Morning or evenings better for grouse hunting

[tacklejunkie]

I just go whenever but I have a new dog and this will be his first year and would like to maximize his bird chances.

Would one be more likely to see more grouse in the morning or late evening?

[TylerS]

In general, I tend to have better/more bird encounters in the morning. Depends a lot on the day's weather, though. If it's raining all morning and the sun comes out in the afternoon, evenings tend to be better. And vice-versa.

[Gordie]

I would have to say that late mornings is when I have had my best luck for grouse.

Like after the heavy dew settles and the sun starts to dry things out they tend to get more active or at least thats what I have noticed.

[CANOPY SAM]

I'd whole-heartedly go along with both Tyler and Gordie. One can often find ruffed grouse, and spruce grouse alongside gravel roads early in the morning, filling their "crops" with sand and gravel, before or during feeding.

Seems like the best bird movements occur quite early in the morning. They're feeding, milling around, and can often be found doing this in pairs or groups. Seems like they really enjoy the morning sun. Suppose, after a chilly night roosted in the trees, that morning sun feels awfully good on those frosty feathers!

Sharptails often fly between feeding and roosting locations quite early in the morning. I've witnessed masses of sharptails moving this way while sitting in the duck/goose blind. Even popped a bonus grouse or two if they flew a bit too close!

Much like waterfowl, sharptailed grouse also move like this again in the evening...moving "back out" to feed an hour or so before dark.

Nothing like an early morning walk in the woods, late in the fall, sniffing around for a big mature ruffed grouse. Eerily quiet, air crisp with the coming winter, suddenly a bird explodes from cover just below your feet...and you fill your pants before the gun even reaches your shoulder!

[CANOPY SAM]

There it is again Tyler and Gordie...both of you 2009 King of Cats Champions?

I can't recall for sure, but maybe you explained this to me in the past? Two different bodies of water? Two different rivers? Were you a team together? Or are you both "claiming" the championship? Har har har...

[life=outdoors92]

I just go whenever but I have a new dog and this will be his first year and would like to maximize his bird chances.

Would one be more likely to see more grouse in the morning or late evening?

i like morning the best. seems as the season goes by and the colder temps drop more plants, they tend to get out earlier to get to the gravel and food before other critters and birds show up. early on is great for evening, no doubt. but if i had a "perfect" hunting conditions and had to chose morning or evening, i would go morning hands down. i find that in the evening, they are more getting set to hit the roost and aren't spread out as much (you may find more coveys in the evening as a result...), so make sure you pay extra attention while covering ground near the roost. look for the balsams or any thick pines near edges and roads/trails because bets are that's where they will be.

[TylerS]

There it is again Tyler and Gordie...both of you 2009 King of Cats Champions?

I can't recall for sure, but maybe you explained this to me in the past? Two different bodies of water? Two different rivers? Were you a team together? Or are you both "claiming" the championship? Har har har...

Well, I'm pretty sure we were on different bodies of water (I fished the Red), but to be named King of the Kats you just had to place in the Top 5. I'm pretty sure I was el numero uno, however -- correct me if I'm wrong, Gordie

[reinhard1]

morning i guess if i had to make a choice. we hunted all day long years ago. heck we have had great luck in mid day. of course we were in the thick of it and not on roads and trails then. logging roads and trails were good for mornings and evenings on avererage. i still like walking in the woods so i realy dont care what time it is when i get a chance to hunt during the day. good luck.

[Harmonica Bear]

I like the mornings as well. I think the birds are more calm and relaxed. In the places I hunt most times, by the end of the day the birds have probably been moved once or twice already and seem to be a bit more jumpy. Just my observation.

[Matt Breuer]

I prefer evenings. That last hour of daylight is a crop-filling bonanza, and birds are filling up before roost. Then again, I've had some dang good hunting early in the morning too. Noon is also great, as they make an afternoon jaunt it seems, and most hunters have gone in for lunch...

Any time. Any time.

[setterguy]

I'm with Matt. I've always done better from about 3 to dusk. Mornings are fun but for whatever reason I have had better dog work in the afternoon. Maybe they have laid down more scent being on the ground all day or something...There's no birds this year anyway, everyone should go pheasant hunting.

[TylerS]

There's no birds this year anyway, everyone should go pheasant hunting.

Amen! Everyone go and chase ditch parrots! I'll take one for the team and hunt the second week of October for ruffs, anyway. You know, so at least someone is out in the woods keeping an eye on things

[Shane Z]

I'd have to agree with Gordie on this one-

I feel like high traffic roads and people that get out really early often keep the birds in the woods a little later than normal. I mean how many times have you encountered a large group of hunters going past you before the sun hits the roads, and then 15-20 minutes later you walk the same trail and see grouse?

I have found that evenings can be just as good, sspecially if there are strong winds during the day. I have one belief that grouse are ALOT more skiddish and less likley to sit on a road during a windy day due to their in ability to hear down wind of them. Then again...maybe I'm just going crazy

[Feathers Rainin]

It depends on the type of woods you are hunting, the time of the season, and the weather that day. Lots of factors go into those little buggers habits, weather being the biggest factor IMO.

The best bet to get your dog on birds is to go out when it gets calm and sunny expecially after it has been really windy or really cold for a few days. They come out to bask in the sun and feed. Grouse don't move much in big winds, same as pheasants.

Time of day doesn't seem to matter as long as the weather is in your favor. Find that young popple and you will find grouse. Location location location!

[cribbageboy]

I gotta agree with a lot of you guys. The biggest factor that effects grouse patterns has got to be weather.

Windy days; hit the spruce groves hard! Especially if they butt up to young aspen stands.

Clear skies after a chilly evening; dynamite for old logging roads. These are the mornings they love to sun themselves/pick gravel. Personally these are my favorite days to hunt. Yes, the mornings can be cold, but its nice to be able to stay out of the deep woods, and still see birds.

Overcast/rainy days; Oil the boots and hit the alder swamps. Don't know why, but when its nasty out, ruffies seem to go to the nastiest areas.

Disclamer: All the above is my opinion and is in no way a statement of fact.