# NC Grouse



## John Porter (Dec 25, 2014)

Went out this morning for 3 hours and put 2 grouse up and seen quite a few doves.. Grouse were found on the north side of the mountains and on the edge of thickets/clear cuts. Been awhile since I put up a pair of birds at once and thinking they are grouping up... Could be decent hunting soon.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 26, 2014)

Still waiting for late JAN and FEB to get after them, too spread out and the habitat @ me has matured too much to hold them consistently.

Good luck and be safe


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## birddog52 (Dec 27, 2014)

So few of them now in southern mtns especially in ga would feel bad about killing one( lived long enough to see the quail disappear from north georgia and now the grouse about gone too


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 27, 2014)

It is a sad state of affairs, but WV still has the limit set at 4 per day, good luck getting that.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Dec 27, 2014)

What elevation did you find the pair?


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## John Porter (Dec 27, 2014)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> What elevation did you find the pair?




They were low around Hiawassee Lake so I would say, they were around 1600 ft.. Put up a couple more this morning on the other end of the lake but they were located separately.


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## Peter D (Dec 28, 2014)

Nice to hear.  Bagging a pair of grouse will certainly not be the end of ruffed grouse in the GA mountains.  They are there, albeit in small numbers, but they are there indeed and I highly doubt that the very few of us who hunt them will bring an end to the ruffed grouse population in Georgia.  

Thank you for sharing your outing with us.


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## birddog52 (Dec 28, 2014)

No but the usfs service is doing it for you due to lack of timber cutting. Not only grouse but other wildlife species  game as well as non game ( big mature forest doesn,t support much you have to have diversity within the habiat


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

birddog52 said:


> No but the usfs service is doing it for you due to lack of timber cutting. Not only grouse but other wildlife species  game as well as non game ( big mature forest doesn,t support much you have to have diversity within the habiat



Exactly.  The days of the clear cuts and grown up strip mines are a thing of the past, especially here with the NPS buying a lot of land @ the New and Gauley Rivers.  Need something done, that is a fact.

There was some study going on up here on grouse restoration, had not heard much about it in a year or two


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

I would love to read anything if possible about a restoration going on for grouse. I will be meeting with our head biologist this spring and cant wait to hear what they have planned here in the mountains for our small game and upland birds.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Let me see what I can find, it was out there on the net


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Here you go

http://www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/Grouse.shtm


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

Thanks a lot Woodie13. I will research through it and see whats going on. I am and will continue to be in contact with my biologist back home(MAINE) and between the 2 of us is trying to come up with a solution to the decline in the SE. We all know that the tree harvesting must continue but I feel the predators are also not helping the decline....


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## herb mcclure (Dec 28, 2014)

*N C Grouse,Here you go, by Woodie*

Thanks so much for posting the information on West Virginia's  Grouse Research and the other state's involved; with the research.  This is the most interesting research project I personally; have ever read. My days of grousing are long gone; as well as are the grouse here in North Georgia. 

However, I will always have a closeness to a Ruffed Grouse. Forty and fifty years ago, I and my older friend, the late, Arthur (Fats) Truelove ,hunted them, when in North Georgia, we would flush thirty or more grouse a day; on good days. Also, we in-countered coveys, or bunches of grouse sometimes up to ten grouse; with young of the year mostly taken from the multiple bunches. 

GON Magazine, December issue, features my article on their web-site, of some of the grouse hunting; back in those times. "A Magic Time For Grouse".
herb mcclure


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

Study shows something all of us, sportsmen knew. Birds of prey have done the most damage when it comes to grouse, but nothing can be done to protect grouse--- except build suitable habitat.


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

herb mcclure said:


> Thanks so much for posting the information on West Virginia's  Grouse Research and the other state's involved; with the research.  This is the most interesting research project I personally; have ever read. My days of grousing are long gone; as well as are the grouse here in North Georgia.
> 
> However, I will always have a closeness to a Ruffed Grouse. Forty and fifty years ago, I and my older friend, the late, Arthur (Fats) Truelove ,hunted them, when in North Georgia, we would flush thirty or more grouse a day; on good days. Also, we in-countered coveys, or bunches of grouse sometimes up to ten grouse; with young of the year mostly taken from the multiple bunches.
> 
> ...




Thank you Herb, I too, found the study to be very interesting.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

I think they are missing the loss of habitat (not a biologist here), but with habitat comes cover from the predators.  Some clear cuts, selective cuts, burns would make for a more robust population.

I will try to find some more one the subject, maybe start a sticky for this specific reason.

Glad it was accepted by most; grouse hunting is something I would like to see my kids and grandkids enjoy in years to come.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Dec 28, 2014)

I'm planning on taking my female GSP into the grouse woods in the morning.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> I'm planning on taking my female GSP into the grouse woods in the morning.



Good luck and post pics, we have pockets of them, but to walk 6 miles and get up 2-6 makes it tough here compared to getting up 20-30 years ago.


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

I too, will be in the grouse woods all week. Will hit different areas and select habitats. Wont be shooting many but need exposure to my GWP.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

John Porter said:


> I too, will be in the grouse woods all week. Will hit different areas and select habitats. Wont be shooting many but need exposure to my GWP.



Looking for a duck dog, I know those wire haired pointers do pretty good.  You ever duck hunted with you GWP?


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

I believe the GWP is half duck. She is an awesome water retriever. Not many ducks here in Murphy, compared to where I came from but do try to get in a few hunts every yr. Looking to try some geese with her soon as she is a retrieving machine...


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

John Porter said:


> I believe the GWP is half duck. She is an awesome water retriever. Not many ducks here in Murphy, compared to where I came from but do try to get in a few hunts every yr. Looking to try some geese with her soon as she is a retrieving machine...



Bring her up, we will do a hunt, later in the season, the birds are not here yet, but I can do my best to put her on some geese.  How old is she?  Maybe we can work out a deal on a pup, if not, we can hunt anyway.


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

She will be 4 in March. I am seeking out a male to breed her to as her heat cycle is in August....


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

What kind of schedule or vacation you got?  If you want to wear out some ducks and geese, it may be a couple days to week's notice.  Be great to hunt over a good dog, got a big boat, so it should be all we need for a few days


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

After this coming week is over, I am back to work. We are on a 12 day shutdown over the holidays. Booked solid this week with upland game and have a goose hunt scheduled later in the week on some private grounds...


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Mid to late JAN?  Looking for a duck dog with upland potential, they made some great off leash bomb dogs


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

Late January would possible work.... They are awesome dogs once you let them wind down some...LOL


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

That will work brother, I will let you know.  A good pup from a good dame hunted over is hard to find


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

If things work out this summer, I am hoping to have pups come mid October... I am wanting a male pup as my breeder said, I would learn more about training from his instincts then from any video or book.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

I was a dog handler/trainer in the military since 1996, as long as the dog is not gun shy and has drive, should be easy to work out as far as direction and control.  Had them clear raodways 100-200 yds away, some farther, labs, mals, D. Sheps, GS, Border Collies, etc.  

Maybe get you on a grouse day, just plan for a hump unless we have some weather


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

seems as all I do is hump here in the mountains looking for grouse. Cant wait for next fall, as I am returning to Maine just to upland hunt for a couple weeks.... Wife got into bird hunting this year so I need to raise and train another dog just for her...


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

I hear you brother.  WV used to have a lot of grouse, now it is a pack in, all day to jump six to 10.  

I will let you know what I see, we will shoot some birds, puddlers, divers and geese


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## John Porter (Dec 28, 2014)

Sounds good.... looking forwards to a report and I will keep you posted on my findings. Woodcock seem sparse this year but I or I should say the dog will find them...


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 28, 2014)

Good talking to you brother, keep in touch, I will do the same


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## birddog52 (Dec 29, 2014)

Thanks for that info at least wva is trying to due something ( you mentioned birds of prey yes thay take a few grouse but if the birds have good cover the odds are more in the grouses favor) i have saw alot of change in the southern mtns in last 25 years now were are overrun with wild hogs and i know they are a a real threat to any ground nesting bird)


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 29, 2014)

They say squirrels eat eggs as well, for protein, saw a video of them raiding a nest once, but can't seem to find it now.


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## WOODIE13 (Dec 29, 2014)

Found one, not the one I was looking for though


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