Grouse?

[Gill-T]

Mild winters......should be more birds. Scratchin' my head lately. Four trips for a total of maybe 15 hours of walking for a grand total of two flushes.......WTF. My dog has taken to chasing deer due to lack of action

[Gill-T]

Anyone have a lead on some birds on state land?

[Miss em]

Doesn't seem to be as good of numbers in my usual spots in Central New York either.

[seasquirrel]

Hawks, owls, skunks, raccoons, possum, coyotes, etc put a hurting on the grouse around our area. I wont even hunt them as I feel guilty taking one around my area. I grew up grouse hunting on the farm and they were plentiful. Rare to see a flush anymore

[BLOCKHEAD]

Empty covers. Did ok on woodcock early. Paying$ for gas and i felt i was doing more harm than good.

[lavarock64]

I have not gone enough to make a true comparison from year's back.

The first outing we busted a group of 4-5 birds, another area that usually produces was a bust. Yesterday we had one of the best days I've ever had. I lost count of the # of flushes (some of the birds we bumped multiple times). We hunting the Finger Lakes area.

Food sources change over the year's and over the seasons. Areas we hunted 15 year's ago have grown up and no longer hold birds. Find the food - find the birds. We were hunting transition areas, areas that had been heavily logged 8 year's ago(lots of small beech / aspens), brush lots with lots of multi floral rose / fox grapes. We only hunt on calm wind days and snow cover is prefered. Yesterday we hit it just right before the midafternoon front rolled through.

Good Luck-

[BLOCKHEAD]

Outstanding, I've been fishing instead. Hopefully I get out before it closes. Dogs are miserable.

[lavarock64]

I have not gone enough to make a true comparison from year's back.

The first outing we busted a group of 4-5 birds, another area that usually produces was a bust. Yesterday we had one of the best days I've ever had. I lost count of the # of flushes (some of the birds we bumped multiple times). We hunting the Finger Lakes area.

Food sources change over the year's and over the seasons. Areas we hunted 15 year's ago have grown up and no longer hold birds. Find the food - find the birds. We were hunting transition areas, areas that had been heavily logged 8 year's ago(lots of small beech / aspens), brush lots with lots of multi floral rose / fox grapes. We only hunt on calm wind days and snow cover is prefered. Yesterday we hit it just right before the midafternoon front rolled through.

Good Luck-

All right............ This may have been a fluke........ Walked for 5 hours over 2 days, 4 different spots and flushed 2 birds.

 

Lots of Coyote tracks and for the first time ever, stumbled on a fisher track.  The last 4 or so turkey nesting seasons have been very poor - likely not great for the grouse as well. 

 

May be time to try out coyote hunting.............

[Gill-T]

Seen plenty of Fishers in Allegany Co. where they have been stocked and protected.  Could be adding to the nest raiding population.  Lots of Coyote sign also.  May be behavioral changes to the increasing ground predation as I have been coming across more pine tree birds that act like spruce grouse and don't flush.

Edited February 12, 2013 by Gill-T

[BSmaster]

I noticed drop in populations but I attribute it to birds of prey mostly.  It is definitely predators.  I find 90% of the rabbits close to dwellings even though there is excellent food sources and cover further away.  I saw 5 birds on Sunday but I knew they were there from deer season.  If I were to goto places where they have been historically for me I would be suprised to see them.  We use to have good hold over from pheasant releases.  This has dropped over the past few decades too.  I too am thinking about predator hunting.  I wish hide prices would go up  (more varmint hunters/trappers).  The 80s were phenomenal for small game and I would like my kids to experience it like I did.