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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,452 Likes: 2 |
Took about a 30 minute walk behind the house tonight. That Featherweight LC Smith is sure a joy to carry and the old gal didn't do too bad for being 96 years old.
I am always looking for factory wood stocks!
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,812
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,812 |
Well done....I've found no game Bird that compares to the Eastern or Appalachian Ruffed Grouse...
To have good Grouse hunting "behind the house" is a blessing not to be taken lightly....
Last edited by battue; 09/19/20.
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Joined: Jun 2008
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2008
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Awesome great way to start the season.
Eat Fish, Wear Grundens, Drink Alaskan.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,311 Likes: 9
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,311 Likes: 9 |
Fantastic to be able to hunt behind the house!
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,452 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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OP
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,452 Likes: 2 |
Well done....I've found no game Bird that compares to the Eastern or Appalachian Ruffed Grouse...
To have good Grouse hunting "behind the house" is a blessing not to be taken lightly.... People fish on the weekends, I mow trails, disk trails, plant clover, etc. the tax man loves me but having a little chunk of dirt managed for wildlife is sure rewarding. I rarely shoot birds here but when I do it is with something “cute”. The last birds I shot here were with an old American Arms 410 double with hammers. I shot one on the fly, wiped the gun down and put it away forever.
I am always looking for factory wood stocks!
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 884
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 884 |
You are very fortunate to have this.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2 |
16-, very nice on both the birds and the gun.
Battue, do you mean on the table, in a sporting sense, or as an all-arounder?
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,167 |
Saturday was the better of the last three days, it wasn't as windy. 3 ruffs, 2 spruce, and 7 woodcock made for a decent opener. My buddy did much the same though he only picked up on spruce grouse though he limited out on woodcock all three days. If my younger dog would settle down and hunt rather than run the bag might have been better.
To be truthful, one of the spruce grouse was taken with a pistol while clearing trails on Sunday. The trip up was mostly to do trail work after the winds over the summer. We were pretty lucky as the largest trees mostly fell away from the trails rather than over. For once.
I'm not as lucky to hunt ruffs right outside my door but I can find usually one or two after walking a few hundred yards. I have better luck driving 20 minutes to the east. Starting mid-October that initial walk is more likely to result in a rooster or two if the gods smile on me.
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Joined: Jan 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,812 |
16-, very nice on both the birds and the gun.
Battue, do you mean on the table, in a sporting sense, or as an all-arounder?
I know your affection for Pheasants..However, and with little reservation I think Appalachian Grouse are the ultimate sporting game Bird..... Wild Pheasants are special and if one has ever had the opportunity to hunt wild Bobwhites they are most fortunate. Ahhh, but the Eastern Ruffed Grouse, most often does not go into the vest easily or in large numbers. I’ve hunted them when their numbers have been great and when they have been few and for myself nothing compares. None have yet figured out...and let’s hope they never do....how to tame the Eastern Ruff and make a preserve Bird out of them. 😉
Last edited by battue; 09/22/20.
laissez les bons temps rouler
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149 |
16-, very nice on both the birds and the gun.
Battue, do you mean on the table, in a sporting sense, or as an all-arounder?
I know your affection for Pheasants..However, and with little reservation I think Appalachian Grouse are the ultimate sporting game Bird..... Wild Pheasants are special and if one has ever had the opportunity to hunt wild Bobwhites they are most fortunate. Ahhh, but the Eastern Ruffed Grouse, most often does not go into the vest easily or in large numbers. I’ve hunted them when their numbers have been great and when they have been few and for myself nothing compares. None have yet figured out...and let’s hope they never do....how to tame the Eastern Ruff and make a preserve Bird out of them. 😉 Amen......
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,119 Likes: 2 |
Battue, very good. I have never had the opportunity for Ruffed Grouse and at this point doubt I ever will. I’ve had minimal contact with bobwhites; a little more with Hungarian partridge. About the same with sharp tail grouse and spruce grouse.
While my experience with birds (not counting waterfowl) other than pheasant is narrow and shallow — mores the pity — at least with pheasants, it’s deep and wide. And I’m grateful for that.
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 9,948
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 9,948 |
nice. I'm hoping to go near the bemidji area this weekend after doing some family things.
Other than that, How was the show Mrs. Lincoln?
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 342
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 342 |
Years ago while logging I cut a pine and while watching it fall I saw a grouse flush. Walked over and it had a nest at the base of another pine. I sprinkled a few pine needles on the nest to see if she came back. She hadn't moved any of the needles the next morning and so I wrapped 11 eggs up in a sweatshirt and hauled em out on the skidder. Took em to my dads that evening and 3 days later 1 hatched. We kept it 11 years inside the house. What an experience. I learned alot of grouse language; fun in the fall while bow hunting talking to young birds. This was a Ruffed Grouse! Not many round here at all now. I worked with the NCWRC during that time and I remember telling the small game biologist about "Ruff" and he didn't believe me till I took him pictures. It was fearless. Would fight anything and eat anything.
God Bless, Louis
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,089
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,089 |
I envy you guy's with good grouse hunting. Haven't been able to find it here in Oregon. But when I lived in Montana and Alaska, grouse were king with me, not only for eating but hunting also. Tried them a few times again this year and hit the same places that have always failed me but were closest to home, 100+mi one way. If I weren't so old and settled in, to much junk collected over the years, I'd move back to Montana or Alaska, probably to Montana.
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 17,222 Likes: 15
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 17,222 Likes: 15 |
Nice bag. The lone breeding par we have had for a few years is now a fivesome. So staying a bit further afield for the time being hoping to get a better population base. Saw a few on the road last weekend in addition to a bunch of wild turkey, but never while in pursuit...
-OMotS
"If memory serves fails me..." Quote: ( unnamed) "been prtty deep in the cooler todaay " Television and radio are most effective when people question little and think even less.
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only thing i can say the ruff grouse are still tasty this year fried in butter !
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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