Grouse On The Island

[Sasquatch]

I'm going to be in Campbell River this weekend and I notice grouse season is open on Saturday.

Can anyone tell me how grouse numbers are in the area this year? How is the access on FSRs these days?

[Birddog]

There is no grouse on the island. There is no elk either, nor deer or black bears. I suggest you stay on the mainland. Nothing here on the island. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Ok seriously thoughI haven't seen many grouse this year. I think the spring was too wet, and I think alot of chicks, didn't make it.

Cheers Birddog

[CanAm500]

There is no grouse on the island. There is no elk either, nor deer or black bears. I suggest you stay on the mainland. Nothing here on the island.


X2. Go home!!!!:wink:

[sako7mm]

With the amount of backroad driving I've done in the past few weeks, I can count the number of birds I have seen on one hand. Not the greatest year.

[Paulyman]

Sasquatch, I was in Campbell river on the weekend, my uncle and i traveled the iron river logging road on three different occasions and we never even saw one grouse.

[CanAm500]

When we were bear hunting we saw a couple grouse. Aswell as a blue grouse that had a nest right beside the road. With all the logging that happened around that area I wonder if the eggs survived, Im wanting to take a drive up there and take a look and see if she and her eggs/nest survived.

[Sasquatch]

Thanks for the info guys, guess I should bring a fishing rod also.

[mapguy]

the island isn't the best for grouse they should be closed till there numbers increase

[Birddog]

Mapguy

Do you have any proof that the grouse numbers are in such bad shape here on the island that it warrants closing down the Grouse Season. Perhaps this is just more of your ramblings kinda like your opinion on handguns. The more posts of yours I read, the more I'm convinced your just a anti on here trolling for a fight.

Birddog

[MB_Boy]

Just as a side note.....I was driving around on the other side of the island Tofino/Kennedy Lake area last week. Up and down all sorts of logging roads, well travelled and not so "well traveled" (my truck is a bit mad at me) but I didn't see a single grouse the entire time.

[Wildman]

the island isn't the best for grouse they should be closed till there numbers increase

Actually.......he could be right. Ive noticed a dramatic drop in numbers this year. I'm hardly seeing any compared to previous years.

[Birddog]

I dont disagree that grouse numbers will probably be low this year. Wet springs play havoc with thier chicks. However this isn't the first time we have had a wet spring here on the coast. To my knowledge they have never shut down grouse season on the island before. I guess I need more proof then just Mapguys opion.

Cheers Birddog

[mapguy]

birddogi think that your comment is harasment labeling someone as an anti on this site is not cool .I think your trolling and trying to start something .the idea that you demand proof is ridiculous. every member is entitled to an oppinion . stop hyjacking the thread i'm not here to fight with you .

[Birddog]

every member is entitled to an oppinion .

Then it's my opinion that you are an anti.


the idea that you demand proof is ridiculous.

Without proof isn't everything just opinions, hearsay and rumours. Tell me what are the number of grouse this year compared to last. What about posting a graph showing the grouse populations for the last 15 years. When the moe comes out and says no grouse hunting due to a decrease in numbers. I will apologize to you. Until then I choose to disbelieve your opions.

Birddog

[mapguy]

your welcome to disagree .it was just my suggestion that closing the season on grouse might help the populations recover.

[Wildman]

I want to see a pie chart! 3d that would be cool:wink: But honestly.....I dont know about closing the season, I just think the numbers are way down this year.

[johnes50]

I've seen a few and thought they were doing OK. Of course I've been out camping and scouting on my days off for the last six weeks and have covered a lot of territory. I could have shot 4 different grouse last weekend if they were in season. John

[Birddog]

Again I think the numbers are down as well. I just don't think closing the season is apropiate at this time.
Cheers Birddog

[blacktail18]

was out on the weekend and saw a couple don't no were they have gone saw tons last season but there hiding this year

[Sasquatch]

From what I have read, grouse numbers are influenced by weather, habitat and a normal cycle of hi/lo populations between 5 and 10 years. Hunting pressure has little to do with it.

[Birddog]

I have read the same things Sasquatch. Outdoors Canada had a good article on it a few years back.

Birddog

[mapguy]

sasquatch i believe your right about the weather i've only seen one area that
i thought was over hunted this one family went in weekly and took everthing that moved . it went from seeing a hundred a day to just a couple

[Woodrow]

There is no grouse on the island. There is no elk either, nor deer or black bears. I suggest you stay on the mainland. Nothing here on the island. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Ok seriously thoughI haven't seen many grouse this year. I think the spring was too wet, and I think alot of chicks, didn't make it.

Cheers Birddog
Every spring is wet and you allways hear that the grouse population is low, but the mighty grouse keeps keepin on.

[dryflyguy57]

Sasquatch is that a Wheaton terrier in your pic .

[Sasquatch]

dryflyguy, he's a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. He likes to point rising trout almost as much as birds.

[elkster]

Its not only because its a wet spring, its how long that wet spell goes on. Even the baby ducks around our golf course had trouble making it, cause the wet weather went on so long. The chicks just can't stand prolonged wet weather.

[abbyfireguy]

Is there such a thing as a dry spring on the Island??:eek::biggrin:

[mapguy]

good rule of thumb is that if your only seeing a couple of grouse per day
leave them alone . give them a chance to build up there numbers .

[25hunter]

I have always had a rule -take no more than a meals worth per trip. In my family that is 5 birds. I also try to not take more than 1 bird per covey, its not difficult to wipe our an entire family since they just sit there. Thats the way my father taught me and how i'm teaching my 2 kids.

[Sasquatch]

its not difficult to wipe our an entire family since they just sit there.

Shooting them on the wing, they are a little tougher to hit. I am still dreaming about my first double on grouse on a simulantious flush. If I can knock one down at a time, I am a happy guy. Most of the time, I don't even get a shot off and they are gone.

Good news is, the grouse "families" are safe from me.

[mapguy]

should only be allowed a single shot 22
mind you theu are pretty safe if i was using a shotgun on the fly i imagine that a lot fly off and die .
we didn't use shotguns because the 22 was more fun and we didn't get pellets in our teeth
the 22 keeps it more sporting and keeps your aim right on

[Sasquatch]

should only be allowed a single shot 22

the 22 keeps it more sporting and keeps your aim right on

Well, you are entitled to your opinion, but I hardly see how shooting a bird sitting in the middle of a road is more sporting than hitting one flying.

As far as what "should be allowed" I guess I am happy that you don't make the rules, so I can continue to pursue my favorite sport the way I like.

[Islandeer]

Just in from some extreme fishing off the west coast of the Charlottes... so this grouse thing... ask any experianced hunter or game biologist, grouse numbers are very cyclic, and are dependant on weather in the spring when the chicks hatch. shutting down the season would only make the anti's and the ill informed feel better. Habitat is also critical to grouse numbers, but as the past few years on the island have been fairly good for grouse, and the fact that more of the 2nd growth is being logged... bingo... weather and natural population cycles seem to be the logical choice.

[mapguy]

well the reason for the 22 is that its usually the youngster that get to shoot the grouse and hey it improves their aim
well i for one would not mind giving up shooting the occasional bird to help improve their numbers
why not make open just for kids even that would really help and it would be a lot of fun for them also