Hi Rob. I hear your frustration. I was the same when I started Blue
Grouse hunting. I didn't even know what one looked like before I
started so I bought that bird ID book). Still had know idea what I was
in store for. You should be happy you got two. These pics come with a
lot of field experience behind them.
So, I am sharing what I know with you and others if they wish to read. Sorry it's so long, been picking at it for a few hours.
Yes, they usually offer the class which covers ptarmigan, sharptails, and sage grouse all in one session.
They just had one here in the Denver Area last week I think.
Doesn't really tell you were to find them, only their habits throughout the season.
The rest I learned from walking a lot, like you.
The fact you stated you "only" got two, I assume you got them one at a time.
Tells me you are going after the males, which are typically higher than the family broods early season.
Nothing wrong with that. I just prefer to shoot more than 1 at a time
The broods are now hanging between 8000 to 9000 feet. Last weekend I jumped a family of about 8, harvested 4.
This
goes against my 2/3's rule, but I was wrong. I looked into it further
and you only need to leave really two (assuming 1 male, one female).
But
leaving a few more is a good idea IMO due to fallout and weather kill
and such. Weekend before we flushed 1 brood of 10 and 1 brood of 7.
Elevation counts but so does the terrain in the general area.
At this time of year (soon to change in the next weekend or two) I hunt in the Aspen/Dark timber interface areas.
I tend to hunt gully areas with trees up the middle, but open space (like sage brush) on the sides.
I start at the bottom and walk to the top
if I can, but have gone from top to bottom. I mean we're usually
talking 1200+ vertical feet, off trail. Over fallen logs, quicksand,
through dense brush. Last weekend it took me 5 minutes to make a step
across a stream so much stuff in the way, (mainly because I didn't want
to drop my gun in the muck).
Plus zigzagging while looking for water/terrain, well you get the picture.
I look for a trickle of water and follow it. Then I run into nice green grass, berries, and grasshoppers everywhere.
I walk in that micro-climate area(s) and adjacent areas similar looking.
I also look for drop offs with grass and/or bushy trees for them to hide under.
Islands of Aspen in a nice field next to vegetation/bugs are good.
I usually start hunting them around 9 AM. They should have fed and then walked back up to the cover (that was in the course).
I look for them in the shadows next to open spaces so they can easily fly down hill when threatened.
Now,
i can get a feeling of "ooo, this looks like a good spot". Then I
watch my doggie get birdie. They tend to move around a lot, so if the
dog isn't birdie after a while I go somewhere else. I mean the dogs
get birdie for 10 minutes sometimes before you find them.
But,
there is a lot of walking, not a lot of shooting. I use my 6 pound SxS
which helps in the travels. I also carry plenty of water for the dogs
and a hydro pack for myself. Can't count on running into water but
usually do. Dogs love to wallow on the water and/or mud. Plus a GPS
and compass, standard back-country tools.
If I were you, since you live somewhat in the area, I would hunt the
Uncompahgre Plateau.
I've
heard good things about it. Never hunted it because it's a 6 hour
drive for me whereas I can drive 2-3 hours and find them.
I would also be hunting Chukar if I were you.
Later in the year I will move up to 10,000 to 11,000 feet (like end of September).
Hunt strictly dark timber but areas that have been logged (again open areas plus fire roads).
No
bugs that time of year but plenty of berries, so the trickle of water
still does apply. They also eat green broad leave plants. Can learn a
lot when you clean them and look for what they have been munching on.
As an aside, they tend to hold real tight. So, a good pointing lab will point them.
As
for bow hunters, I find we actually work well together. I'm not out
there until most of them have stopped hunting, and I stop well before
sunset.
They are also usually a good source of where they have seen
some grouse (although I wouldn't walk 5 miles to get there, I mean they
there have to be closer Broods). We actually help bow hunters during
the day. I scared up these two big mule buck's last hunt, that was
pretty. They were around 50 yards away when they jumped. The bucks
wouldn't have moved if I didn't come along. So, some bow hunter now
has a chance in the middle of the day.
Well, hope this helps. Post some pics of all those birds you get.
Want to talk, give me a call.
To summarize:
The scenery, the crisp air, the smells, the dog work and the thrill of the hunt make all this work inconsequential.
Eating your lunch with your dog on the top of a small mountain (like 10,000 feet above sea level) looking
at snow covered ranges 50 miles away and observing the curvature of the
earth through clouds over the horizon is a religious experience (especially since you just climbed up the darn thing). And
of course finding those birds just tops it off.
Really, blue grouse hunting is great otherwise I would not do it.
Vic