Love the hunt, even more with a good pointing dog! He started to point woodcock when he was 3 yrs old but has never pointed a grouse. They are also edge creatures that follow the edges of cuts and can concentrate their numbers in areas that are rich in food supplies. Great tips and I would have to agree with the others on pointer being the only dog comment.. The views expressed within the comment section do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of The Sportsman's Guide. Around the abandon farms and along the rivers it is common to find native patches of wild choke cherries, cranberries and thornberries.
I’ve been hunting grouse with my family ever since I could walk and likely a little before that as well. When October arrives he can be found with family and friends hunting throughout New England. How about that smell of “swamp dog” permeating from your truck, the sharp sting of your ears from the cool temps paired with the crisp whip of a sapling or those late-night muscle spasms punishing you for the hills you traversed. Ruffed grouse are the most widely distributed game bird in North America. If I’m on target here, the beech and oak ridges will make for some great shooting opportunities this fall.
In 7 seasons we are approaching the 600 mark on grouse and woodcock.
Under that tree-like clockwork would explode what appeared to me at the time to be the world’s largest grouse just waiting to be mounted on my wall. Here’s my list of the 10 most important rules of grouse hunting. I slip from my boots to my waders and in a quick, easy wade find myself in virgin country! The more you know about the biology of the grouse the better you will be able to predict their locations. The struggle is real and most will take any suggestions that you might give them. Born into the Carter family and Merrymeeting Kennels, he attended his first NAVHDA test in Bowdoinham, Maine, when he was just a year of age.
There are remnants of old farms along the rivers from the first settlers of the region. That being said, I love sharing my experiences and knowledge with others.
Remember, I said these tips were about being successful on a long-term basis.
Thanks!
Whether you have your own dogs or hunt without dogs you can be successful with the abundant grouse population. If it’s got one barrel, it needs to choked wide open. I’ve heard it claimed that it takes 500 encounters with birds to make a good grouse dog.
With many clearcuts in the 20+ year old class and unlimited wetland areas many woodcock reside here throughout the spring, summer and fall.
In certain light conditions, they may look similar. Woodcock are numerous in the Allagash region.
Maine has a liberal bag limit of 4 grouse per day, so bring an extra box of shells – you may use them all. This guy lost all credibility with me from the start. Plumage of the ruffed grouse is subtly and beautifully marked in a way that blends remarkably with their habitat.
Grouse, of course, don’t have teeth so they need gravel in their crop to eat. It came up and across in the classic station four low house crossing shot which I almost never hit, though down he came. Regardless of gauge it should have at least 1-ounce of 7-1/2s or 8s propelled by a medium game load charge of powder.
This is going to go against everything you’ve learned about shooting a shotgun, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that the number of grouse in my vest each hunt went up after I figured it out. Then once you have it all figured out, give me a call and we can investigate those spots more thoroughly together. Now is when I seek out the unhunted spots, which usually means places difficult to hunt or get to. Also, keep your phone away from your transmitter as it throws off the navigation feature of the app and you will soon find yourself “turned around.” Be sure to mark located birds on the map so that you’ll be able to later visualize productive areas and find similar forest diversity to hunt. After a flush, look around and you’ll likely find yourself in a corner or a point of sorts near water and gravel.
I wrote some additional grouse hunting tips here as well for anyone that’s interested.
Not ringing any bells?
Ideal habitat is typically young aspen as thick as you can find it.
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With the use of today’s technology, you can get a feel for your potential hunting grounds and predict with a fair amount of accuracy where your greatest concentration of birds can be found in that area. And that is also why the moment you see them, they vanish like ghosts.
No abusive comments, threats, or personal attacks. OnX Hunt has great satellite imagery, with fabulous tools to plan out a hunt. If you can find a covert mixed with birches, oaks, beeches, and conifers you may get into some good numbers. That means they can get pushed back off the roads relatively easily in high-pressure areas and still live comfortably. Their a great companion as well in the home and field.
Lastly, try to follow the grain of the forest. Ruffed Grouse Hunting in Maine: The Season is Here. Busting them up when it’s so cold out especially later in the day makes for a less likely survival of the night. Whether you decide to hunt an entire week with us or choose a 1 day guided hunt you will hunt different coverts everyday – the amount of quality habitat is unlimited.
A well trained springer , working cocker, or english setter of good breeding make great grouse and woodcock dogs.
By continuing to use our website, you agree to our use of such cookies. Soon you will develop an eye for birdy cover. Make sure you meet the state requirements on the amount of blaze orange you wear and grab a hat and/or vest to make that happen. Simply take your areas and locate large swaths of previously logged forest. Secretly, I may still do a fair amount of that to this day. When a predator approaches they move into their escape route, and the moment they have a solid barrier between you and them they will take to the air, instantly placing those obstacles in between.
If it’s so thick you can hardly swing your gun …
Follow the line of old-growth abutting the younger 10-15-year-old growth. I’m sure that might jog your memory. Working your way into where the grouse actually are and being ready to get a shot off are huge for grouse hunting. Start mounting the gun at the first indication of a bird, make visual contact as it flushes, swing ahead and shoot. . Due to commercial timber harvesting the age structure and composition of the forest is very dynamic which creates a consistent grouse population.
I wish I could say that bird made it there.
When you get home that night and look at those bird locations, you’ll soon realize that it wasn’t just a random bird.
Learning about grouse habitat and grouse behavior , where grouse and woodcock live, with any of the three breeds mentioned is great fun.
I highly recommend purchasing this tool. Yup, you guessed it, it’s grouse season! As a kid growing up on grouse nuggets, I dreamed of someday being able to finally harvest one of my own. There will be similarities in topography, direction, food sources, habitat and water resources. Ideal habitat is typically young aspen as thick as you can find it. With many clearcuts in the 20+ year old class and unlimited wetland areas many woodcock reside here throughout the spring, summer and fall.
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They rank among the smaller of the 10 species of grouse native to North America with weights ranging from 17 to 25 oz. It took about eight more years of hunting before a Ruffy finally zigged when it should’ve zagged and I could finally put one in my hand. She had it pinned under a mass of tangled bittersweet.