It looks like I will have the opportunity to hunt ruffed grouse sometime this fall. Any pointers from the peanut gallery? Time of day, general strategy, etc.?
Typically they'll sit in trees until the grass drys off a bit, no need to be in the woods @ the crack of dawn. The caveat to that would be if you have access to private land with trails, they'll head for the trails earlier because they dry quicker.
Put in the most open choke you have available, Skeet or Cyl. Draw a line ahead of them going through the trees and shoot there, don't worry about branches etc, the pellets will get through.
Win AA Super Sporting Clays or Remington STS 7.5 or 8 shot is typically what I shoot at them. Doesn't take much to knock them down and the good target loads pattern better than the cheapo stuff.
You'll be surprised how quickly your Cocker adapts. If you find him ranging a bit too far, stop, step behind a tree and make him find you, 2-3 times tops and he'll stay lots closer.
Assuming dogs, I don't shoot them on the ground. Anything after the ground however is fair game and I'm not ashamed to admit that I'll shoot them out of a tree every chance I get. They're too darned tasty to leave to chance.
Like any other upland game bird, edges typically hold the most game. Edges of a trail, edges where woods transition to grass, crops, or sloughs. The wet transition areas are also where you'll find Woodcock (Timberdoodles, not the other thing). Oak ridges can hold a lot of birds but oftentimes the undergrowth is so thick that its a real pain to try to hunt them without a trail. If you do hunt oaks, expect birds near any bigger mature trees as typically it's cleared out a bit around them and creates an "edge".
Do you hunt them in ND?
I like to walk slow and stop often. They will chirp and dance back and forth when nervous. Look under the brush and whack them on the ground. I'll leave the dog home 90% of the time on ruffs.
Hey Capt, everyone above covered it well. Only thing I have to add is maybe think about getting one mounted or at least save the tail fan. They are one gorgeous bird! Here is a pic of one from this morning, I had already shot my limit of 15 grouse so I could only shoot him with my camera.
Hey Capt, everyone above covered it well. Only thing I have to add is maybe think about getting one mounted or at least save the tail fan. They are one gorgeous bird! Here is a pic of one from this morning, I had already shot my limit of 15 grouse so I could only shoot him with my camera.
I have a real honest question- are they really that skittish of birds? We have a few in the Black Hills and they are dumber than a box of rocks. I have had to chase them to get them to fly. Stop beside them on the mountain bike and watch them walk through the aspens like I wasn't there. I've always heard they are a tough hunt, which would be the case here as locating them would be tough in itself.
it is going to be a good year already bought my mn license. the reports I have gotten is they are at the peak cycle, I have had the best luck around swampy areas