Return the favor!

[roughbird63]

Hi all. Thanks for the info. This site says to help out others, well, I am all for that! But, how can an ol' Ky. boy help out you northerners? Here is the only way I know how at present.Your bird seasons are out, our grouse season does'nt end until the last day of Feb.Would it feasable for any of you to come here and hunt the few birds we have? Not really! But, if you want to keep your dogs tuned and toned, expand your lung capacity,and add inches to your calfs, come on down and I will take you hunting!A seasons reprt from here so far, I have hunted 8-10 times this year, flushed 10-12 grouse,shot 3times and killed 2 grouse.That sounds discouraging, but, Feb. is our best month. We have'nt had any cold and nasty weather yet. When we get some nasty weather the grouse will move to the brushy areas we hunt. Too many open woods here to even try and hunt grouse there, so just edge hunting now.I hunt 2 hours south of me near the Va. border and on good years have had 25 flushes a day. Last year I only went there once and got 18 flushes.It has been said that we have so few grouse that we don't even notice or have the infamous "cycle"! But, I know we do! And, it seems it is on schedule with yours up north. The early 90's were excellent years here!Anyway, just trying to help. I will keep you updated on our progress. Oh, another reason Feb. is the best month, by the time Feb. rolls around most hunters are tired of too many"no flush" days and quit hunting! Bless their hearts! The days are longer in Feb., you can hunt almost till 7:00 before dark, the grouse are low in the hollows which equals less climbing.Also, they have been shot at, and down here that means they hold tighter! Anyway,get in touch if interested! Always, Dale

[CAJ]

Hi there. Have you ever tried NE Montan for Sharptail Grouse? We havew a very large open country here, that you can see for miles on the open plains. There are a lot of guys that come here from your country every year to chase them. Hunting acsess is very easy to get without paying an arm and a leg to get it. We are getting a very good population of Pheasants also. You should consider looking this way to. CAJ

[roughbird63]

Hi CAJ!Thanks for the info! I have been to NW Montana twice.Many ruffed grouse there, and in coveys too! But, they are not like our grouse here. Example:The first time there and the first birds we put up, my hunting buddy's and my setter were both on point, 14 birds flushed up.We got 3, most of the rest just fluttered head high in the bushes, we threw sticks, and still some just sat there.Being sportsmen, in a 2 week period we killed 34, all on the wing, all behind a point.In all seriousness, we probably could have killed 300, if we killed all on the ground and in the tree's.We found it really hard to shoot at a bird that was just fluttering up in a tree, so we did'nt.It was tough on our dogs too, I suppose they thought we should be shooting.We had never seen grouse act that way. In my 30 years of grouse hunting here, I have never seen a bird do that! Anyway, I have never hunted sharptail, or sage grouse.I would'nt even know where to start to look for those birds. I have done some quail and pheasant hunting in Neb. and Ks.I like that very much, lots of pointing, lots of shooting, no hills to climb.The bizzard of 76 took care of our bobwhite population here so I cut my teeth on ruffed grouse hunting. Yup, guess you could say I am a glutton for punishment,but fun and fulfilling punishment. I would like to try those sharptail sometime, and a sage grouse.I hear when a sage grouse comes up he will fly up to 2 miles! WOW, thats alot of walking!So, what is the job outlook like in your area for an ol' broke down flooring installer/soldier?