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Marc
09-08-2009, 07:57 PM
Well I went hunting this past Sunday and saw one grouse and flew long before I really registered what it was. Saw a doe and did a bit of scouting but pretty much a bust for birds.

Monday morning Field Marshall and I hook up for a grouse hunt. We meet at his place for 7:00am, grab some gas and we're on our way.

The first bird of the morning to present itself was an old hooter.He's doing his statue impersonation at about 30 yards. I load up the new to me over and under with one #6 shell loaded. OK which trigger fires the shell? So a bit of calculation in my head, put the bead on the birds head and pull the trigger. Done deal right? Nope... the bird flies off never to be seen again. :neutral: Well there goes the first try at a blue grouse.

We get to the top of a ridge and decide to see where the gun is shooting so we set up a sheet of paper at 30 yards and I aim for the top of the paper and I peppered the page pretty good. Hmm. Maybe I wasn't ligning up on the rib properly.

We hit several other ridges over the span of the day, it rained on and off pretty much all day. We took a break and tossed a wing that Field Marshall had removed from a previous bird he got this weekend to teach the dog what he's supposed to be looking for. He played and mangled the wing pretty much to death. He does the same with duck wings but he never mauls real birds for some reason.

We took a time out to enjoy the bounty of the land and picked some Chantrelles. We even found two stumps with the "chicken of the woods" on them.

At the end of the day we start heading out and decide to check one more spot where there was mushrooms to be had later in the season.We started down an alder tangled maze of a road, we turn a corner and there it is. Another statue but this time it's a ruffy. I load up take my time, and squeeze the trigger. Bird flops over, then gets up and tries to fly but hits the ground running. I send the dog and run up about 25 yards. Crap there is another one in the ditch not 10 feet from me and he hops up on a branch about two feet up. I point the barrel at his head and pull another off. This one didn't get away.:lol: Then all hell breaks loose and we have grouse flying from everywhere but no shots taken. We put the dog in where we think I hit the first one. He flushes 3 grouse one by one in about a 50 yard block, but we never do recover the bird I thought I hit. Could it be I miss the second birds as well?

Well it cost me about $80 in gas over the past two days running the ridges looking for an elusive blue grouse to shoot. I didn't get my wish but I still ended up with some great memories and laughs with Field Marshall and the dog. Marshall did quite good for his first time out for grouse. He stayed in fairly close and turned back right away if I called out to him when he was pushing to far out. I did manage a young ruffy that turned out to be one hell of a meal in the end.

Marc.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Grouse_hunting1.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/todays_bounty.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/grouse_dinner.jpg

Muleycatcher
09-08-2009, 07:59 PM
looks like some good eats...It's not what you get it's the memories that matter.

ruger#1
09-08-2009, 08:03 PM
I have had the dogs out four times scouting in around the black berries and all they flushed up was a bear.Hope to find some birds opening day.

BearSniper
09-08-2009, 08:08 PM
Wow

Dinner looks good ! ;-);-)

slicky72
09-08-2009, 08:17 PM
I heard it was supposed to be a good year for grouse . Oh well at least you got out and had a good day. Cheers ,where's my plate?

field marshal
09-08-2009, 08:20 PM
Opening weekend in review!!! Summary-
Sat. 1 Blue 3 Willows all from Hemmingson Main off Renfrew Rd.
1 basket of Chantrelles.

Sun. 2 Blues Truck Rd. 11 Gordon River. 1 5lb. Chicken of the forest Shroom.

Mon. 1 willow by Marc some Chantrelles, 1 nice Chicken of the forest
Shroom. Can't reveal location of his bird?? He has a grudge match with
some of the rest of that Willow covey?? Also a date later with one very
well educated old Hooter!!

Cheers, Field Marshal.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Grouse-today.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Chantrelles.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Grouse-and-Mushrooms.jpg

Bow Walker
09-08-2009, 09:02 PM
I've GOTTA keep my eyes open when I'm out there!!

Marc
09-09-2009, 06:30 PM
Well I just got back from the range, put up a pizza box and paced off 25-30 yards. Well the shot all hit above my point of aim so I guess I know why I missed two grouse sitting motionless. Good to know for the next time out. Don't shoot for the head shoot for the feet.:lol:

ruger#1
09-09-2009, 06:51 PM
I'm going to go tomorrow morning after work. take the dogs and the 20g. Hope i even see one this time.

blackbart
09-10-2009, 08:39 PM
How do you fella's cook up the "chicken of the woods" shrooms? In years past while working on the coast I always wonderd if they were worth packing out.

I have fond memories of shaggy manes and grouse (okay fool hens mostly) cooked together from when I was a kid in the Kootenay's.