt.....


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

There are always a lot of birds up on that mountain. 

I'll find out for sure during the muzzle loader hunt 

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## Wasatch Wings (Sep 29, 2015)

I’ve always had the best luck finding duskies near ridge lines in early morning hours as well. That’s been the case for me from the opener to the closer. Often times they’ll be filling up their crops on bugs and rocks just off of ridge line trails.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

In Wyoming I just get up late and then go drive the roads looking for Toyota pickups with Utah license plates and dog boxes in the back.


.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

I started grouse hunting a couple weeks ago, got my first one this last weekend, but I've got a few really basic questions about grouse.

Are they primary on the ground and only fly up into a tree when their spooked?

Or are they roosting during a certain time of the day?

Seems like every time I've seen them, they've been on the ground, but I've seen videos of people blasting them out of trees.

How crucial is a small creek or stream? If it's a really high priority on their habitat needs then it really narrows down on where to look.

What are their habits throughout the day? I'm guessing their active in the morning like most wildlife, then hunker down somewhere after 10AM or so.

About all I think I know is:
Where pines and aspens can both be found on a steep slope.
Reverse migrators
likes grasshoppers

I've seen them all the time in the past during deer muzzy or rifle elk, but never bothered hunting them until now.

edit: May have answered _some _of my own questions with a bit of internet searching.
http://fredbohm.com/blog/a-hunters-guide-to-dusky-grouse


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

You still going after them?


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## pockypie (Jan 4, 2019)

Lone_Hunter said:


> I started grouse hunting a couple weeks ago, got my first one this last weekend, but I've got a few really basic questions about grouse.
> 
> Are they primary on the ground and only fly up into a tree when their spooked?
> 
> ...


I'm in the same boat as you; this is my first year hunting grouse and I have never seen one in a tree lol.
The ones I have taken have all been in the middle of the day, though. On the ground between 10am-4pm. I hope someone can answer more of your questions, good luck.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

All the grouse I ran across yesterday were right at the high country treeline. Lots of them, didnt see a single one once we started down into the trees.




-DallanC


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

I've gotten one ruffed last weekend, and the weekend before that in the Manti, they were at around 9100 feet or so, and both were on the ground and in pines (probably why they're called pine hens), and both were not far from the trail. First one was about 10AM or so, the other around 7 or 8 in the morning. I haven't seen anything below 9,000 feet. They seem to make a noise if you get too close to them. It's a cross between a pigeon cooing and a turkey putting.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

I finally scratched a couple blues out today, both were found in pines and were full of pine needles.


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## Ray (May 10, 2018)

That really surprises me, I thought for sure they’d be hitting berries right now.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Last one I got, (sun 22), did have some berries in his crop. Leaves too.


On a side note, i'm 2 for 2 on decapitating these poor birds. Just once I'd like to look at the whole bird before I dress him. Really pretty coloration on their feathers. It's no wonder they are hard to see.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

This area did not have Harley any berries there. So the we just using what was available. I suspect other areas with berries should being used right now.


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## backcountry (May 19, 2016)

Berries are getting real sparse in southern Utah. I'm guessing this cold front will start driving the hold outs up higher. Only seen males on ridges thus far but I'm guessing they'll have company soon. 

Autumn is hitting hard the next few days.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Well the only bright spot I can say about the muzzy deer hunt is we absolutely cleaned up on grouse. This is the best year I can remember in quite awhile.
It was my experience that they were on the ground early morning feeding on seeds and small bugs. When they were jumped some then flew into trees.
I don't discriminate between Ruffs and Blues so maybe I miss the subtle distinctions you guys are making about where they are. But 7-9000 feet on the edge of aspens and sagebrush, they seen to be feeding the first hours and last of the day.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I hadn't been on Monroe Mountain since the fires, holy crap, all my favorite grouse areas are now charcoal. 

I did manage 4 duskys last Monday but a lot of the habit is going to change. The FS is clearing out a lot of the lines along with piling them up to burn this winter I presume. This will clear out a lot of pines in favor of quakes. 

Also if you go up onto the mountain be prepared for more idiot's on ATV'S than you can count. I came close to having a head on with one that was being driven by a preteen kid who who shouldn't of been driving because of his age


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