Grouse Opener!

[FLDBRED]

We will be heading for our camp in Bradford County for the grouse opener.It seems about the same as last year as far as the amount of birds. How many of you guys will be going out? How does it look in your area? We sort of use it for a tune-up for the pheasant season.

[bauerline]

I'll be going out Saturday. I'll be hunting in the Michaux State Forest around Adams and Franklin county. The grouse numbers are not good at all there but it is the closest place to home. I was out last Saturday for the youth hunt. We got two birds up but no shots were taken. The next couple of months will be busy for me and the dogs. Grouse opener, pheasant opener and then I'll be helping out with our chapter of PF's youth hunt on November 5th and then on November 12th we will be doing our 2nd veterans hunt. Add in a couple days a week of hunting after work and I'll be happy and the dogs will be tired. Good luck on Saturday.

[FLDBRED]

Brian,
The grouse numbers are much better in Bradford and Tioga Counties,I know it a good drive but it might be worth it.There is even some public land that is pretty good and doesn't get hunted that much! Sounds like you got a full plate,lucky thing you got two dogs. LOL.

Thanks for all the work with the youths and Pheasants Forever!

[bauerline]

I would like to get up to the northern part of the state sometime but it's such a long drive. It is hard to be away from home that long with a two young boys at home (5 and 3). My friend has a camp in Tioga county and we talked about going up there sometime this year. We just have to work out the details.

[FLDBRED]

I hear you buddy,it won't be long before those boys are joining you,then they'll be driving you!

PM sent!

[springerjohn]

Heading up to Potter Fri morning Dan.

[FLDBRED]

Hey John,
Glad to see you're here! How do those Springers handle grouse? Dugan does ok,if it's the right cover.Do you have a camp in Potter?
Anyone else going for grouse?

[springerjohn]

They do pretty good Dan. Toby will range out farther than Tucker, but I can get him right back in with whistle. Im hunting and camping just west of Galeton just south of rte. 6.

[bauerline]

Good luck Springerjohn. Hope you and Fldbred let us know how things went. At least the rain will be out of here by saturday.

[FLDBRED]

Brian,
You might have the upper hand with those two pointing dogs in early season grouse cover! A flusher can be doing his job and staying in range but the cover so thick that you never see the flush.It will be fun anyway! Good luck to everyone!

[springerjohn]

Will do Brian. I dont expect much till the leaves all come down, it,s all about getting out with the dogs.

[bauerline]

The dogs worked hard but produced no birds. The weather was nice and the dogs got a good workout.

[oldandnew]

I sure wish we had ruffed grouse. Missouri had a season till last year. After years of trying to re-establishing the bird in it's historic range, numbers dropped so far, that a season is not possible. I did in years past actually see a Missouri grouse and heard a couple of others take off. We have some effort to try again. Meanwhile, as a youngster in the 60's and 70's, I considered Pa. some kind of paradise, harvesting a million pheasants, and strong numbers of grouse and woodcock, even quail. maybe again someday, with all the efforts going on currently. Good Luck!

[FLDBRED]

We had a great day,no grouse but still a great day! We hunted an old mill area in the morning,and with the rain last night I should have known better.We switched to higher ground and flushed two but were unable to get off any shots!

oldandnew,

You're right,I grew up hunting in Pa. when it was considered in the top three by many for bird hunting! Hey at least you guys have a decent quail population!

[springerjohn]

I flushed 1 with no shot taken on a state forest. Wet, windy and thick, not the best conditions.

[HollowWatcher]

Here are a few pictures from yesterday's hunt!

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/BRN2RUN/SDC10519.jpg

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/BRN2RUN/SDC10518.jpg

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/BRN2RUN/SDC10517.jpg

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu336/BRN2RUN/SDC10520.jpg

[oldandnew]

I see the pictures posted, and we sure have a lot of gnarly stuff like that in Missouri, pole size timber, wild grape, elderberry, hawthorne, bittersweet, hackberry, but we just don't seem to be able to establish but a token population. I'm jealous!

[FLDBRED]

Usually in the cover shown we flush between 6-12 grouse,yesterday because of the heavy rain and recent flooding the grouse wanted no part of it.They were in the high ground,Spruce,Hemlock,and Beech.

oldandnew,

Sometimes I think there are some things going on that us mere mortals just can't understand.There are areas of Pa.that should of still had some pheasants yet they disappeared.The good news is the PGC understands the importance of small game hunting and it's role in the hunting tradition.We now have a wild pheasant population again and hopefully it can continue to grow!

[mcclinj]

I was up on top of Laurel Ridge in Forbes State Forest. My pup and I worked an old clear cut and a new one (08 I think) to no avail. We managed to find a couple woodcock, but no shots. The new cut is fenced to keep the deer out....it was beyond thick. I don't know how I even would have raised the shotgun up, but that's where the dog went so I followed her in. I'm gonna try again tomorrow morning I think. It definitely seemed like the kind of place grouse should be. I sure hope to get up north soon and get the dog into a higher population of birds.

It was the pups first time out, she seemed to hunt much closer than she has in the past, but most of our training has been in fields and not forests, I'm hoping she'll range out some more with age and experience.

-John

[FLDBRED]

John

Sounds like your GSP was adjusting her range according to the cover,good dogs will do that.Don't forget she is only 9 months old,the more you get her out, the more confidence she'll get! Sounds like you got a good one!

Good luck tomorrow,let us know how you make out.

[bauerline]

Thought I would just add to some of the pictures. I only had my phone with me and most of them didn't turn out too well. I took this one when the dogs stopped for a momment.
http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll24/bauerline/nittanyandblitzmichaux.jpg