Predictions
Making predictions isn't generally my thing. I'm bound to be wrong, eating my words just a couple of weeks in to the season. This can be for a number of factors. Perhaps I just wasn't right about what I thought the grouse and woodcock hunting seasons would be, or a sudden change in the weather makes conditions more favorable (or worse) than what was originally thought. That's why I don't like to make predictions when it comes to the season for hunting ruffed grouse and woodcock.
However, I might just go out on that limb this year ...
This should be a very good grouse hunting season - at least 2020 was good for something, right? All of the images in this post were provided to me by one of my grouse hunting clients on a recent visit to northern New Hampshire, and Laurie saw a bundle of them in different places. Many thanks to her for sharing those images with us and, more importantly, giving us hope. Hopefully, they are still in all of those places in a week and a half ...
However, I might just go out on that limb this year ...
This should be a very good grouse hunting season - at least 2020 was good for something, right? All of the images in this post were provided to me by one of my grouse hunting clients on a recent visit to northern New Hampshire, and Laurie saw a bundle of them in different places. Many thanks to her for sharing those images with us and, more importantly, giving us hope. Hopefully, they are still in all of those places in a week and a half ...
Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen many birds in our scouting travels, whether it be in coverts that we traditionally hunt, driving to or from those coverts, and even when we're checking out totally new areas or spots that we haven't walked in many years. Singles, pairs, groups of four, five, six - you name a denomination, and we've probably seen it. This is definitely one of those years that you need to remind yourself not to let your guard down after a flush or a dreaded miss - there might just be another bird that's going to flush that could offer a better chance.
It also doesn't seem like the cover type is much of a determining factor in where they are either. Some of the spots that we have walked have been in what I consider to be "less than desirable" grouse cover. Too open, usually is the case with some of these areas, but still they yielded some grouse. Of course, we've found them in "good" cover for birds - a considerable amount of thickness, with a variety of tree types of varying age classes, and, preferably, a regenerating logging cut aged 5 - 20 years old. Thankfully, there's a lot of that in Pittsburg, so there shouldn't be a lot of trouble finding areas to hunt and the birds in them.
It also doesn't seem like the cover type is much of a determining factor in where they are either. Some of the spots that we have walked have been in what I consider to be "less than desirable" grouse cover. Too open, usually is the case with some of these areas, but still they yielded some grouse. Of course, we've found them in "good" cover for birds - a considerable amount of thickness, with a variety of tree types of varying age classes, and, preferably, a regenerating logging cut aged 5 - 20 years old. Thankfully, there's a lot of that in Pittsburg, so there shouldn't be a lot of trouble finding areas to hunt and the birds in them.
There might be more hunters however, if our summer season up here is any indication. It's been busy this summer and I anticipate more of the same this fall. More people are staying local, so anticipate having many plans at your disposal, in case some interloper has taken your Plan "A" before you.
Lately, I have noticed less woodcock than I normally see, but that may be largely due to the considerable drought that we've been in lately. The woodcock are probably at lower elevations right now, which are more likely to stay damp. My pack usually manages to find a few of them each session, but that number pales in comparison to the numbers of grouse. It should be a good one.
