Dusky Grouse Redux

Feeling pretty excited about our rookie success on Dusky Grouse, we headed back over the mountains at our next available opportunity. We retraced our steps to the areas we’d found birds and focused our efforts on identifying likely habitat and resting spots. We looked for clues in the vegetation and tried to find patterns. For example, the crop of the grouse we’d shot last week had been stuffed with blue elderberries and rose leaves, so we kept an eye out for these likely food sources. We knew there were birds in these mountains, so now we tried to predict exactly where they were hanging out.

Despite significantly different weather conditions with cooler temps and high winds, we found another dozen birds in similar locations. Our best success seemed to be along the edge of the clearcut for the high tension power lines - which makes sense with the grouse’s reputation as a bird “of the edges”. Sneaking up on the windward side of the hills, we crested over the top of each hill and found birds hunkered down on the downwind side. This tactic didn’t provide for any scenting opportunities for the pup, but most of the birds hadn’t held well enough for a point anyway.

The high winds made for strange flight patterns and we struggled to find many shooting opportunities, but I was lucky enough to connect on a beautiful Dusky Grouse that leapt up out of the clearcut and headed straight toward the safety of the thick forest. It made for a challenging retrieve because the bird fell into the thick brush at the edge of the forest, but there was never any question that Piper was going to find that downed bird. After a brief wait while she worked the scent into the cover, she appeared proudly at the clearing and delivered the grouse to my hand. I was ecstatic.

Piper did end up with a beautiful point on a sitting bird along a ridge, but unfortunately the bird flushed low on the steep slope and Piper broke from her point - so no shots were taken. It was nice to get a point on a bird that notoriously doesn’t hold well. We are still working on putting all the pieces together!

All in all, it was another successful day as we added to our notes and knowledge about these grouse and their habits. It feels good to come home with birds on our first two attempts and we look forward to further dialing them in!