Wet & cold spring weather, poor grouse survival?

[Sako 75]

I could be wrong but for more than last 38 years of hunting uplands birds, i.e grouses, pheasants and recently turkey hunting and cold wet Spring translate into poor chicks survival. I see the trends over the years, dry and warm Springs lots birds, so how is shaping up in your neck of woods? I am in region 2.

[TheProvider]

2-6 been seeing grouse everytime out almost, hopefully it warms up and its a good season

[wchunter]

On the island between Port Renfrew and Lake Cowichan I am seeing lots of Grouse

[Ghillie]

Up in the Peace just having a campfire in the backyard you can hear the male ruffed grouse drumming all over the place, already seen a few spruce, 2 sharps, and a ton of ruffies. Last year we saw 1 hen that had two batches of chicks. we counted 11 chicks one hen. And on the first of the season we walked into a flock of around 15 ruffed grouse, took 5, then took another 3 throughout the year, just on my property! So hopefully all these ruffed grouse we didnt harvest will have some large batches this year! I think it will be great!

[gibblewabble]

It's been rainy a few days then nice and hot so it should be fine, I agree with your methodology as I have found the same pattern.

And I'm in Vernon.

[Blair]

I'm not sure if the cold weather so far will have much of an effect. Check out this article: http://www.jstor.org/pss/3798474 They found that June weather had the biggest effect, while April and May didn't seem to matter so much. It must be when most chicks are hatched.

[Mr. Dean]

I don't think there will be 2 hatches in a lot of areas. I know where I go, the roads are still impassible w/ 2' of snow.

[LukaTisus]

I've noticed the same thing. Cold, stormy, rainy weather seems to result in less grouse in that year. I've noticed it with domestic ducks, too. Twice a friend of mine had the chicks still in egg die on her if there was a bad rainstorm during the incubation period.

[gibblewabble]

I believe it the wet more than anything. Last fall was phenomenal and my son sure had fun shooting ditch chickens, I am hoping to use it as a gateway animal for my daughter as she turns 10 this summer but isn't very interested in hunting, she loves plinking so we'll see.

[seanps]

2-6 been seeing grouse everytime out almost, hopefully it warms up and its a good season

Same. Had to slam on the brakes twice last week in 2-6 to avoid hitting birds that were sitting in the middle of the road.

[1/2 slam]

The critical month for the chick's is June.

[seanps]

A couple of weeks ago, in the Squamish Valley area:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/2633/img0392gc.jpg

[MillBay]

"I don't think there will be 2 hatches in a lot of areas. I know where I go, the roads are still impassible w/ 2' of snow."

Birds will only have a second hatch if they loose thier eggs or chicks at a very young age. Thats why in realy bad years like this year is shaping up to be (at least on the island) it apears they have had a second hatch because some of the chicks with hens are really small and thats because she lost her first batch. On good years you will notice there are no small chicks around because they all survived from early spring hatchs.

[bogtrotter]

I've been keeping track of the weather at a few places this month and am optimistic that there will be lots of birds in the fall. No rain or cold ( except Vancouver ). Lots of warm to hot days. Keep your fingers crossed.

[tomahawk]

I have seen more grouse this spring while bear hunting then most years, however I only saw one hen with chicks and she only had 2 with her so if that's an indicator of most hen's there was poor survival of eggs laid.

[longshot]

Hopefully this year is good for grouse. It hasnt been the greatest spring and start to summer though :( . We just started to hunt them last September for the first time on the island. Those little birds sure out-smarted us a few times! They taste pretty darn good too.

[Ghillie]

Well if June is the most critical month for chicks the Peace region is in trouble! We just received 5 and a half inches of rain over two days here in Chetwynd. with 16 bridge / highway washouts between here and Mackenzie. I haven't seen any grouse for a few months, and it was a late, cold, wet, spring up here too.
Oh well, gonna have to plink away at the rabbits and 'yotes this year I guess!

[TheProvider]

Been seeing lots of grouse and chicks, mothers have chased me when getting within 20yrds of the lil ones

[aggiehunter]

Sako 75, True words...even the Quail only seem to have less than 1/2 dozen chicks and some have none....males and females running around with no babies looking at little lost.

[Sako 75]

Check out some local farmer's field around my neck of woods, saw (actually counted) 3 pheasant rooster but no hen's with chicks. Lots of hen mallards with ducklings in the ditches.

[MillBay]

I sure don't know where these people get this "2 hatch thing" it's a myth. If the spring chicks hatch and any survive thats it for laying eggs for that year.

[field marshal]

I sure don't know where these people get this "2 hatch thing" it's a myth. If the spring chicks hatch and any survive thats it for laying eggs for that year.
Exactly!!! If they do not survive hens will nest again!! Thats why you hear those old "hooters" still booming away right into July!! Hence you see chicks on
opening day the size of robins!! Cheers---Field Marshal.

[MichelD]

Well I'll tell you, I've been out for several long days backroading in good grouse ground in regions 2, 3 and 8 over the last month and haven't seen one yet.

[srupp]

on this years bear hunt..seen way more grouse than 'normal" for that time and that location ... Horsefly..,

however I agree with the statement about poor numbers with a cold wet spring.. this has been the coldest and the wettest..but the most birds??

steven

[field marshal]

on this years bear hunt..seen way more grouse than 'normal" for that time and that location ... Horsefly..,

however I agree with the statement about poor numbers with a cold wet spring.. this has been the coldest and the wettest..but the most birds??

steven Were the birds mature birds or this years hatch???

[MillBay]

My update: In the cowichan lake area on the weekend and came accross a covey of blues of about 10 birds. Couldn't tell if there was one or more hens but the chicks were bigger than I would have expected. By opening on the 1st they will be pretty good sized.

[TheProvider]

Seeing quite a few in reg 2, chicks are getting a good size

[bcbrez]

I have seen some grouse but not to many with chicks or many chicks this year.

[.300WSMImpact!]

I get out two to three days a week scouting, and I have seen tons of birds, my only worry is that a lot of the chic still seem very small, even still seeing little yellow chicks, hope nobody shoots a hen with small chicks, might kill a bunch then

[popsy]

Now living in vernon. Pheasant #'s are strong and lots of quail too. They like my fence and acreage. Anyone from the PG area have any reports on grouse???? Thanx

[416]

Now living in vernon. Pheasant #'s are strong and lots of quail too. They like my fence and acreage. Anyone from the PG area have any reports on grouse???? Thanx [/INDENT]

]

X2 have seen more grouse and quail in my travels and around home then l can remember seeing in a long time.

[britman101]

Well if you live in the Vernon area, hopefully you live outside the city limits. Otherwise the discharge of a firearm is not permitted.

[MillBay]

"Well if you live in the Vernon area, hopefully you live outside the city limits. Otherwise the discharge of a firearm is not permitted. "

This tread is not about where it is legal to shot but about bird survival this year.

[britman101]

The reason I bring it up is because of the battle between urban and rural folks. From someone, who grew up in that area, the changes that have taken place in the Valley have made upland bird populations just a shadow of what it was twenty years ago.

[Grousedaddy]

Lots of grouse in tje kamloops area last year and even more this year :D

[new trigger]

I pulled 5 grouse out of 3-13 on Sept 11 year. Only my second season out and feel I saw more last season, but am hearing the grouse don't move around as much until the weather changes to be colder?