GROUSE HUNTING TRIPS SINCE 2008

 

Frost Fire's Grouse Hunting
"Partridge Blog"

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ...
an account of grouse and woodcock hunting
in northern NH and the NEK of Vermont ...

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Ruffed Grouse hunting in Vermont
Peak of the Season (so far)
We're a week in to the season now, and while the trees have not been cooperating for us grouse hunters in dropping their leaves, even we can appreciate the beauty surrounding us out there right now. The last two days, Monday in New Hampshire and yesterday in Vermont, were absolutely brilliant with a kaleidoscope of colors, and we have reveled in the fantastic scenery we've been walking in.
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Ruffed grouse hunting in New Hampshire
Leaves!
There are many factors that may make the difference between successful grouse hunts and those ventures that turn out to be particularly frustrating. Early on in the grouse season, warm temperatures and abundant leaf cover are often the greatest hindrances for dogs and hunters.
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Ruffed grouse hunting in Vermont
First Impressions
Our first days of the Vermont grouse hunting season are now in the books, and it's been a solid start so far. A good number of grouse, and even a few woodcock (the season starts on Friday, October 1 for them), have filled the sky escaping us over the last two days. As grouse are inclined to do, they gave my clients Vince and Brad precious few realistic shooting opportunities however - at times running out way ahead of points (yes, they're already doing that), or quickly putting a tree, leaves, or other vegetation between them and the hunters, so "good" chances have been few and far between.
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Woodcock hunting in Vermont
More Scouting & Training
Quite a few more sessions in the books for me and my pack over the last two weeks, and we've had mostly good results. We've been checking out some of our old haunts and finding grouse and woodcock most mornings, at least until the sun rises and conditions get too hot for the dogs.
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Grouse hunting in New Hampshire
In Conclusion?
If this week marked the final excursions in to the grouse woods for me and my pack, it was a fitting conclusion to our season in the strangest fall ever. During the time of COVID, bird dogs, grouse and most importantly the woods themselves became even more of a refuge than normal, and the grouse woods were calling us back again for more exploration.
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Frost Fire Grouse Hunting
By the Numbers
Now there's some time to sit down and analyze the recently passed grouse guiding season. Frequent readers of the blog know that I keep a "tote board" of each grouse season (except the first season that I guided, in 2008), but this year I want to put some context with the numbers that we have collected during our five-week guiding season.
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Ruffed grouse hunting in Vermont
Snow Days
Old Man Winter has reared his ugly head again during our grouse season. It all started yesterday morning, as my client and I had to endure moderately falling and blowing snow as we first followed Bode, and then Chris's Weimaraner Monty, up and down a hillside in Vermont.
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Grouse hunting in northern New Hampshire
NH Grouse Hunting Update: 10/28
Our weather pattern has gotten significantly colder this week, as what's been out west and in the midwest has begun to affect us a bit. It has also affected the upland bird hunting to some degree as well, as areas that were teeming with grouse just a few days ago were seemingly bereft of them yesterday. Why the change ... that is the great question.
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Grouse Hunting Season Stats

2024: 190.5 Hours
VT Hours: 70.0
NH Hours: 120.5
VT Birds Moved: 172
NH Birds Moved: 389
Birds Taken:
24 Grouse (VT - 7, NH - 17)
41 Woodcock (VT - 12, NH - 29)

2023: 222.5 Hours
VT Hours: 65.5
NH Hours: 157.0
VT Birds Moved: 143
NH Birds Moved: 430
Birds Taken:
14 Grouse (VT - 4, NH - 10)
43 Woodcock (VT - 7, NH - 36)

2022: 123.0 Hours
VT Hours: 49.5
NH Hours: 73.5
VT Birds Moved: 96
NH Birds Moved: 178
Birds Taken:
11 Grouse (VT - 5, NH - 6)
6 Woodcock (VT - 2, NH - 4)

2021: 193.5 Hours
VT Hours: 66.0
NH Hours: 127.5
VT Birds Moved: 226
NH Birds Moved: 427
Birds Taken:
36 Grouse
21 Woodcock

2020: 199.5 Hours
VT Hours: 36.0
NH Hours: 163.5
VT Birds Moved: 77
NH Birds Moved: 552
Birds Taken:
24 Grouse
21 Woodcock

2019: 184.5 Hours
VT Hours: 28.0
NH Hours: 156.5
VT Birds Moved: 65
NH Birds Moved: 509
Birds Taken:
14 Grouse
29 Woodcock

2018: 144.0 Hours
VT Hours: 32.0
NH Hours: 112.0
VT Birds Moved: 114
NH Birds Moved: 417
Birds Taken:
18 Grouse
12 Woodcock

2017: 180.5 Hours
VT Hours: 44
NH Hours: 136.5
VT Birds moved: 110
NH Birds moved: 407
Birds Taken:
23 Grouse
24 Woodcock

2016: 178 Hours
Birds moved: 563
Birds/Hr Avg.: 3.16

Birds Taken:
23 Grouse
30 Woodcock

2015: 202.0 Hours
Birds moved: 607
Birds/Hr Avg.: 3.0

Birds Taken:
18 grouse
26 woodcock

2014: 138.0 hours
Birds moved: 350
Birds/hr. Avg.: 2.53

Birds Taken:
17 grouse
17 woodcock

2013: 152 Hours
Birds moved: 480
Birds/hr. Avg.: 3.15

Birds Taken:
20 grouse
27 woodcock

2012: 114 Hours
Birds moved: 526
Birds /Hr Avg.: 4.61

Birds Taken:
22 grouse
4 woodcock

2011: 161 Hours
Birds moved: 522
Birds / Hr Avg.: 3.24

Birds Taken:
34 grouse
21 woodcock

2010: 139.5 Hours
Birds moved: 430
Birds / Hr Avg.: 3.08

Birds Taken:
26 grouse
21 woodcock

2009: 93.5 Hours
Birds moved: 307
Birds / Hr Avg.: 3.28

Birds Taken:
16 grouse
14 woodcock

2008: 82.5 Hours
Birds moved: 188
Birds / Hr Avg.: 2.27

Birds Taken:
10 grouse
5 woodcock

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