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  #1  
Old 10-01-2019, 10:49 AM
Drewski Canuck Drewski Canuck is offline
 
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Default Grouse Numbers this year?

Just had an old timer drop by to say hi who is an avid upland bird hunter.

He is saying that there are very few grouse in the Lodgepole - Drayton area.

I spent last Sunday with North West Dave in the Thorhild country and we did not see any grouse either.

Scott's theory is that the chicks got flooded in all the rain this June and there was a die off because of the rain when the chicks were vulnerable.

Has anyone else noticed a lack of young grouse in the bush?

Drewski
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  #2  
Old 10-01-2019, 10:54 AM
Alberta Separatist Alberta Separatist is offline
 
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Default grouse numbers

almost non existent in 314; hopefully with this snow some tracks will appear.
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  #3  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:00 AM
jeprli jeprli is offline
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Same here 314, neighbouring farm took out 7 foxes this year alone(1/2 section).
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  #4  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:00 AM
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teledogs teledogs is offline
 
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I have been out twice in the Hinton area this fall and I have not seen one yet.
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  #5  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:02 AM
bitterrootfly bitterrootfly is offline
 
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Blues are doing fine this year up high
Seen very little for ruffles anywhere
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  #6  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:12 AM
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Talking moose Talking moose is offline
 
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Haven’t seen any around Camrose or smoky lake areas.
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  #7  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:12 AM
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Talking moose Talking moose is offline
 
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See lots of huns though.
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  #8  
Old 10-06-2019, 09:01 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teledogs View Post
I have been out twice in the Hinton area this fall and I have not seen one yet.
I live in the area and see alot, went out yesterday for deer and nailed 2 just driving from spot to spot
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  #9  
Old 10-06-2019, 07:06 PM
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jungleboy jungleboy is offline
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was in 338 again Saturday saw 5 birds throughout the day, Got 2 . numbers definitely not what I was expecting. Last yr was good but not top of the cycle good.I believe the constant wet this year has taken a toll in some areas
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  #10  
Old 10-07-2019, 09:53 AM
Mountain Guy Mountain Guy is offline
 
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Too much hunting pressure and extended seasons...think they've turned nocturnal like everything else
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  #11  
Old 10-21-2019, 12:09 PM
Jdunbar Jdunbar is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teledogs View Post
I have been out twice in the Hinton area this fall and I have not seen one yet.
Ive probably seen 2-3 a day just out past Hinton but far less then last year
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  #12  
Old 11-18-2019, 12:43 PM
TippyCanoe TippyCanoe is offline
 
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Now that we're getting later on in the season is anyone seeing more birds? I'm hoping to head out to the Drayton Valley/Cynthia area in a week or so with my kids. Any reports from that area?
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  #13  
Old 11-18-2019, 12:49 PM
aragor764 aragor764 is offline
 
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Still seeing good numbers in 512
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  #14  
Old 11-18-2019, 01:35 PM
Smoky buck Smoky buck is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TippyCanoe View Post
Now that we're getting later on in the season is anyone seeing more birds? I'm hoping to head out to the Drayton Valley/Cynthia area in a week or so with my kids. Any reports from that area?
Seeing the odd grouse around well deer hunting but not enough for an actual grouse hunt

To give you an idea I stopped putting my shotgun in the truck back in September
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  #15  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:29 AM
35 whelen 35 whelen is offline
 
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Seen a fair amount around my area Round Valley View

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  #16  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:37 AM
Hogie135 Hogie135 is offline
 
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lots in my area. have 5 ruffies and one spruce that I'm cooking up tonight for the family. All taken this wknd and there were a few more that escaped the path of my 22.
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  #17  
Old 10-01-2019, 12:18 PM
simpatico simpatico is offline
 
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Default Low Numbers out West

Put on close to 200 Km on gravel last week and only saw 2 spruce hens and 1 ruffie.
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  #18  
Old 10-01-2019, 12:33 PM
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SakoAlberta SakoAlberta is offline
 
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Numbers were average to a bit above average north of Slave last weekend.
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  #19  
Old 10-01-2019, 01:02 PM
FinnDawg FinnDawg is offline
 
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For the first time this year, a covey of sharps (i think) showed up just outside of my neighborhood in NE Calgary. Kind of interesting as I have never seen them there before. They are in the same spot everyday now.

As for the sharps that I usually see out east and south of Hanna, I’m seeing less birds than usual. Then again, just as an observation: they seem to show up in larger coveys around mid October. Is this usual behaviour for sharptail?
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  #20  
Old 10-01-2019, 11:57 PM
IR_mike IR_mike is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hogie135 View Post
lots in my area. have 5 ruffies and one spruce that I'm cooking up tonight for the family. All taken this wknd and there were a few more that escaped the path of my 22.
Weird...not seeing anything 40 minutes west of you.
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  #21  
Old 10-02-2019, 03:09 AM
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marlin1 marlin1 is offline
 
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to reply to a previous post , yes I see the sharpies flocking up mid October . We've seen 4 covies of partridge and heard of one ruff takin in foothills amongst our group . Huns were in prairies , none taken
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  #22  
Old 10-02-2019, 11:08 AM
NewGuard84 NewGuard84 is offline
 
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I have gone on 4 trips so far to areas southwest, northwest and north of Edmonton and I have yet to see a single ruffed grouse. Has felt strange.
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  #23  
Old 10-01-2019, 02:00 PM
JWCalgary JWCalgary is offline
 
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402 north of Dutch creek was 1 ruffie in 12 k of hiking.

Seems low to me.

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  #24  
Old 10-01-2019, 06:02 PM
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onetreeman onetreeman is offline
 
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In 406 we have only come across single mature ruffies or spruce grouse. Never more than one at a time. 1 or 2 flushed over an entire day, sometimes none. The crazy high grass everywhere makes them harder to spot.


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  #25  
Old 10-01-2019, 09:29 PM
Fwee6 Fwee6 is offline
 
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I fear the wet Spring didn’t help the hatch as others have said, but the next 2 weeks will tell all once the leaves and grass are down.
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  #26  
Old 10-01-2019, 09:33 PM
smokedstew smokedstew is offline
 
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Haven't seen the numbers I usually do in 346 and 338 bit hard to say
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  #27  
Old 10-01-2019, 09:41 PM
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300magman 300magman is offline
 
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Have seen one in 506, very odd to not come across at least a couple a day in the areas I go.
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  #28  
Old 10-01-2019, 10:57 PM
Mountain Guy Mountain Guy is offline
 
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Cruddy weather means less bird action. How much crud weather have we had this fall?
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  #29  
Old 10-09-2019, 12:06 PM
jwelds191 jwelds191 is offline
 
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Has anyone else noticed a lack of young grouse in the bush?

Drewski[/QUOTE]

Usual spots W and NW of Calgary, very very low numbers. One bagged ruffled, seen 2 or 3 spruce grouse. All 3 of the latter spooked unusually early... they're wary of humans, that's for sure.

Saw 3 ruffled grouse on the road to Moraine Lake this weekend, though. Park numbers appear ok! Lol
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  #30  
Old 10-14-2019, 08:56 PM
Gear guy Gear guy is offline
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I've had my dog out a couple times and it seems like numbers are down from past years
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