Idaho Forest Grouse Opener

[fishvik]

Got out by 7 am north of Idaho Falls looking for blues where I found them in abundance last year. We didn't flush a single bird. Hot and dry. Hung it up by 10 am. Habitat conditions were good(snowberry and chokecherry had fruit) but a real lack of grasshoppers and soil moisture was nonexistent. Guess I'll try doves on Thursday.

[Gordon Guy]

That's not a good sign... I'm heading out this weekend. Maybe they are lower or still closer to water/moisture, where the bugs might be. I hope you didn't jinx me.

[fishvik]

To add to the lack of forest grouse, we burned up 50 k acres of prime sharptail and huns habitat just east of IF within the last week( a very large chunk of the Tex Creek WMA). Looks like I may be headed to more chukar and quail habitats this year.

[Rik]

Same story on the West slope:
Spent opening day in the Southern Selkirks in WA looking for Forest Grouse. Dusty, dry,warm, lots of berries, but no bugs and no birds. Lots of cat sign and a couple of recent deer kills.

This morning we hunted at lower elevations along the creeks. Water as low as I've seen it. Pup found a few Ruffs along the creeks in really nasty brush, I heard but never saw them. Water appears to be the key to finding critters, the creek banks were covered with tracks.

[fishvik]

I went out yesterday and flushed 2 ruffs and a dusky pretty high on the slope, but no shots. Still to hot, dry and dusty for good scenting conditions. They keep saying it's going to rain this weekend but no sign yet. It's so dry the trees in my yard are chasing my male dog around.

[HUNTS]

Chased blue grouse here in SW MT on friday and sat. Not a single flush in some usually dependable areas. Ran into a bow hunter who said he saw zero birds as well. It has been very dry. Got rained out today and sunday. Doubt that will help. Bird numbers appear to be very low this year.

[Wyobio]

Finally got out here in Western Wyoming, found lots of birds. Oddly, as dry as it is, the birds were not down in the creek bottoms, but up in the mixed conifer/aspen patches. My younger wirehair is proving to be a fantastic pointer. She pointed and relocated without flushing multiple times. Her retrieving left much to be desired

Ended up with 3 ruffed and 2 blues (still call them blues, not dusky grouse). On our way out she pointed 5 more birds, all ruffed grouse.

got home and worked a bit on the force fetch. She will always find the birds and dispatch them if the are still kicking, but does not want to bring them to hand.

[Cicada]

Finally got out here in Western Wyoming, found lots of birds. Oddly, as dry as it is, the birds were not down in the creek bottoms, but up in the mixed conifer/aspen patches. My younger wirehair is proving to be a fantastic pointer. She pointed and relocated without flushing multiple times. Her retrieving left much to be desired

Ended up with 3 ruffed and 2 blues (still call them blues, not dusky grouse). On our way out she pointed 5 more birds, all ruffed grouse.

got home and worked a bit on the force fetch. She will always find the birds and dispatch them if the are still kicking, but does not want to bring them to hand.

Sounds like a great day.
My gsp pup does the same thing the one thing I have learned is not to say a word and try to hide some what, then he a least brings it out of the bush and shows me here it is now I will get you some more! The funny thing is he rarely does it with pheasants those it is right to hand and fast.

Looks like we are having a bumper crop of grouse here in the West Kootenays. Time to park the spey rod and warm up the 20gauge.

Grant