Grouse limits

[Mikey66]

Maybe I search the wrong spots,
but hunting grouse in region 2, I have never even come close to the daily bag limit (10!). I often manage to bag out (5) when I make the trip out to region 3, which seems to be crawling with the critters.
Can anyone explain the reason behind the difference in bag limits between the two regions? One would expect the area with more grouse (in my experience) to have the higher limit.
Or does anyone find region 2 more productive?

[tigrr]

On a low cycle year you might only see 1 grouse a day. Some years I see 24 a day and last year I saw 8 in 3 months.

[caddisguy]

Maybe I search the wrong spots,
but hunting grouse in region 2, I have never even come close to the daily bag limit (10!). I often manage to bag out (5) when I make the trip out to region 3, which seems to be crawling with the critters.
Can anyone explain the reason behind the difference in bag limits between the two regions? One would expect the area with more grouse (in my experience) to have the higher limit.
Or does anyone find region 2 more productive?

I find Region 2 fairly productive. There are a lot of grouse, just a little more difficult to see and shoot than other regions. I have never bagged 10 (or even tried to) as my grouse hunting is usually restricted to what I see on the roads on the way out after a. Sometimes when I am frustrated with BT hunting I will drive around my "bird circuit" in the afternoon. Sometimes I will see 10 within an hour, but I find Region 2 grouse on average spook a lot easier than Region 5 for example where you can walk up to them like city pigeons and even shoot a few without spooking the others. They are a little more difficult to spot in Region 2 as well as things tend to be thicker and their camo works better.

Last weekend I saw around 10 in old growth timber and and 1 on the road. I didn't have a chance at any with the bow. Several in the old growth exploded out of the ferns, one after another as I watched, but darned if I could see one below the fern cover before they were air born. I saw another on the road about 70 yards away. I was only able to cut the distance to 60 before he was out of there. My success ratio for killing grouse off Region 2 roads is only around 1/3 or 1/4 when driving and maybe 1/2 on foot. First light they seem a little more lethargic / less aware.

The most I have shot in a day is 5, but all off roads. If I shot every bird I saw in the timber (where I rarely carry anything but a 30-06) and spent more time driving around in the afternoon 10 wouldn't be too difficult. I will be hunting with the shotgun this weekend to whack some of those timber ruffies (some were huge) as my wife will have a rifle for any deer over 30 yards.

Another thing to keep in mind is that grouse seem to be found in pockets, particularly during the low end of the cycle. There are areas where I have never seen a grouse and expect that I will never see a grouse. They just aren't there at all or in numbers where seeing one would be remotely common. 20km away and it's littered with grouse. You'll come across FSR's where you can drive 1km, see nothing, drive out see 1, drive back in see 2, drive out and see 1... find a couple roads like that close together and it's the gift that keeps on giving. You'll never shoot them all. There are hundreds in the bush for every one you see on the road.

Scout for grouse spots in the spring when they are drumming. They'll be around the same spots in the early season through mid fall. Pick an area with lots of drumming from all directions. The sound does carry and it's hard to tell where it is coming from. Listen for frequent drumming with lots of different volumes and you'll find the good areas.

[Mikey66]

Thanks for the advice.
I am lucky, as I ride a lot of fsr's on my bike, so I get to know where the grouse are. The drawback is that I am usually wearing so much gear that going through the bush or cut blocks is not easy. What I will try this season is to focus less on riding, and more on grouseing. I'll bring lighter gear, park the bike, and hike more.
Can't wait to get out there.......maybe Wednesday!!!

[Big Lew]

Continuing on the theme of "grouse limits"...I read in this year's possession limit as follows:-

The possession limit for all migratory game birds at all times (including hunting,
returning from hunting, or at a residence) is three times the daily limit.

The possession limit for all upland game birds while hunting or returning from hunting
is three times the daily limit except for Sharp-tailed Grouse (Regions 3,5 & 7B) and Pheasants
(Region 4 only) where the possession limit is two times the daily limit.

Would I be right in thinking that there is no possession limit for grouse at a residence?

[grousetrap]

Continuing on the theme of "grouse limits"...I read in this year's possession limit as follows:-

The possession limit for all migratory game birds at all times (including hunting,
returning from hunting, or at a residence) is three times the daily limit.

The possession limit for all upland game birds while hunting or returning from hunting
is three times the daily limit except for Sharp-tailed Grouse (Regions 3,5 & 7B) and Pheasants
(Region 4 only) where the possession limit is two times the daily limit.

Would I be right in thinking that there is no possession limit for grouse at a residence?

I sent off an email to the conservation officers to get clarification on this as well :)

[RyoTHC]

Please keep us updated. That would be a great discovery for my freezer stocking over winter. I'd love to have grouse in the spring but they never last that long haha

[Mikey66]

Riding around on Monday, I saw few grouse here and there. One flushed so close it made contact with my helmet!!! If I did not have to keep my hands on the bars (rocky climb), I could have grabbed it.
So I went back yesterday with the 22, same time, same roads, even got off the bike and hiked for couple of hours.......and didn't even see one!
I guess they must have all texted each other that i was coming or something.

[two-feet]

Got a limit today, could have got another. Been a while since that happened. 6-8. I put a scope on the single shot lakefield .22 that was my first rifle, 26 years ago. Head shots, lots of fun

[grousetrap]

Hey everyone, just got the update from a conservation officer.

"Thank you for your e-mail enquiring about seasonal limits for grouse. It has been forwarded to me for a response.



There are only daily bag limits and possession bag limits for grouse; there are no annual bag limits for grouse."

Hopefully this clarifies it for anyone who was wondering about limits.

[Wild one]

Hey everyone, just got the update from a conservation officer.

"Thank you for your e-mail enquiring about seasonal limits for grouse. It has been forwarded to me for a response.



There are only daily bag limits and possession bag limits for grouse; there are no annual bag limits for grouse."

Hopefully this clarifies it for anyone who was wondering about limits.

By the response I would guess they did not understand your?

There is no annual limit on waterfowl either it is only that the possession limit includes what you have at your residence. It is actually common in other provinces outside of BC to have your possession limit include what you have in your residence for small game/waterfowl/fish. With waterfowl being managed federal I would not be surprised it was an agreement to apply this in all provs but it’s only a guess

Grouse have the standard BC possession limit that doesn’t include what is at your residence

[grousetrap]

Grouse have the standard BC possession limit that doesn’t include what is at your residence


Thank you for the clarification, that's how I read the possession as well, just travelling back from hunting to permanent residence.

[mastercaster]

Once again, grouse numbers were good,,,,just like last year. I keep a running total which I record of all the grouse I see each season. This year so far I've seen 117, last year was 123. I focus on grouse in September to work on retrieving with my griff,,,,saw 38 the first day out. Got lots of limits this year!