Went for the first time yesterday....For it being early I had been seeing birds low in one of the valleys I roam. Usually they are higher up early in the season. but I figure the severe drought brought them down to the creek...into the laurel and pine thicks. Hunted 3.5 hours, got 2 birds up. One flushed during a bad gust of wind in the valley and got up probably 30 yards away. I barely got a look at it. The second one I add up to poor dogwork, she walked literally 10-15 feet from it in almost zero wind and didnt smell it...It flushed as I walked by, went like a bullet through some pines, across the creek and up the side of the high wall. I pulled off a shot but missed terribly. Weird even when she walked over the exact spot it flushed from, no point. However on the way back when we came back to the spot it flushed from, she did point. Also had another point on the way back, a good solid one, but no bird there. My pointer is finally coming into her own as a grouse dog, even if she did miss that bird. She covers so much ground, hunts just the right distance away. Going again tomorrow, will let yall know how it goes.

Hey BCO, I was getting ready to post this thread....lol

On my Winsonsin trip, I moved 114 grouse....

Now, back to reality: I've been out twice here in Harlan; the first trip I moved one that came up wild. Today however was a different story! Me and a buddy moved 17 and Chief pointed 15 of them; the other two came up wild, BUT could be included in the 'point' count as they were just to the right of one of the birds he had pointed. There were two groups of two and one group of three. For the most part, even with the high pressure, the birds held pretty decent. There were a lot of times that he'd establish point, but I couldn't get anything up. I'm pretty sure the birds were coming up wild before I could get there. I didn't have very many good shots, but did take some and hit one bird. The others I really didn't have much of a chance and missed atleast two that I should have hit....some times it seems so easy and other times I wonder how in the world you ever kill one of those things!

Me and some buddies have been to the shooting preserve in Owenton twice this month and have had great trips each time killing close to 80 quail, 7 pheasants and two chucker.

Three points today; one shot opp. and one in the bag (a big male)

Well it has been a while since any has mentioned anything has everyone quit hunting or what? Is any body seeing any grouse?

heck no ive been so busy i aint got to go

this weekend its on

got a new dog...2 year old male setter.

hoping me and benny collins can go this weekend and hunt him some.

Crap man you need to take me...Ive only got to go 3 times this year and only moved a couple.
17?
Crap.
Holler at me dude I really need to get some shot over my dog...Shes hunting good but the places Im hunting are seemingly bare.

When the drought was on earlier it was easier to find them.
Now Ive been hunting some good spots...In grapes so thick the ground is blue-purple...And have not got a point...This was on the last 2 trips.
Getting really discouraged.
Everyone I talk to is having bad luck this year

Im going this weekend Pace, if you are going and have no one to hunt with lemme know!!

Ive got a new setter now in addition to the pointer...Have a friend putting some finishing training touches on him for me...Am gonna hunt my pointer the remainder the the year. Shes hunting really good lately...like I said just no birds.

ive talked to ray...our game warden...he says its the worst year hes ever seen here. and this was supposed to the start of the upswing in the cycle. he said he thinks there is a parasite that is killing some...and he thinks that the freeze we had a couple of weeks before the hatch may have contributed too...who knows.

gonna be a cold one this weekend but i cant wait to go!!!

BCO,

I'm trying to remember my hunts as of late; moved 5 on one hunt, no shots. Moved 8 on another, one shot and one kill. Moved four yesterday evening, no shots...

I can tell you one thing, they are NOT in grapes anywhere I've been. 99% of the birds that I have found have been in the pine and autumn olive mixes. There aren't any a. olives this year due to the freeze, but the birds are there feeding on the greens underneath and I'm sure on some of the leftover seeds. Stay away from the grapes for now..... Mid-Feb hit the logging roads that hold that purple belly greens; I think it's calle crow foot or something. For now, pines and a. olives

Yeah, well get together for some hunts. I have a guy coming down from Cincy the 26th and hope fo find a few for him. How is the setter coming along?

Weird that they are not in grapes...I figured that was a sure bet. Ill try my pines and autumn olive spots...I got a couple spots I know...

The only birds Ive flushed this year were in the laurel/pine mixes down by the creek...I may hit them again on Sunday....Saturday is looking to be really windy...And these birds are already spooky enough as it is.

Setter is doing good...my friend Benny is working him, hes super good on dogs. Only prob that dog had was it was lacking on being woah-broke...Benny said he's about got that fixed...

I moved 7 Saturday, took three shots with no kills. It was too thick and the shot opps weren't good, but you gotta try! lol

Too cold Sunday; had two great points today - one shot and one kill. I should have gotten the first bird, it held great, I just came in from the wrong angle.

i went this past saturday...moved one lousy bird...came up wild about 50-60 yards away in some laurels...no shot opp.

getting really frustrated

gonna have to hunt some new spots this weekend.

If your spots aren't holding birds, keep moving until you find them. I've been skunked plenty of times and have several areas that only hold birds during a certain time of the season.

They are still in the autumn olive/pine mixes here. I'm not getting anything up in any other areas.....the birds I've killed are full of that green that covers the floor underneath the olive trees.

'Those' areas are few though and all of the birds certainly aren't in them. I'd say the damp hollows are holding many birds right now too.

see i thought that too...so i went on some good north facing slopes i figured would be holding some greens theyd like...and got one flush in about 3 hours of hunting

this weekend im gonna try to autumn olives and pines...havent hunted them period this year.

JUST GOT BACK IN TOWN LATE LAST NIGHT FROM A FRIENDLY FIELD TRIAL IN BOSTON KY...GOT 12TH OUTOF 32 DOGS...BUSTER IS HUNTING HARD AND DOING FINE..I REALLY NEED TO TEACH HIM TO BACK...I WOULD HAVE SCORED A LOT BETTER IF HE WOULD BACK OTHER DOGS....WE BROUGHT HOME 42 QUAIL.. WE STAYED OVER AND HUNTED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY...THAT MAKE ABOUT 80 FOR THE YEAR...IT TAKES A LOT OF BIRDS TO MAKE A GREAT DOG.....HEY BCO I AM GOING BACK UNDER THE KNIFE IN FEB...HUNTING HAS REALLY BEEN TOUGH THIS YEAR...BUT I AM WANTING TO HUNT SOME MORE I JUST NEED FLAT WALKING ROADS THAT HOLD BIRDS...I GOT A PLACE OR TWO IN MIND BUT I HAVE TO TAKE THE WHEELER SO I CAN FOLLOW EASIER AND HUNT LONGER..IF YOU HAVE ANY THING LIKE THIS YOU KNOW OF LET ME KNOW...SEE YOU LATER

bill...congrats on buster!!! that is awesome!

you know of anywhere flatter we could go, you let me know.

im planning on going this saturday.
you gonna come to our next club meeting? we are having one in mboro on feb 11th, id apprecaite it if youd come and if you can, bring some folks too.

let me know how the surgery goes. i pray everything goes smooth brother.

where is it going to be at...and I am going hunting this week got heads up on where a friend saw a large # of grouse the other day...I have seen them in that area alot of time before and thought I take a ride...it is flat once you get there...I'll let you know how we do...I will be going during the week and if you are going to be off Tues/Wends let me know..I figured you would have to work...i got to get in a few more hunts before old doc goes to hacking on my leg more in Feb...they said I would be able to walk again in about 6-8 weeks..but once again that will be slow with a walker and ..it is very hard to run and gun on a walker...it looks funny too...that does not leave me long for youth turkey season does it...I will try to attend the feb 11 meeting tell me were

Moved 9 today - had two shots....birds wouldn't hold. Oh, I found one deer shed

we hunted all afternoon...had two great points but could find no bird...guess they were getting up before we got there....lots of fun and very muddy...dogs hunted very hard going again later this week...

hunted all day in fonde on saturday...autumn olives and pines...GREAT looking cover...and nothing.

not a ***** bird one.

i think ive got a better chance at shooting a freakin unicorn the next time im out.

Moved 8 Sunday - killed one. Pines and aolives again; acutally the bird I killed was in grapes, but was the only one I moved in that type of cover.

I can't believe you didn't find any birds BCO.....we'll get together for a hunt before the season ends. Stay after it; grouch, I mean grouse season is just starting!