It varies in different parts of the country but basically Ruff Grouse are easy to hunt/shoot in a bar ditch or setting in a tree but not so easy when flushing in thick cover. They're actually the hardest upland bird I've hunted in the latter scenario. That's certainly not because they're smart though, it's because of the nano-second you have to shoot before they're behind something.
Blue or Spruce Grouse aren't much of a challenge either way. Least the ones I've hunted in a few different western states weren't.
If you notice.....Piddler seems to be shooting mostly Blue's which isn't much of a challenge no matter how much you pay for a scatter gun.
You haven't hunted our blues, it appears. They are masters of flushing out the other side of the trees and wild when on the ground feeding.
Ask weaslesRus...he guides in NV blue grouse territory.
I grew up in NV and hunted Blues all my life. Mostly in the Independence range up around the Blue Jacket. I've literally walked up close enough to more than one that I could have killed with my boot while Deer hunting.
Ruffs are just as dumb. they just live in thicker cover so you have to be pretty quick... Cept when they're out graveling on the logging roads...that's when most of em get shot around here.
Truth be told,,,, I get allot closer and have more opportunities on both species without a dog but since I love bird dogs I use em.
Matter of fact...even though I love eating Grouse...if I didn't have a dog I doubt that I'd bother with em.
