Cove Mountain Kennels » Grouse Hunting

Multiple Species Hunts

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:00:48 +0000

There is not much that is more exciting than approaching your bird dog on point waiting for the eruption of sound and feathers. What is even more exciting is not knowing what type of bird is going to rise in front of your dog. One of the great things about living in Idaho as a bird hunter and bird dog trainer is the variety of upland game birds. While most upland game birds stick to a preferred habitat, often these habitats overlap. This offers hunters a chance at bagging multiple species on a single hunt.

While some species of birds will hardly ever be found together, quite a few have habitat that overlaps. Blue and Ruffed Grouse are often found in the same hunt because their habitats overlap. While you won’t generally find forest grouse in the rocks and chukars in the forest, many species lend themselves to a multiple species bag hunt.

If you are looking to bag multiple species in a single hunt, hunt the fringes of habitats when possible. Huns and pheasants like being around agriculture fields so hunt those edges. Sharptails and sage grouse like big expanses of sage and grass. It is possible to get into all of those species in certain areas. Chukars and huns can be found together, but usually huns are taken incidentally in chukar country. There are many other species that can be mixed and we’ve found it really fun getting mixed bags. It really adds to the excitement and mystery of what might flush in front of the dog. – Nick Muckerman

Winter ruffed grouse

admin — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:09:31 +0000

Ruffed grouse hidden in the snow

I came across a funny sight today. While out in the backcountry I came across the scene in the above photo, a grouse head poking out of the snow. From a distance I thought it was a dark piece of bark, but as I got closer I realized it was a grouse head looking at me. I went on by, pretending not to notice and dug my camera out, then turned around and snapped the photo. As I approached, the bird popped out of the snow and angled away from me until it was behind cover, then it flushed.

There had been a fresh snow the evening before, so you could read what had happened. After it had snowed, probably about dark yesterday evening the grouse dove out of a nearby aspen tree and plunked directly into the snow. It probably spent the night under the snow in its snow cave, then as the day was warming up, it climbed up and was just sitting under the snow with its periscope up, scanning for predators. Numerous times I have found evidence of them diving under the snow during bad weather, but I have never seen them stay under the snow and poke their head out and sit look-out.

Aspen burning and grouse

admin — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:55:41 +0000

Fire is critical to maintain aspen

Across the west we have lost an estimated 96% of our aspen stands over the past 100 years, primarily due to the control of wildfire and compounded by cattle and sheep grazing. Aspen ecosystems are maintained by fire; it’s critical to their health. Fire eliminates encroaching conifers and stimulates aspen suckering, which renews a stand.
Ruffed grouse are an early seral stage species, which means that they love aspen stands for the first 10 or so years after a fire. If you like hunting ruffed grouse, keep track of burned aspen stands and visit the area a year or two after the fire. You’re sure to find grouse using the stand. After 5 or so years the aspen is so thick you can barely walk through it. Grouse love this for hiding cover and forage. Over time, the aspen will self-thin.
The above photo is a prescribed fire in an aspen stand. Prescribed fires like this promote aspen regeneration and directly benefit ruffed grouse, mule deer, elk and many other species of wildlife. The photo below is the second year after a prescribed fire. Note the thousands of aspen shoots 2-3′ tall. Many of the old trees were decadent and on their way out (they are small based on the low site potential of the area – mt. brush habitat.) I flushed quite a few ruffed grouse from this stand.

Aspen regeneration one year after prescribed fire

The Problem with Solo Hunts

admin — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 05:28:33 +0000

Max, Allie and I enjoyed our sharp-tailed grouse hunt

The only problem with solo hunts is that you can’t be in the photos. The dogs and I sure enjoyed the grouse hunting this afternoon. The sharp-tails weren’t holding for points, but they were coming up close enough to make for easy shooting. It was great for a close-working flushing lab, but not so good for a big running pointer.

Family Grouse Hunt

admin — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 06:03:02 +0000

We had a great family grouse hunt this weekend. Sharp-tail numbers seem to be doing really well in SE Idaho this year and we have had a ball with them. It’s a great hunt to take the family on because the walking is generally pretty easy. Because of the CRP grass cover, the dogs are usually fairly visible which makes it an enjoyable outing for everyone.

English Setter – Ruffed Grouse Hunt

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:10:09 +0000

We had a couple of awesome ruffed grouse hunts over the weekend with Gauge our English Setter.

Check out the Video

Gauge (English Setter) hunting ruffed grouse

Forest Grouse Hunt Right Around the Corner

admin — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:46:57 +0000

The ruff grouse/dusky grouse hunt is right around the corner and I am gearing up. I have been out in the field hiking and learning new spots and marking locations of broods I found during the summer. I also have several dogs in shape and ready to go for the season. With some of my bigger running setters and pointers I like to run bells on them so I can keep track of them in the thick mountain brush cover. Unlike running birds like desert quail or pheasants, I don’t think the bell negatively affects forest grouse. If anything, they probably hunker down sooner from the noise.
The season starts here in Idaho on August 30th this year. In Utah the season opens September 11th.

Sage-grouse displays

admin — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:49:37 +0000

In April I had several chances to get out and see sage-grouse on the lek (breeding ground). They are such a unique bird. Their wet-popping/booming sound of the males can be heard from a long ways off. These males are almost comical to watch fight back and forth. They look almost like they are placed on little remote controlled cars that zip back and forth; their legs are such a blur. It was fun to see how things got really animated when a hen would stroll through the puffed up males showing off. As she would pass by a male, she would hunker way over and become interested in the ground and pretend to ignore the males trying so hard to impress her.

If you get the chance, even though it is early in the morning, go out and watch them lekking. What a cool species! I am concerned for their long-term conservation status. I want to show my kids and grandkids lekking sage-grouse.

Sarah, a cocker spaniel and some ruffed grouse

Chris — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:36:44 +0000

Cocker Spaniel - A great dog for working a ruffed grouse out of thick cover

Friday afternoon I was able to slip away with my 10 year old daughter Sarah for some ruffed grouse hunting. She was happy to be out with her Dad and I was tickled to have her to myself. (Truth be told, I think Mom was glad to have the kids seperated for a few hours. Tell me, why are they such a pleasure one on one, but just want to fight when they’re together?)

Sarah and I took Luke, a bold little male cocker spaniel that we have been working with out for his first experience on wild birds. We were hunting him with Allie, my seasoned female lab. I was excited to get this little brush-buster hunting wild birds. It wasn’t long before Allie got into birds. Luke was right there with her. What I loved about this little dog is his ability to thoroughly work tight cover (and look cute doing it). I’ve never been able to hunt over a cocker before and loved the experience. I think you have to look carefully for the right breeding to get a game hungry cocker like this one, but if you can find one, they are a pleasure to hunt with.

The two dogs put up a handful of grouse for Sarah and I and despite the thick cover, I was able to put one of them in the bag. Needless to say, we had a ball on our daddy-daughter date. We did have to spend a while after we got home combing the burrs out, but it was worth it.

11/22/09: I have had several calls about hunting cockers since I wrote this post. I have now had luke out after pheasants and grouse and thoroughly loved hunting with this dog. The following comment came from Gail Workman about Luke:

From: G L Workman
Sent: Nov 19, 2009 8:13 PM

There are only a handful of breeders who are breeding the American Cocker for its true intent: as a sporting dog. Luke is owned by Sharon Pearson and bred by Gail Workman. Here is a little history of Luke’s background.
In 1995, the first “Master Hunter” titled American Cocker was CH Petts Southwest Breeze, CD, WD, SH, MH (Ruby). Bred by Elsie Scolaro and Anne Noble, Ruby was owned, trained and handled by Trish Jackson of West Falmouth, Massachusetts. In 2001, Trish Jackson bred, trained and handled the first cocker spaniel field champion in almost thirty years, a Ruby daughter, FC Madisons Pride and Passion MH, sired by Bazils Stylish Pride JH SH.

Gail Workman, who also breeds field Cocker Spaniels, trained and handled the first VCD3 American Cocker earning advanced titles in obedience, tracking, agility, and hunting. OTCH Knights LIttle Kelly Girl VCD3 TDX AX AXJ WD SH (Kelly). Kelly was bred to the first male cocker to earn a “Master Hunter” Pudg’gee Ann’s Heart and Soul MH (Spunky) who was bred, trained and shown by Bob Linehan of San Deigo. From that litter Gail kept a red male Kelly’s Cruisen Legacy (Cruiser) who was trained and shown by Gail Workman earning his UD, TDX, OA, OAJ titles and was shown to his Master Hunter by Bob Linehan.

Trish Jackson bred FC Madisons Pride and Passion MH to Gail Workmans Kelly’s Cruisen legacy VDC2 TDX OA OAJ WDX MH. From this breeding came Lukes Sire: Madisons Blackland Prairie Rufus SH WDX (Rufus) owned, trained and shown by Elain and Buck Grabowski.

Luke’s Dam is Six of Seven CDX, NA, NAJ, WD, SH (Six) . Six is an old fashion cocker with no background in hunting, Gail purchased Six to add a new line i.to the small gene pool of the field bred American Cockers. Six is now working towards her Master Hunter title.

As Chris said it is not easy to find a game hungry cocker like Luke. However, that being said, I could recommend all the breeders mentioned above to get a true field bred American Cocker.

Thank you, Sharon, for giving Luke an awesome home and for sending Luke to Chris’ to get his hunting training. Having worked with Chris myself, I know Luke is in good hands! I could not be more proud of of Luke and all the hard work Sharon has put into raising him.

Utah Blue Grouse & Chukar Outlook 2009

Chris — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:52:11 +0000

This weekend I got out to do some pre-season scouting for the upcoming blue grouse season in Central Utah. I was encouraged by what I saw. I found fair to good numbers of birds and a fair number of broods with 4 – 5 chicks. I would have liked to have seen larger brood sizes, but was still excited about what I saw. If you are planning on hunting grouse this fall, you may want to start looking around now. They are moving upslope now and are close to where you will find them in September. Look for hens and broods in more mesic sites with good cover, while the cock birds will likely be a little higher and on more xeric sites. Let me know what you are finding.

As for chukars, all the reports I am hearing are really good. All the spring and early summer moisture really seems to have boosted production. Folks I have spoken with in several places around Utah and in northern Arizona and Nevada are all reporting the same high numbers of chukar chicks. I am excited about this hunt.