Bird Dogs Afield host Paul Fuller is the gun dog columnist for Northwoods Sporting Journal. The Journal has granted permission to re-print Paul’s articles. Thank you Northwoods Sporting Journal.

Grouse Hunting Report

Your writer has just completed the second and third week of October in the grouse woods.  Here’s a review of each week.

The second week of October was spent in Pittsburg, NH.  We stayed at the very comfortable Cabins at Lopstick.  Their website is www.cabinsatlopstick.com.  Despite having hunted ruffed grouse extensively in New England, this was my first visit to Pittsburg for grouse.  Hunting companion, Master Maine Guide, GPS and mapping guru, Stu Bristol, did extensive mapping research prior to our departure for Pittsburg.  Using Google Earth and Terrain Navigator Pro by MyTopo. Stu identified several areas that had been cut approximately ten to fifteen years ago.  This age cut provides excellent grouse habitat.

Your author has always been a firm believer that you approach grouse hunting just like you approach deer hunting…do pre-season scouting.  Pre-season scouting allows a hunter to locate food sources and the young broods using those food sources.  We weren’t able to travel to Pittsburg for pre-season scouting so Stu’s pre-hunt map research proved to be very rewarding.  At times we had to use the “far and deep” rule, however, we consistently found birds.  As most grouse hunters know, you have to locate a combination of conifers and hardwoods.  The conifers provide security and the hardwood forest provides food.

Here’s a quick primer on grouse food.  In the early season, food sources for grouse are almost endless.  “Green” is everywhere.  That includes clover, strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, ferns and much more.  After a freeze or two, the “green” ground food loses moisture and is no longer of benefit to the grouse.  He then turns to nuts and fruit.  Speaking of fruit, mountain ash and high bush cranberries are grouse ice cream.  After the fruit disappears, the grouse is primarily a bud/catkin feeder.  That means they’re in the trees.  Feeding on black cherry and aspen buds usually begins in late October and continues throughout the winter. 

Back to Pittsburg, NH.  Although your author had never hunted this area, I believe that bird numbers were about the same as last year.  We had a high of 15 flushes one day and a low of three flushes another day.  These flushes were all grouse except for one woodcock.  We hunt primarily grouse cover so the one woodcock flush is not indicative of the woodcock population.

A highpoint of this trip was hunting a morning with the head guide at Cabins at Lopstick, pro-trainer and guide, Dave Trahan. (www.onpointkennel.com). Dave is known for his outstanding German shorthaired pointers and the reputation was supported with the dog work I witnessed.  Dave’s dogs can handle a grouse as well as any dog I’ve seen in the grouse woods.

If you’re looking for a superior grouse experience,  contact the Cabins at Lopstick in Pittsburg, NH.

The third week in October was spent at Allagash Guide Service (www.allagashguideservice.com) in Allagash, ME.  Allagash Guide Service is owned and operated by Sean Lizotte.  Sean is one of the finest camp operators you’ll ever meet.  And, he’s also an excellent grouse guide.

Since this is our third season at Allagash Guide Service, we’ve established several prime grouse coverts.  However, a grouse hunter can never have too many prime coverts.  Stu Bristol (www.stubristol.com) again applied his mapping skills and located new spots to explore during our week in Allagash.  That research again delivered some excellent new coverts and that’s very exciting.  Other than one very rainy day, we consistently had 12-15 flush days.  We only have two dogs so our hunting days are usually broken down to two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon of dogs on the ground.  For four hour hunt days, that’s a good hourly flush count.  The remainder of the day is spent searching for new cover.

We’ll continue to grouse hunt well into November.  I hope all of our readers are also having a productive season on upland birds.  A reminder that we published the Grouse, Guns & Dogs DVD last fall.  Go to www.birddogsafield.com for more information.

Paul Fuller is host of Bird Dogs Afield TV.  His website is www.birddogsafield.com.  Contact Paul at paul@birddogsafield.com