Monte is an 83-year-old grouse hunter who continues to climb the mountains grouse hunting and to advocate for young forest habitat creation in Georgia. Talking about luck! My memories of hunting the ruffed grouse in Georgias high mountains began back in 1956 when I was taken under the wing and taught about a great game bird. More typical is a pointer that does very well on Woodcock, but when it comes to the King, the flush comes at a time of the birds choosing, not the hunters. Most of the grouse I see here in western NC are above 2500'. Cant agree more about finding the right habitat and playing the angles. Buck was still holding his point, and tiny drops of blood blossomed on his lips and tongue courtesy of the blackberry tangles. I told him how hard it had been and about my hunting at one of his favorite placesGilreath and Williams creeks down in Gaddistown, below Coopers Gap. grouse-hunting-in-georgia - Project Upland When I turned back around, all I could see were feathers hanging in the air, then they were slowly floating down. I am a little offended at the authors comment about anything other than a pointer is a liability and would be better off hunting without a dog. Stopping your hunting in December, its proven, will result in more birds next year. For those looking to enjoy a full day of hiking and hunting, try the 15,800-acre Warwoman WMA located 5 miles east of Clayton. However, his weight was not all fat, there were muscles in his arms and legs. The snow was no problem for my CJ-5 Jeep with its 4-wheel drive. Accessed at: http://explorer.natureserve.org. I realized they didnt understand that in grouse hunting, especially the thick early-season woods, thats about all you get. Not one single bird could be seen flying off. Denver, seeing the many grouse that Arthur usually checked out at the check stations where he worked, asked Arthur to take him and his brother Will grouse hunting sometime, which Arthur did. There are few bird species that are known to take winter in a good way. Good Grousing Habitat determines where hot spots are Positioning yourself for the clearest shot is key. Arthur asked me, Herb, would you like to go up there and shoot at whatever she has pointed.. A quick meal. These theories are from a man who averaged killing more than 50 grouse every season, and in his best seasons more than 100 grousethree different times he did that. Since then, however, populations have declined more than 85 percent. Mountain Grouse: Ghosts Of Craytonia - Georgia Outdoor News Monte suggested using a logging map to plan the days hunt. Blue Ridge WMA, 10 miles north of Dahlonega, offers 38,900 acres with two creek drainages that yield birds each season. Complimented by ever increasing large populations of; Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock, Snipe, King and Clapper Rail, Sora and Virginia Rail and Crows available for open season hunting. Can We Stop the Decline of the Ruffed Grouse? Up until then I had worked with the Georgia Game & Fish Commission, an ideal job for an outdoor person. During the early 60s, Arthur and his dogs had days of flushing more than 30 grouse. Arthur, as I have been telling, was in a class above all other shooters that I ever observed shooting grouse. Over 40% in Savings: subscribe Now Dismiss, Our site uses cookies. In the mid 80s he averaged 35 to 40 birds per season. Arthur said one time, grouse were a lots easier to shoot than birds, because they flushed much slower but made much more noise. Before the morning was through and after lots of boot leather was logged into the mountainous terrain, we heard three grouse drum and, to my shock, one roared out of a soft wood as we walked a trail. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Project Upland is strictly prohibited. It took dogs with plenty of get-up in them to hunt up the steep mountainsides above the creeks and logging roads where grouse might be found. Learning from shooting live birds caused Fats to develop a style of shooting known as snap-shooting. All Rights Reserved. So much so, in fact, the state made the bobwhite quail the state gamebird in 1970. No loud talking was ever allowed, which helped prevent wild flushes. A.J. This one is easy. Home Grouse Species Ruffed Grouse Hunting How to Identify Ruffed Grouse Habitat, Ryan Lisson is a biologist and regular content contributor to. There are four approved websiteswhere you can complete a hunter education course without a field day, all with varying fees. For a list of available wildlife management areas, go here. A pair of Georgia grouse and the shed from a nice ridge-runner buck sit atop Herb McClures jeep in this 1979 photo taken in the snow-covered mountains. We are a Hog Pest Control company that also targets predators, so sometimes we take down coyotes and other nuisance animals as well. It was back in a different hunting world. I have hunted spots in Minnesota where very thick vegetation abuts lonely country roads. Numbers 11, 12 and 13 without a missed shot. Working your way into where the grouse actually are and being ready to get a shot off are huge for grouse hunting. On the other side of the ridge, just out of sight, Buck searched the wind for scents, his collar bell jingling closer as he nosed sticky blackberry thickets and oak stumps rising defiantly from the wet ground. At the end of her story she said, Well, if you have done some things that were true, you should be allowed to brag a little, if you choose. Referring back to that ladys quote, I will say, I, too, have a little bragging I want to do! The complete 2022-23 Georgia Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits will soon be available at license vendors and online. While we reserve the right to remove or modify comments at our sole discretion, the Sportsman's Guide does not bear any responsibility for user comments. Dot, came to a point in an open area where all three of us could approach Dot together. The key though is staying close train those dogs to keep close and youll be a lot better off. On cold but sunny days they often roost in evergreens or stick to sunny sides of slopes. Whys are yous quitting so quick? he asked. Star and I were very fortunate that I had hunted with Fatsto learn the ropes and where and how to hunt. Fats said one time, If a dog hunts with me, it will have to have enough spunk for it to get out from under my feet and hunt places I dont walk, because I figure I can kill those grouse.. I grew up hunting ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes States, and after almost a decade being gone hunting pheasants and quail on the Great Plains, I returned to the grouse woods. Conduct surveys to estimate occupancy rates, density, and population size using a combination of song meters and traditional survey methods. I asked him what made a grouse flush so legendary, and his eyes brightened with memories. Sorry state our NF's are in. Late one afternoon when Arthur and I had encountered a hard days hunt, with no grouse in our game bags, Dot became pointed way up high on the mountainside above the logging road where we were walking. The ruffed grouse is a medium sized bird, smaller than a chicken, measuring approximately 12-18 inches long. That late, theyll be looking for something green to eat.. As we crunched through the leaves, Broderick confided that the wind was probably going to be working against us. It was December and was snowing lightly. There was a truck already parked there, and I started to drive on away. When Dot died in 1969, Arthur retired from grouse hunting and never wanted to hunt grouse anymore. Was it a ghost? Going to her, I was making a lot of noise crunching in the frozen snow, loud from the freeze the night before. From local hunters Ive talked to, the numbers appear to be a little bit higher this season, he said. Get a little exercise, breathe some clean mountain air and maybe jump a few birds at the same time. Although, I got home early, Arthur was already there visiting with the folks. Learn more about our use of cookies:cookie policy. As temperatures drop below freezing, birds move down from the ridges in search of water and succulent plants. From pinpointing proper habitat to grouse hunting without a dog, theyve got you covered: https://theuplandhunter.com, Good guidelines here. All of them had auto-loader guns. Remember, I said these tips were about being successful on a long-term basis. Killing a limit of three grouse did happen often. The advantage of a good, not necessarily great, flusher, one that hunts close and gives an indication of birdiness, is that the bird is often reacting to the dog only, it does not take as much notice of the hunter, it flushes not at a time of its own choosing, and before it has had the opportunity to suss out the safest escape route. All grouse had to do to have their craws filled with these 1-inch worms was to look down and pick one up. loads of No. Adults tend to spend more time in mature forests, foraging in the understory. Away went Arthur climbing up that steep mountainside to where Dot was on point. With a new Jeep and more time to hunt, I turned to Star and grouse hunting like I had never hunted grouse before. Even though there is a season, I do not believe there is a hunt-able population in GA anymore. Georgia upland bird hunting information, season limits, bag limits, species overviews and quick links to Georgia DNR and hunting licenses. Instinctively, I covered the leading grouse and saw it fold up at the shot. 2023 The Sportsmans Guide, Inc.1-800-882-2962|, Forward-Facing Sonar is Changing Much of Fishing. . Our plan was to canvas as much land as possible before dark hoping to catch some birds at a white-oak acorn buffet. These forests are usually closely bordered or interspersed with mixed conifer-hardwoods, spruce-fir forests, and speckled alder swamps, all of which offer additional food and cover. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Project Upland is strictly prohibited. In spite of their importance as one of Georgias most charismatic upland gamebird species, the current distribution and abundance of grouse in Georgia is unknown. During our hunt, we asked Monte why grouse conservation continues to be important to him at his age. I had to break my side by side down and put it in my game bag to climb with both hands up the side of that mountain. With that, I left the man and started up the snow-covered logging road toward Henson Gap. Since 1985, many of Wisconsin's County Forests have established cooperative ruffed grouse and woodcock habitat management areas with the support of the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS). Arthur killed many of those wild flushing grouse by getting a quicker-start on shooting, thanks to Dots barks. Your email address will not be published. Ive always hunted without a dog and while Im sure Ive missed flushes, it never stops me from getting my limit when I find these areas. Fats asked, Herb, do you want to climb up there to see what she has pointed?. Maps of the Chattahoochee National Forest showing where clearcuts are located can be obtained from the USFS. This uncanny timing sparked a range of controversy and emotion across the Project Upland platforms that eventually helped inspire Durrells founding of the Minority Outdoor Alliance. While I will not say alive and well, to those willing to sacrifice days and hours, long walks and dog runs, the wild birds are still there. That was the last time I ever went grouse hunting in Georgia. Grouse numbers in the southern Appalachians are not what they used to be. DeRosa founded Project Upland in 2014 as an excuse to go hunting more often (and it worked). Usually it is a thick mix of food and escape cover. Grouse Hunting Georgia Pass - YouTube The ultimate goal of the research is to provide recommendations for increasing the grouse population and thereby increase sustainable hunting opportunities in Georgia. Further south, deciduous forests (especially maple, black cherry, or beech) that are managed periodically offer a good variety of species and structure for grouse. The southernmost extent of the Ruffed Grouse range occurs in northern Georgia where the species is valued for its cultural significance. Many of you reading this story knew Arthur personally, or you may have known about Arthurs grouse hunting days. The Midwest is usually regarded as the best place in the country to hunt ruffed grouse. It sure beats the mall.. Soon you will develop an eye for birdy cover. He started to point woodcock when he was 3 yrs old but has never pointed a grouse. My dog Star and I had become a good hunting team by the mid 70s, the same way as Dot and Arthur were during their grouse hunting days. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I manage myself too, If there is a brood, I wont harvest more than two and I try not to hit the same area/trail more than twicebut I live in Northern MN and there is plenty of public land available to hunt. Go Public For Late-Season Mountain Grouse - Georgia Outdoor News After Arthur Trueloves legendary Dot passed away in 1969, Truelove gave up grouse hunting forever. She would hunt up high on a mountainside or down on creeks in the roughest thickets. grouse populations over the past 25 years with a general decrease in numbers since 1996. When nearing Dot, three grouse flushed, all going around the mountainside the same way. Forests cut within the last 20 years or so seem to offer the right mix of species and density of cover. 2023 Georgia Outdoor News. Monte Seehorn is the habitat chairman of the Ruffed Grouse Society of Georgia and has been hunting grouse in north Georgia for nearly four decades. If its so thick you can hardly swing your gun without smacking a 2-inch popple trunk, its perfect! Despite Louisiana and east Texas being the meccas of Southern woodcock hunting, parts of Georgia still get a solid flight of birds. This pups name was Dot, who was born in 1959 and lived till 1970. Of these 13 grouse without missing, there were three doubles. Grouse hunting with dogs can increase the number of flushes in a day, but many successful outings are had simply by walking old logging roads in the morning and evening. Denver Davis, born and reared up on Coopers Creek in Fannin County, the heart of Georgias olden-days grouse country. A good dog is not necessarily required to find grouse, but it sure does make things a lot easier. Public lands tend to be more productive than private tracts because of previous logging activity. He has researched the bird's winter diet and said that during winter months, it's primarily made up of evergreen plants such as mountain laurel, Christmas fern and foam flower. But, my ability as a wing shooter was nothing like Fats Trueloves wing shooting. Appalachia Adventures You can see any kind of wildlife along with grouse. The last day of the 1976-77 Georgia grouse season, the author downed these three grouse above a steep Towns County logging road to complete a streak of 13 straight grouse-killing shots without a miss. Start mounting the gun at the first indication of a bird, make visual contact as it flushes, swing ahead and shoot. Running a big sporting-goods operation allowed me to purchase my re-loading components at a discount. The only grouses Is evers killed were by slipping-up ons thems, when thumping on a log, and thens shooting its head-off with mys rifle.. One of Fats favorite beats, or hunts, was down Board-town Creek, off Duncan Ridge Road in todays Coopers Creek WMA. See them everywhere on the dirt roads grittin. . Moreover, before the flush the bird is acutely aware of the dog AS WELL AS the hunter. I only found a fresh shed deer antler for my time being spent there. Arthur was already at my home when I got there. After lunch, Star and I went to High Shoals Creek nearby for another hunt. The 25,000-acre Chestatee WMA near Cleveland is also a good spot to scout. Are there still ruffed grouse in Georgia? | GON Forum
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