Here's a couple video's from last fall at my camp when Dubs came up. The bear hunting sucked that week, but we were able to kill a few grouse on film. Unfortunately, the best video Dusto deleted!!!! These are unedited and the sound isn't turned up too high on the mic. So, you may have to turn it up a bit. Brad....you'll see our birds aren't real wary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa4jejXRiw8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDKll-ArPVI
That's awesome. I got one with my bow last year that walked in front of my ground blind, missed one this year, even more fun than hunting them with a shotgun IMO.
That;s good stuff. Usually, when I see a grouse, they scare the crap outta me (we hardly ever see one, here), flying off. How prevalent are they, there? How many would you see if you went out just hunting them (on avg)?
The last few years we've had extremely wet springs and summers, killing the hatches. When the cycle is up, you can get a limit of 5 in probably 25-30 minutes with a bow and about an hour with a slingshot. Shotguns are for cheaters up there. I've seen as many as 50 on the trails when baiting bears. But, we're a few dry years from seeing that again.
They scare the crap out of me every gun deer season up North. Danno is the cycle like on the up every 8-10 years? I thought I had read that somewhere in a magazine.
But, as Dan and I discussed in the other thread. Come to Park Falls, WI or the Nicolet National Forest (east of three lakes), WI and you will be lucky to get one or two a day while breaking brush all day. You will get between 10-25 flushes a day. We had 4 guys last year for 5 days, averaging 3 miles of brush breaking per day and we took home 9 birds total. We probably had 70 flushes. Don't let anyone kid you Jeff. If you come to NE Wisconsin they make you laugh at yourself.
10 years is the typical cycle. The last peak was 2007(ish). We are starting to get to the bottom now.
Our cycle up there is weather dependent. If its dry, they'll have good broods. If not, they're screwed.
Watched the videos Dan. Awesome. I've hardly ever saw a Grouse in that open of an area. Amazing. You know how it is in Wisconsin. They are in the thick thick thick stuff. I would love to come to an area like that and smoke some grouse. It would be revenge for all the ones I've missed. One of my life goals is to take a grouse with a bow (around here). God I love grouse.
Dan I notice Dubbs was using a broad head for his shot's ,did he retrieve any of his arrows?? I use blunts and always have one in my Quiver just for that reason. Be an expensive bird for every arrow lost huh! The blunts grab the ground or grass and don't go far. That 1st video you could hear the richochet after the hit. Just a question, our grouse up here usually run a 7 year cycle. Thanks for the video. Rocky
He and I didn't have any judo points with us. We borrowed one from my buddy that was up there and he lost it on the first shot. Shot uphill, and ripped a bunch of feathers off the bird, but lost the arrow. The other 3 he shot with a dull Grizztrick. Never lost any of those arrows. So, yes, we usually use judo points or blunts.
I have just as much fun trying to get pics of them strutting in the springtime as I do hunting them. They truly are a beautiful bird. Many people don't know they actually strut just like a turkey. Here's a few strutting pics I've taken over the past couple years.
