Grouse Hunt - Maine 2024

[Bionic]

My friend and I went to my cabin in Maine in search of Grouse over the weekend.  It was my friends first time in Maine, and I think he’s hooked.  We made the 8.5 hr trip with his young GSP named Waylon.  It was exciting to see the dog work, and be so excited about the search for birds.  We ended up with one bird, but did see 10, or so.  I acted as a tour guide of the area, and my friend saw his first 3 moose, one small bull, and 2 cow.  He brought fresh venison blackstrap that we enjoyed bbq’d back at the cabin.  I found an old chewed up Moose antler, and jaw as well.  A great time, but first ever deer gun opener ever missed…

[mowin]

Looks like a good reason to miss opening day in NY. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Well worth missing opening day for that trip.  

Grouse- bnnrrrrrrbbnnn (noise from them taking off) and where the hell did it go, I never got the gun up.  

Lol that's how I always did hunting for them.  

[Bionic]

1 minute ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Well worth missing opening day for that trip.  

Grouse- bnnrrrrrrbbnnn (noise from them taking off) and where the hell did it go, I never got the gun up.  

Lol that's how I always did hunting for them.  

I hear ya, we were glad to just be out there, what a great time just driving the old roads, that truck will never be the same lol.  

[Versatile Hunter]

Beautiful habitat!

Remind me, are moose rutting now too?

[Bionic]

1 minute ago, Versatile Hunter said:

Beautiful habitat!

Remind me, are moose rutting now too?

Early September to mid October I always heard for Maine moose rut.  They were rutting hard 2-3 weeks ago.  However, the bucks we saw hanging in yards, and in truck beds, and on hitch racks were exciting to see! Some beasts.  We passed a house on the way up with a bunch of guys just standing around this big buck hanging, all still in orange, we beeped, and they waved it was great.

[blackbeltbill]

Nice! Last Ruffed Grouse,I saw in Orange  County has to be at least 15 years back now. They were Thumping the Woods everywhere  in the 1980s.

[GRIFF-POINT]

Heaven! So jealous,  awsome trip!

[ATbuckhunter]

Nice! Where in Maine is your cabin?

[Bionic]

29 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

Nice! Where in Maine is your cabin?

Moosehead Lake, east side.  However, these photos were mostly west side, and north west of the lake towards Seboomook.

Edited November 20 by Bionic

[ATbuckhunter]

31 minutes ago, Bionic said:

Moosehead Lake, east side.  However, these photos were mostly west side, and north west of the lake towards Seboomook.

That's a good area. Seemed like some of the area's you were hunting weren't the best habitat for them, but you still found them. If I head to Maine to grouse hunt next year, you're welcome to join me

[Bionic]

12 minutes ago, ATbuckhunter said:

That's a good area. Seemed like some of the area's you were hunting weren't the best habitat for them, but you still found them. If I head to Maine to grouse hunt next year, you're welcome to join me

This was my very first time grouse hunting, so I’m clueless.  I just always saw grouse every time we rode the trails over the years in the UTV.  My friend said the habitat wasn’t really what he seeks out either, he was honestly a bit confused by it.  He wanted to find clear cuts with tiny Aspens, which look like birch trees to me from what pics he showed me.  He is still learning too.  I appreciate the invite, we are definitely making this an annual trip for birds,  I will let you know.

[ATbuckhunter]

1 hour ago, Bionic said:

This was my very first time grouse hunting, so I’m clueless.  I just always saw grouse every time we rode the trails over the years in the UTV.  My friend said the habitat wasn’t really what he seeks out either, he was honestly a bit confused by it.  He wanted to find clear cuts with tiny Aspens, which look like birch trees to me from what pics he showed me.  He is still learning too.  I appreciate the invite, we are definitely making this an annual trip for birds,  I will let you know.

Once you have an eye for it, you'll never forget what it looks like. You want that 8-10 year sage class cut to walk through. Thick enough that its uncomfortable to walk through. There are other things to look for as well, but you wont go wrong with looking for that basic stem density. Grouse are a really fun bird to hunt and very challenging to hit

[mowin]

23 hours ago, ATbuckhunter said:

Once you have an eye for it, you'll never forget what it looks like. You want that 8-10 year sage class cut to walk through. Thick enough that its uncomfortable to walk through. There are other things to look for as well, but you wont go wrong with looking for that basic stem density. Grouse are a really fun bird to hunt and very challenging to hit

Every grouse I've seen in Maine were in some pretty thick stuff.  Always wondered how in the hell could you ever hit one, lol.  

[dbHunterNY]

looks like a great trip. people come back there to specifically go after grouse. congrats on the grouse!