Blue Grouse Hunting in Idaho

SeventhSon · Post by **SeventhSon** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:40 pm

Last Fall when I struck out Elk hunting I noticed that as I was walking the ridgelines I was kicking up quite a few Blue Grouse.
My brother-in-law and I went back the next day, only this time we were armed with trusty 12-gauge shotguns.
I got a couple of those guys, and unlike the Ruffed grouse I had shot before they were HUGE. Tasted really good too. They also didn't seem to be nearly as dumb as the Ruffed, who will sometimes just sit so still you could kill them with a rock.
Well this year I will be accompanied by my new English Setter and I hope to really enjoy the mountain tops.
Does anyone here hunt Blue Grouse and if so do you use a dog?
They seem to jump up so far ahead, I am unclear if the dog's nose will be of as much value as her retrieving ability.
In any case I can't wait for September.

Don · Post by **Don** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:28 pm

I haven't hunted Blue's since the early 70's. Love those bird's. Are you sure the dumb one's were Ruff's? Sound more like Franklin's. Their other name is Fool Hen's. Blue's can be that way too because they don't get a lot of exposure to people where they usually are found.

Anaconda Pintler · Post by **Anaconda Pintler** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:58 pm

He's right the ruff's are pretty stupid in the western mountains along with most of the forest birds the only reason to hunt them is they eat so well. Yes I use dogs on the birds and the do real well with a pointing dog, you will have some explosive flushes.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:47 pm

We train on blues quite a bit in the fall. One of our training areas is amazingly reliable for multiple broods of blues year after year. They will hold very well, and typical for grouse, flush in ones/twos/threes...great for steadying a dog up.

A couple years ago, we were out training in this area and came across my Stitch dog on point looking all crumpled up watching a blue walk around him. As I went to put that grouse up a big covey of quail busted from maybe 5 yards away then a single hun came out I swear from between his back legs. I don't remember if the blue ever did flush. Not sure how he got himself all mangled up amongst 'em like that.

I've shot a couple blues out hunting sharpies when we get up in some higher CRP and I shot one big lone male a couple years ago chukar hunting just south of Pocatello. It was just kind of a quick instinct shot then I felt bad after I shot the 'ol boy enjoying his life overlooking the Pocatello valley.

I've got a few odd ruffeds through the years crossing some of the brushy draws of HellsCanyon hunting chukars. They get some pressure there and I think behave more like what I hear the back east grouse do. Usually you just hear the flush, maybe get a shot through some brush.

I've seen 'em all, blues/ruffeds/spruce, walk around just begging to get beaned with a stick or rock. A hunting buddy many years ago elk hunting did smack one, I think a ruff, with a stick. Laid it down next to him along with his binoculars. That grouse came to and went flapping across the meadow dragging the binoculars with it!!! Pretty funny. I can't remember if it got away - I remember eating grouse for dinner. Mmmm,
Best eatin' birds hands down anywhere but in elk camp 12 horseback miles into the wilderness....wow, can't be beat!!

This hunting forum is my favorite and glad to see some off season action to stir the memories!!

RSNK61 · Post by **RSNK61** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:00 am

Every year we would take a day off from elk hunting and hunt Blues/ruffs. We used to say time to go gooney bird hunting. I bought a little O/U 22-410 just for those guys. They just stand around and let you pick off each one, great eating birds. This was long before I had a dog and haven't been back to ID to try hunting them with a dog.

Flush · Post by **Flush** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:59 am

I hunt Blues every year with dogs (typically E. setters as a matter of fact). They certainly can be pointed, although they can be spooky too, even in remote areas.

I'm from the Northeast and grew up around ruffed grouse back there which are usually very spooky devils. It is funny how in the West they can be very tame/dumb. I'm sure it's just hunting pressure more than anything else. Not all forest grouse in the west are sitting ducks for a pointing dog either. Interestingly I too have found the Blues to be a little more flighty than the Ruffs, something those Eastern guys just can't believe.

One thing that is very noticable is that having a dog really changes the nature of the birds. Most people in the West see blues and ruffs while hiking or big game hunting without a dog. When you go after them with a dog, they seem to really recognize the dog as a predator and are a lot more spooky. Overall it's a lot of fun and good eating, and the scenery can't be beat

Is it september yet?

AceofSpades41 · Post by **AceofSpades41** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:02 am

Flush to answer your last question don't I wish.....

JakeDD · Post by **JakeDD** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 11:51 am

Anyone have pics of a blue grouse along side a ruffie for comparison? Being a MN native, I've never seen them before. We have some spruce grouse, but no blues or sage grouse (those things are HUGE). From what I can find, blues run 2x the size of ruffies? Does the .410 knock 'em down ok on that O/U?

RSNK61 · Post by **RSNK61** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:53 pm

I t has been a long, long time ago when I hunted them. We would actually walk to within 20ft or so and pick them off with a .22 and if any of them flushed you could get them with the 410 and at close range never had a problem knocking them down. I am not so sure if they will let you get that close any more may be a lot more pressure on them now. Most of my hunting was at shotgun valley in Island Park

Pryor Creek Okie · Post by **Pryor Creek Okie** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:22 pm

I used to hunt blue grouse in Colorado in the early '90s. They are some of the better eating birds I've ever eaten, but they were pretty dumb.

Silver Sage Kennels · Post by **Silver Sage Kennels** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:12 pm

RSNK61 wrote:I t has been a long, long time ago when I hunted them. We would actually walk to within 20ft or so and pick them off with a .22 and if any of them flushed you could get them with the 410 and at close range never had a problem knocking them down. I am not so sure if they will let you get that close any more may be a lot more pressure on them now. Most of my hunting was at shotgun valley in Island Park

Where is shoutgun valley?

SeventhSon · Post by **SeventhSon** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:49 am

JakeDD wrote:Anyone have pics of a blue grouse along side a ruffie for comparison? Being a MN native, I've never seen them before.

I couldn't find any side-by-side (no pun intended) comparisons, but I would say that the Blues I saw last Fall were at least twice the size of any Ruffed I've seen. They were big-boys.
And to be fair with the Ruffed, most of my experience with them has been on backpacking trips in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness where there is almost zero pressure.

RSNK61 · Post by **RSNK61** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:52 am

It is to the west of Island Park I believe it is the Old Kilgore rd. I remember a gas station on the east side of 20 and we turned west there. Used to do a lot of elk hunting there in the late 70s early 80s so it has been awhile

Silver Sage are you out of Shelley? My folks live there and I may have to go by and check out your Kennel.

AceofSpades41 · Post by **AceofSpades41** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:55 am

Here you go folks

Ruffed Grouse

Blue Grouse

SeventhSon · Post by **SeventhSon** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:10 am

Now I'm hungry...

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:54 pm

A friend of mine sent me this pic that shows a couple blues and a couple ruffs. Looks like he had a pretty good day! Pretty sure that's Idaho but the SxS throws me...most Idaho pics would have a Model 12 pump with a shortened barrel and a sling. Maybe it's just the crowd I hang out with...

JakeDD · Post by **JakeDD** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 9:32 am

DG - Perfect! That's what I wanted to see. Thanks for posting that pic - looks like a good day, indeed. They sure are a lot bigger thank ruffs.

Flush · Post by **Flush** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:04 am

Thats a very good picture to show the two species together. I have a picture of both a blue and ruffie in the same frame taken in Utah last year, but it really didn't show the difference very well.

There is a pretty big variation in blue grouse themselves. A big adult male is MUCH bigger than a young of the year female for example. A mature cock Blue grouse is a large bird indeed.

You guys that live in places that have both species are lucky. Here in Colorado we only have Blues. Across the border in Utah however you can find both, sometimes in extremely close proximity to one another.

-Flush

Luke's Guide · Post by **Luke's Guide** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:01 pm

This thread is making me homesick and wanting to move back to Utah. One of the best meals I ever had was fresh ruffed grouse with fresh brown trout one fine autumn evening.

I had been archery elk hunting and jumped about 8-10 ruffed and a few blues. The one blue came right out from between my legs as I was leaning against a tree glassing a draw. My heart just about leaped out of my chest.

I went back later with a different weapon and evened the score.

Post by **pear** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 9:13 pm

Doug, Fine looking SXS!!! What brand? ..."pear"

gonehuntin' · Post by **gonehuntin'** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:48 am

RSNK61 wrote:It is to the west of Island Park I believe it is the Old Kilgore rd. I remember a gas station on the east side of 20 and we turned west there. Used to do a lot of elk hunting there in the late 70s early 80s so it has been awhile

Silver Sage are you out of Shelley? My folks live there and I may have to go by and check out your Kennel.

You wouldn't believe the people out there now. It's unbelievably built up. The developers have totally ruined that part of Idaho.

SeventhSon · Post by **SeventhSon** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:30 am

Luke's Guide wrote: One of the best meals I ever had was fresh ruffed grouse with fresh brown trout one fine autumn evening.

Now that's my kind of evening!

RSNK61 · Post by **RSNK61** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:48 am

gonehuntin' wrote:
RSNK61 wrote:It is to the west of Island Park I believe it is the Old Kilgore rd. I remember a gas station on the east side of 20 and we turned west there. Used to do a lot of elk hunting there in the late 70s early 80s so it has been awhile

Silver Sage are you out of Shelley? My folks live there and I may have to go by and check out your Kennel.
You wouldn't believe the people out there now. It's unbelievably built up. The developers have totally ruined that part of Idaho.

That figures ruin a great place for the all mighty dollar.

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:43 pm

Fine looking SXS!!! What brand? ..."pear"

I don't know. I think he's got a couple different ones. I'm an O/U guy...I think SxS's are for stagecoach drivers aren't they??

You wouldn't believe the people out there now. It's unbelievably built up.

Geez, pick a place - people everywhere. Chukar hunting is ridiculous nowadays with ATV's that people just cross country to places where their feet used to have to take 'em. If there's not a home or shopping mall there, there's somebody on an ATV there figurin' out how to put 'em there.

Silver Sage Kennels · Post by **Silver Sage Kennels** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:11 pm

RSNK61 wrote:
gonehuntin' wrote:
RSNK61 wrote:It is to the west of Island Park I believe it is the Old Kilgore rd. I remember a gas station on the east side of 20 and we turned west there. Used to do a lot of elk hunting there in the late 70s early 80s so it has been awhile

Silver Sage are you out of Shelley? My folks live there and I may have to go by and check out your Kennel.
You wouldn't believe the people out there now. It's unbelievably built up. The developers have totally ruined that part of Idaho.
That figures ruin a great place for the all mighty dollar.

Ya I live in Shelley. I think its a heck of a nice place to live but I was born and raised in Happy Valley and have no desire to return to Utah. If the developers have ruined this area I would hate to think what you think they have done to the Wasatch Front. I had 3 finds tonight in 45 min 2 pair of Huns and a Sharptail 5 minuets from my house. My buddies down south have to drive an hour to let a dog roll and they will have a hard time finding many wild birds.

Post by **pear** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:31 pm

I'm an O/U guy...I think SxS's are for stagecoach drivers aren't they??

I'm an O/U guy myself, but I'll have to say there is something truly romantic about the look and feel of a high grade nicely engraved SXS, I carry a soft place in my heart for them anyway. ...."pear"

DGFavor · Post by **DGFavor** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:35 pm

I had 3 finds tonight in 45 min 2 pair of Huns and a Sharptail 5 minuets from my house.

Gotcha beat Shelley boy. Ran dogs from the house tonight...1 pair of huns, 6 pheasants. Roosters are on a suicide pact right now or something...spring hormones.

Ya shoulda come with us Sunday for some sharpie fun down at my place plus a nice bunch of sage hens in the Double O Seven field. It's official, Bugsy has lost his mind to sharpie fever.

Sheesh, were there a few birds at the Howell Valley trial or what?? Sounded like they had sharptails flying everywhere in the puppy stake after we left. Still can't believe Sharptailhunter lost my dog...competition does that to guys I guess...sigh.

'm an O/U guy myself, but I'll have to say there is something truly romantic about the look and feel of a high grade nicely engraved SXS

Yah, they are fancy but they just aren't comfortable for me. Come on out to our Reg. 9 Am. SD championship last weekend in April - we'll have a nice DeHaan SxS 20ga. for the champion.

RSNK61 · Post by **RSNK61** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 7:33 am

You guys are making me homesick for the great state of ID I can't wait to get up there in July.

I might have to get some advice on fishing the Portnuff.

sharptailhunter · Post by **sharptailhunter** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:08 am

DGFavor wrote: Still can't believe Sharptailhunter lost my dog...competition does that to guys I guess...sigh.

Come on out to our Reg. 9 Am. SD championship last weekend in April - we'll have a nice DeHaan SxS 20ga. for the champion.

He still thinks that I lost the dog... I thought it was the handler who was suppose to handle the dog :roll:

Pear, that is a DeHaan that is pictured. The gun that we're giving away to the winner at the Reg. 9 Shooting dog Ch. is a DeHaan and it looks almost identicle to that one, except ours is a 20 ga. Come on out and you could very well take it home with ya

Silver Sage Kennels · Post by **Silver Sage Kennels** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 1:38 pm

Next time instead of telling everyone he was standing right where we last had him tell Doug he was our ripping birds and tearing up the real estate.