Grouse Hunting in the Southern Appalachians

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:51 pm

Just wandering if anybody who grouse hunts in TN., N.C., KY., W.VA., or VA. ever posts on here about their hunting season?

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:19 am

I guess not.

Max2 · Post by **Max2** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:48 am

I would post if we were in the states you mentioned. I think perhaps a lot of people still feel funny ( I guess) about posting. It's a forum. I myself love reading these threads & posting also. Myself and my little brown dog have had an awesome year here in NY this season so far. Can't wait for the deer season to end and we can get out again. Never have kept a log but I think when we start up again in a couple weeks I will start. I have been doing the woodcock & grouse log for the government but want to start a personal one of all the great spots we have found. I may not post some of my super secret spots though

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:24 pm

I hunt Eastern Ky. The last 2 times out I have moved 2 grouse each trip. The first hunt, I hunted with my 1 1/2 old female setter. She pointed 1 bird twice, I just didn't do my part. The second trip, I went with a older fellow. I hunted my 5 year old female setter. I know for sure we moved 2 grouse and 5 woodcock. When my dog would point, his would run and take the bird out. I don't know if he flushed some birds I didn't hear. The old fellow is invited back, but his GSP is not. I am going to try and go tomorrow afternoon. My wife wants to go, so it will be as easy of a hunt as I can make. I will post how I do latter.

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 3:35 pm

Thanks for posting birdbuster. As far hunting down here in East Tn. I believe their is more birds this year than the past few..will know alot more in the next few weeks. I have been going at it hard since the middle of October.

steamer · Post by **steamer** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:25 pm

so is there much public land down there in east tn and ky . i have never hunted down there but would like to . maybe a cast and blast in east tn some trout streams in the am and birds to finish the day. i have heard there are some places you dont want to go up in the apps boot leggers , pot farmers, and meth labs . what is a good way to stay out of this type of thing . are there any good outfitters down there?

Ryman Gun Dog · Post by **Ryman Gun Dog** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:21 pm

Ridgerunner,
Yes we use to talk about our WVa Grouse hunting quite a bit, however we do not hunt WVa as much any more, the Grouse population around Morgantown has dropped.
RGD/Dave

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 6:57 pm

We have a ton of public hunting. Mostly on strips that have been signed over to user agreements with the Ky Dept. of Fish & Wildlife. Our grouse population has taken a nose dive the last 3 years. The jury is still out for this season. Don't worry about boot leggers or pot farmers. People cooking meth are apt to be anywhere. Where I am at, there are no outfitters. Good luck this season.

steamer wrote:so is there much public land down there in east tn and ky . i have never hunted down there but would like to . maybe a cast and blast in east tn some trout streams in the am and birds to finish the day. i have heard there are some places you dont want to go up in the apps boot leggers , pot farmers, and meth labs . what is a good way to stay out of this type of thing . are there any good outfitters down there?

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Sun Dec 04, 2011 7:00 pm

Hunter for 2 hours this evening. It was hot, so got a late start. Had 2 points on woodcock and 1 wild flush on a grouse. My wife got to shoot at both woodcock. I managed to kill one of the woodcock.

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:39 pm

Hey Ridge,
You started this thread, how are you doing?

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:19 pm

Well after almost giving up grouse hunting ( I thought they were gone after 2008-2009 ) I decided to make it a honest go this year and just see if they were gone. I had hunted Jake ( my Llewllin ) sparringly the past couple of seasons with starting to miss it alot last Jan. He is 7 and I knew my window to find birds again was smaller than it had been so I got him back in shape ( and me ) and did some scouting and for whatever reason they are back! There is probably more birds this year than I've seen in 6-10 years. I have killed a few and my dad even got one the other day..which he didn't think he would ever do again. I bought a N.C. license and have found a couple of places over there ( I live near the state line ). I quit putting pressure on me and my dog and now when I go out I pick an area and if I move birds i write it down and I don't then I mark it off. I am gonna scout more in the spring to find more places and maybe in a year or 2 go back to Bob Bailey and get another pup. I'm so thankful they are back...the grouse is very special to me and to hunt them here in my mountains with my little setter is something that would break my heart if I ever truly had to give it up...I am hoping that the low numbers were just a natural low in the population and that they are back....

Max2 · Post by **Max2** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:47 am

Good stuff ! Back in the early 80's or late 70's I camped in the area I believe you may be speaking about. Sounds like it anyway. East Tenn / NC smokie mtns ? Just a beautiful area. Did some trout fishing . Sounds like you guy's are having fun. pretty soon the deer season will end here and with a change in tactics we will be out looking for grouse. Keep the thread going as you hunt more. I enjoy reading on how neighbors to the south do. Light snow here today and the ground is all white. Grouse numbers here seem pretty good also .

coachdoug87 · Post by **coachdoug87** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:33 pm

I live in Northeast Georgia. A lot of people don't know it, but we have mountains in the Northern part of the state. We used to have a pretty decent grouse
population, but it has really fallen off. We also have a good woodcock population during certain months, which nobody much even knows about. I have had a few people
say the grouse are back. I plan on finding out now that I am off for my Christmas break( I teach, so I get some time this time of year. I own a Lewellin Setter that I
drove to Kentucky to get 5 years ago. I got mine from Bob Bailey too. I would love to come up there and hunt some time, I just never got around to it. I agree with
all of you that it would be great if the grouse come back. I will tell you this, though. I will keep a bird dog of some kind even if I get down to nothing but killing released
quail. It beats nothing.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:30 pm

Took some vacation days this past week,coved alot of miles...PA numbers seem down alittle from last year...Young birds are hard to come by this season...I did get a few nice red/cinnamon phase this season...IMO Its seem to be more than normal in PA...Hope we get some snow real soon, noticed a couple of Great Horn Owl kills this mid season...The birds of prey are killing their share .
I want to make NY real soon..I never made it up to the Adirondacks...Did you ever hunt This area???What is the best time of the season???? I bet its pretty hard going in the late season.

Max2 · Post by **Max2** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:02 am

rschmeider wrote:I want to make NY real soon..I never made it up to the Adirondacks...Did you ever hunt This area???What is the best time of the season???? I bet its pretty hard going in the late season.

I used to be part of a camp up there and yes late season I think would be tuff up there. I did have a friend who would put on snow shoes and go with his beagles to hunt the white rabbit. The best time up there IMO is sept when the season opens. They get a lot of snow up there & winter comes early. There is not to much snow here now where we live and come wed we will be back out again. Tomorrow ends our deer season. You might want to check NYS land & WMA's in our state. Great place to find grouse.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:42 pm

coachdoug87 wrote:I live in Northeast Georgia. A lot of people don't know it, but we have mountains in the Northern part of the state. We used to have a pretty decent grouse
population, but it has really fallen off. We also have a good woodcock population during certain months, which nobody much even knows about. I have had a few people
say the grouse are back. .

I'm hearing good numbers in WV and South...I going on a hunt in VA this late season... My season done in PA after the third week in JAN...I have to go south to extend my season.. :roll:

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:20 pm

Here is a nice Red/Cinnamon phase i was talking about...It's getting mounted...I never seen so much detail in the fan and no black ..I find this phase more down southern PA..
Is this red phase more popular in the south ??? I never hunted below WV in the APPs.

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 7:33 pm

I cannot speak for the whole Appalachian range, but I have seen red or cinnamon colored grouse in the ones that have been harvested down thru the years and I have heard that those colors are found primarily in the Southern Appalachians..although I have no scientific proof...I guess things are just different down here huntin Dixie Grouse.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 7:50 pm

Dixie Grouse

Love it....I can't wait to come down and get some Flying Rebels

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:50 pm

Moved at least 1 grouse today. Had 3 points on the old rooster. Finally got him on the third. The first time he was pointed, Daisy and Chess both had him. The second time Daisy had him. I didn't even get close to the dogs before he blew out. The third time Chess had him. When he came up I shot and wing tiped him. Down he went with Chess in hot pursuit. He was only able to get about 3 feet high and down he could come again. Chess ran him about 75 yards down the mountain right into Daisy. Had another point from Chess with Daisy backing but didn't produce a bird. Good weather with good dog work equals a great day.

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 9:35 pm

Has everybody quit hunting the Mountains?

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 7:24 am

I haven't stopped....still going. I'm still moving a few birds, but getting a shot at them is hard. Most of my birds are being found in the laurels this season...although I haven't been in a few days..I've been sick.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:56 am

I'm still hanging... The Polar bear club would of been proud of me this past weekend with all the snow i took done the back ...Started to feel up my shoes from the in side out..It was rough...Winter wonderland made it tough shooting ,so i shot some pics....Hope you can find the white dog :mrgreen:No birds baged, still was a great day.

SHORTFAT · Post by **SHORTFAT** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 1:58 pm

rschmeider wrote:Hope you can find the white dog

like this one???

gotta love chasin birds in the snow! I would love to make a trip south sometime tho'...

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:05 pm

Hey, shortfat i know that river you are on..Hope to see you out someday....WV $26.00 for a 6 day tag...Forest Ranger from WV is getting a pup off me and said the birds are the best they been in along time...He does the Rd survey..I told him he gotta take me out...I took him out and he got a bird..

its his turn...Now i hope this snow holds off to i get down thier..Its not looking good ,but I got Ken Folk to see in WV/VA and i'm going..

.LOL

That is a nice looking pointer...I like the solid white the most.

mcclinj · Post by **mcclinj** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 6:56 pm

rschmeider,

I've been considering heading down to WV myself. I say we get the 3 of us together and make a western PA Gundog forum group trip down to WV. It's in until the end of Feb down there right? My pup and I are having a rough season here in the Laurel Highlands.

-John

mcclinj · Post by **mcclinj** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:28 pm

Here's a picture of Chloe ( on right) and my buddy's dog Zeke on a hunt last Saturday in Forbes State Forest in Westmoreland County PA.

-John

SHORTFAT · Post by **SHORTFAT** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:58 pm

Man, that would be great if I could! Can't do it this year 'cuz of work,

, that and I coach wrestling & we are in the middle of the season... but how bout we try to plan one for next year, just a little earlier? rschmeider, I'll send ya a pm...

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 6:11 am

Sounds good

I like to see them GSP's work...That male has awesome ticking....I'm pretty avid with Oakridge Pointing dog club..Those dogs Look like some of the same lines i am running...PMsent

4ShotB · Post by **4ShotB** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:09 pm

BirdBuster wrote:Has everybody quit hunting the Mountains?

ridgerunner, who started this thread hasn't...this gentleman was kind enough to take me this past Saturday. Talk about a sporting affair, the odds seemed to be stacked in the birds favor in a big way. The laurel thickets and difficult terrain made it as sporting as anything as I've encountered. I suppose hunting mountain goats with a pocket knife might be comparable but I'd hate to find out. Beautiful day, incredible scenery, great dog, fellowship with a true gentleman and a new pouch of chew...I've not had many days better than this one in all my years chasing game. We did move a bird or two but that's beside the point. Or the proverbial icing on the cake.

Vonrommel · Post by **Vonrommel** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:06 am

There are still a few of us out chasing the thunder chickens up in the corner of the state. Averaging about 1 bird per hour.

ridgerunner · Post by **ridgerunner** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 5:36 pm

I just want to say that I had a great time with 4shot this past weekend. The main thing I want to say is that this man has got ALOT of adventures to share. He has THRU-HIKED the A.T....and that in my book is an awesome feat. If anyone else invites this man to go hunting they will not be dissappointed.

volraider · Post by **volraider** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:00 pm

Hunted 3 days this week. Moved 4 Monday, 2 Tues, and 5 today. Seems to be a lot of 1st year birds around but I did see a giant tail fan today.

Royce · Post by **Royce** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:39 am

There seems to be more birds in North Georgia and North Carolina this year than the past several years. I know Mich. had a bumper crop this year. I just hope the count will continue to climb next year. I would like to give WV a try.

BirdBuster · Post by **BirdBuster** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:27 pm

Glad you guys are finding a few birds. The last 3 times out, I have moved 1 grouse. The last 2 times my buddy has been, he has moved 2. Birds have seemed to have increased North and South of Souteast Ky. Hope next year we are blessed.

maplewoodshelby · Post by **maplewoodshelby** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 7:04 am

Grouse numbers have really rebounded this year in WV. I have nearly doubled my flush rate from last year. I have been hitting a lot of new areas this year but on my familiar places I am typically moving 20 plus birds a hunt. Last year it was good to have 10 flushes a day. I hunt mostly southern WV but do venture up into the Mon National Forest when the conditions are good. Lots of birds up there but Beech hit heavy everywhere and has them spread out in that area. Hopefully we have another good htch year and have years like the late 90s

bwjohn · Post by **bwjohn** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:05 am

maple,

20 birds a day, that is a good day for anywhere.

are you in the coal fields of southern WV?

brandon

dougroch · Post by **dougroch** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:03 pm

I also hunt E. KY and prior to this year the bird population had really tanked but seems to be on the rise again. As it is the last week of the season I have been out twice in 4 days, the first was gunless with my 14 wk old brit pup and we had 6 flushes (5 different birds). Today, I went back into the same piece of cover with my dad's 10 yr old brit and we had 5 flushes, 3 or 4 different birds and bagged 1. This year has been really spotty, some of my hunting areas with superb cover that always has birds seemed to be bird-less this year and areas that appears past its prime for grouse habitat seems to be holding all the birds. Every bird I have killed in the last 5 years has always had a crop full of acorns so I have really started honing in on cover adjacent to a mature stand of oaks. I am hoping that the mild winter we have had in KY will further help the population and hoping for decent weather this spring to help the hatch.

AHGSP · Post by **AHGSP** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 8:15 pm

The season ended here today with a bit of a whimper, with the pouring rains all day, but all in all it was a great season! Here's to hoping for another banner hatch and chick recruitment next year!
A couple pix from the season:
Jake and Wyatt prior to the Oak Ridge Coverdog Trial

Jake with his 1st Grouse on his very 1st trip chasing them

Doodle with a brace of Doodles

Doodle with the 1st brace of Grouse of 2012

Doodle and another brace of 2012 birds

Doodle, Effie and good buddy John with a brace from this past Thursday

Doodle, Effie and John with another brace from Friday

January covers

Ghost and Sheds

RED Bird!

"Fanfare" LOL!

A parting shot

Prolly get out some more with the blank gun and maybe even try my hand with the camera in the woods, but for now, the long wait for next season begins.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:48 pm

I knew you where holding out on me

By the way can i get my old DC 20 back

Its under the hood of your truck, hooked it to your battery...I put it their when you were at the cover trial...Had plenty of time ,it took you awhile trying to find that dog with the tracker.Hint

That is a very nice Red(dixie) Bird,nice pics and Dogs!..I got a pup down their i want you to work with...Female

hega/hustler....We will all get together.

I heard woodcock are working their way back up the range..

Ryman Gun Dog · Post by **Ryman Gun Dog** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:25 pm

Bird Buster,
We have a tradition as Grouse hunters here in Pa that after the 1st follow up, and failure to take the Grouse, the Grouse hunter hunts a different Grouse. We do not do multipule follow ups on the same bird, the Grouse is granted its freedom if it beats you and your dog twice. In most places this is how traditional Grouse hunting is practiced. It is considered very bad sportsmanship here in our Pa mountains to violate it. It's all part of learning the sport.
RGD/Dave

JIM K · Post by **JIM K** » Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:44 pm

dave, you are sportsman,for sure.
i just lost a buddy that hunted with me.
i said,NO SHOOTING OF PHEASANT ON GROUND.
WELL HE DID AND I SAID GOODBYE.

Ryman Gun Dog · Post by **Ryman Gun Dog** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:22 am

Sproulman,
Come hunt with us in Potter County this next season, you are welcome any time.

AH GSP,
Beautiful pictures sir, congrats on a fine Grouse hunt, now you need to get rid of that stack BBl gun, get out of the dark side son,
and Grouse hunt with a fine old SXS double gun. I love good GSP gun dogs, owned a few myself, down thru the years, congrats on owning a fine pair.

RGD/Dave

Pine Creek Rosie, A Real German Shorthair from Germany, lived 18 years in the Pa mountains, at age 18 she pointed
a Grouse limit on the snow cover mountain in Somerset County, Pa and passed away later in January just before her 19th birthday.
A world class Gun Dog, who helped train puppies till the day she passed away. Owning Rosie was a blessing form God.
AH the Grouse Tails in Rosies Shadow Box are from just outside of Morgantown, WV, taken from the day she set and retrieved two WV Grouse limits for 2 different men, on the Grear Mountains, 8 Grouse in 3 1/2 hours is serious Grouse dog work, she was that kind of GSP. I hope your GSP gun dogs make you as happy as Rosie made me.

Her 4th Grouse trail is attached to her mounted Grouse, and it sits just under her Shadow Box in our log cabin mountain home.

rschmeider · Post by **rschmeider** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:34 pm

WoW....18 years ..I hope my boys make it that long and point birds....Nice job on the shadow box..You were a lucky man to have her
and any dog would be lucky to have you for a handler/owner.

northern cajun · Post by **northern cajun** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:09 pm

rschmeider wrote:Here is a nice Red/Cinnamon phase i was talking about...It's getting mounted...I never seen so much detail in the fan and no black ..I find this phase more down southern PA..
Is this red phase more popular in the south ??? I never hunted below WV in the APPs.

that fan is COOL!

maplewoodshelby · Post by **maplewoodshelby** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:54 pm

sorry just getting back to this discussion. Yes Southern Wv mostly old strips and some clearcut areas

Ryman Gun Dog · Post by **Ryman Gun Dog** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:35 pm

rschmeider,
Thank you sir for the kind words about my Rosie, she was the exception to every rule, and I still miss her very badly, even with 6 other dogs. I will probably never own another German Shorthair, everytime I see one in the woods my heart jumps, she was with me that long. I spread her ashes in her favorite covert in Somerset County under a giant Grape Vine, where her Grouse have lived from before I was ever born. When she passed over it was like loosing part of me, and I have owned a lot of gun dogs down thru the years.
It was a blessing to own her.
RGD/Dave