should've had the beagles

[birddoginQ]

Took a trip out to Catoosa today to run the bird dogs. Beautiful day. No birds however, but quite a few rabbits. Jumped em about everywhere we stopped and almost stepped on two.

Last year we had pretty decent success in the savanna restoration areas. This year my heart sank when I pulled up to see that they had been shredded. We were able to find one area that had some sign that the little guys had been there (roosts everywhere) just no birds. Maybe next time.

So with the lack of bobs we decided to try for a Christmas grouse. We saw one from the road on the way in So we promptly drove back to the area where we last saw him and let the dogs out. Crawled through some the the thickest tangles of dead pines, briars and laurel I have ever ventured through ( just above Daddy's creek). No grouse. The dogs did act birdy once or twice, but just enough to get me excited.

Any advise on how to hunt these guys would be much appreciated. What type of cover are you looking for? What type of ground? Is there a preffered time of day? Will a good quail dog usually point a grouse?

Yall have a Merry Christmass!!

Oh ya saw a good 8 point running around with a smaller buck. Very big bodied deer in the savanna area.

 

[bonekelektr]

Look for grouse in cover thats open enough for them to walk around in but thick enough so a hawk cant fly through..They like grapes, greenbrier, and ferns..I always tried to hunt quiet(if this makes sense)..If you do alot of dog hollerin and whistle blowing and brush crashing alot of times the birds will move out ahead of you and you might get alot of false points..I always liked hunting through late am thru till evening..Depending on temperature the birds might not let the dogs get as close as quail do..If you fool with preserves or pen birds it might take awhile for the dogs to get it..I would'nt shoot unless the dogs pointed the bird....I dont claim to be an expert but this is way I did it and my dogs could find quite afew in places other people hunted and did'nt fly a bird..............

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Ive always seen the most grouse around here around rivers and larger creeks in areas with alot of spruces and what the fellow mentioned in the above post.

 

[birddoginQ]

i have heard its best to hunt them in nasty weather, cold..rain..snow. Is there any truth to this. I had fun walking through the woods while my dog worked and wouldnt mind finding another animal to chase. Especially with the lack of quail.

Are there many bears on catoosa. Found an awfully big pile of sho sho.

 

[Carlos]

i have heard its best to hunt them in nasty weather, cold..rain..snow. Is there any truth to this. I had fun walking through the woods while my dog worked and wouldnt mind finding another animal to chase. Especially with the lack of quail.

Are there many bears on catoosa. Found an awfully big pile of sho sho.

Yes there's quite a few bears out there on the area.
They're legal to hunt during the archery hunt in October.

 

[ImThere]

Holy Lazarus!