Grouse hunters Journal

[tybo]

Matt,

Good for you!! I did that on my first day in Montana last year. Without a doubt onr of my best days as well. It's quite a bit easier to do there though if you are in the right area. Keep afterthem and keep posting the good news. No matter how much it makes me jealous I still like reading about it.

[R. Miller]

Okay I'm jealous too...wish it wasn't such a hike up there for me...congrats on the tri!

[Matt Breuer]

Thanks guys, it was a blasty! Here's a pic to remind me of the day...

Tye, you should put up those snowshoe pics! The one of the feet is pretty cool! They sure are easy targets right now, aren't they? We must've seen 20 of them over the weekend, all bright white on the dark brown ground. Tasty little buggers!

[muc33]

nice pic Matt

[CANOPY SAM]

What a cool pic, Matt. I was tied up with family and honey do list all weekend. Glad to hear you had a great weekend.

We'll connect yet sometime in the next month.

[fishface]

I'm done.

Went out yesterday never saw a single bird.

Was out in the same areas about three weeks ago saw 6 to 8, (couple where probably double jumpers). Tried Alder swamps pine/spruce groves all near aspen.

Where'd they go?

I don't have snow shoes, They would have been helpfull snow was 10 to 12" deep

[atvlaska]

in the trees in the creek bottems down there.....snow deep and cold?..they dig down in the snow and sleep ..kinda snow cave... if u find thats the case.....a sleet/ice storm comes along/real cold they will get "frozen in" and its time to hunt fox'es etc... as they find them or they fine there maker...

[fishface]

Man, I checked everywhere. We had snow sleet/rain and more snow there wasn't much of a crust. Ya think they died in that little a storm? I only saw sign from one bird. Saw a bunch of turkys. How's the weather up there? They say what you have is comming our way.

[Matt Breuer]

What was the temp? They will stay in roost or burrowed for a long time if it's uber-cold!

My last time out was a cold one, but calm and sunny. Shot one bird who was picking away at buds with such intensity that he wouldn't flush. Only saw 1 other set of tracks, and no other birds.

It was a great season, as I hit my goal on both ruffies and sharpies!

[slyer]

i shot 2 yesterday with 1 of them getting mounted, i couldn't clean it because it was so beautiful. i saw him all puffed out and he has about 2 inches of black around his neck cool looking thing, he sure was strutting around and didn't even care i was there. i think he was trying to get the attention of the other bird i shot. not going to get a bird any later in the season than these 2. funny thing is i got a triple in the same spot about 2 weeks ago and it wasn't even in grouse country i was phesant hunting in the buckman area.

[DanH]

Took the snowshoes out just after xmas. Flushed 6. Got 1.

When the weather turned cold they really disappeared.

[life=outdoors92]

nothing like snow birds in the north country and great picture! i went up the weekend after opener to do some pre duck huntin stuff, and saw so many birds just walkin roads and light trails. i decided to finally get back up there every weekend in october. could've easily had a possession each weekend but having a bad shot and not shootin them off the ground is wut i do . got at least 5 to 6 every weekend. finally good to see so many this year. didn't go 10 minutes without seein one, and thats not a lie. its good to have a big family who loves to eat them too

[Pinusbanksiana]

shot a lot this year, went through about 7 boxes of 20 ga. shells chasing grouse and woodcock. Funny how they don't last long in our freezer! I think I only have a few left. Didn't even deer hunt this year, hunted grouse straight through.