Grouse

[grouse14]

Hello all.
I was wondering where to hunt grouse around region 2?
I live in Furry Creek and there is a forest service road down the road from me so im assuming i could find some there?
Ive been down by ashlu before and seen them there but only about 2-3 times per year.
I own a small beagle (1yr) so maybe that can help?
Sorry for all the questions.
thanks all

[caddisguy]

Hello all.
I was wondering where to hunt grouse around region 2?
I live in Furry Creek and there is a forest service road down the road from me so im assuming i could find some there?
Ive been down by ashlu before and seen them there but only about 2-3 times per year.
I own a small beagle (1yr) so maybe that can help?
Sorry for all the questions.
thanks all

Though I have been seeing more than usual so far this year, grouse come few and far between in Region 2. It has been a fairly dry Spring and last year wasn't too bad either, so you might expect a few more rather than the usual next-to-nothing. I'm sure you'll be able to turn a few inside out this fall.

Scout around over the summer and keep track of where you see them, then pay those areas a visit on opening day. Grouse tend to stay in the same general area and don't wander too far, particularly the males. It's Region 2 so you'll still have to work for finding decent pockets that hold some grouse. For a sure thing, you would have to venture out to places around Region 5 where you can pass on anything less than huge and still get your bag limit.

[grouse14]

thanks caddisguy since you said that they normally stay in one spot i will try find an area where a friend of mine went dirtbiking and saw 2 grouse a week ago.

[Wentrot]

Have seen more grouse this spring than any other time in region 2. Certainly not lots but enough to gain my interest fir fall.

[Legi0n]

this year they're quite small... :D
(Chilliwack last week)
http://members.shaw.ca/le_r0umain/Grouse_Chick.jpg

[BiG Boar]

Pm grouse daddy. He has the scoop.

[grouse14]

Its gonna be a good season...Mama grouse with her lil grouse were walkin around eatin berries in my backyard!

[1/2 slam]

Its gonna be a good season...Mama grouse with her lil grouse were walkin around eatin berries in my backyard!

Just because you saw a mother and chicks in your back yard doesn't mean it's going to be a good year. June is the critical month for grouse chicks. If it's dry we have a good survival rate on the chicks and a good fall. If it's wet the chicks get pneumonia and a lot die. Then we have a shitty fall. June has been wet around here. I hope other ateas have been better.

[B-rad]

I have been seeing lots of blue grouse chicks,,,and quite a few ruffie chicks and even chuckar chicks here in kamloops area so far,,,,,,,BUT,,,,it is still early yet in year,,,,,if it stays fairly dry in june,,,early july,,,,then keep fingers crossed for a good harvest of them this fall

[caddisguy]

I am not sure whether to wish for rain or dry weather. Rain would be nice to keep the fires and fire bans away. Dry would be good for grouse hunting in the fall. Maybe there's a happy medium.

Region 2 has seen rain fairly frequent over the last month, but it seems to just be light rain for an hour here and there. I would be interested in finding out the total rainfall this June versus last June. I think overall it has been a lot less.

[recoil]

I think it also depends on predator numbers, coyotes, foxes, and eagles/ospreys all eat grouse. In 100 mile I have noticed the fox and coyote populations increasing the last couple years and the grouse hunting has suffered, I had a grouse living in the yard too until the local fox found it.

[Legi0n]

I would be interested in finding out the total rainfall this June versus last June. I think overall it has been a lot less.

here
http://chilliwack.weatherstats.ca/charts/rain-1year.html
http://vancouver.weatherstats.ca/metrics/precipitation.html

[Brno22F]

I have been seeing lots of blue grouse chicks,,,and quite a few ruffie chicks and even chuckar chicks here in kamloops area so far,,,,,,,BUT,,,,it is still early yet in year,,,,,if it stays fairly dry in june,,,early july,,,,then keep fingers crossed for a good harvest of them this fall

I have been on several of the local Forest Service roads over the last couple of weeks (zone 6-30). I have been seeing lots of ruffed grouse with their brood. Saw a spruce hen with chicks today as well. Most are at the stage where the chicks can fly. We have had a dry spring so far. Bodes well for the fall. Nothing better than a crisp fall day with a 20 gauge in hand and my dog working the bushes.

[albravo2]

Agree, much less rain in Squamish this year. I'm seeing and hearing more grouse too.

Grouse14, I think you're in for a good year this year. I personally haven't found one area better than another in this neck of the woods, so I recommend picking an area where you've seen a few and working it. I tend to not hunt them as much as shoot them when I see them on the road but there are a few good threads on here about good strategies for hunting grouse.

Enjoy!

[marco604]

Just got gone from the furry creek fsr and I saw a couple chickens but they were in the no shooting area. My intent was to scout the area and see what was out there. I saw 4 birds ( in the pissing rain ) some bear scat and a ton of garbage and shells. I brought a garbage bag and a rake and the bag was full when I left and you couldn't tell I cleaned at all. I had an idea what I would run into thanks to other threads. Love this website and happy hunting

[Tamahi]

Kudos to you marco604 for removing a bag full of trash. +1karma :-D

[Amphibious]

Just got gone from the furry creek fsr and I saw a couple chickens but they were in the no shooting area. My intent was to scout the area and see what was out there. I saw 4 birds ( in the pissing rain ) some bear scat and a ton of garbage and shells. I brought a garbage bag and a rake and the bag was full when I left and you couldn't tell I cleaned at all. I had an idea what I would run into thanks to other threads. Love this website and happy hunting

Thanks Marco. Fury is a beautiful little valley, such a shame it gets treated like that.

[caddisguy]

I haven't seen quite as many Region 2 grouse over the last few weeks like earlier in the summer. I saw a female spruce with at least one little cheeper yesterday. The baby was still only the size of a freshly hatched gosling. I'm surprised it was still so small. Any other recent observations of grouse numbers in Region 2 and elsewhere? How's 100 Mile and Kamloops?