Ruffed Grouse

LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-15 AT 01:04AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Sep-19-15 AT 01:01?AM (MST)

My son and I did a little grouse hunting last weekend and managed to get a pair of blues along a ridge to the north of Mount Shasta. A lot of walking and great fun, but now I would like to see some ruffed grouse. I wouldn't even think of finding any in California except that I did find one (in 35 years of hunting) in Oak Run, of all places, just a few years ago. It is my understanding that they like creek bottoms, yet this one was on an oak ridge. Go figure. In any event, they are beautiful birds and I would like to give them a try this year. Is there any MM member that doesn't chase grouse (I am not asking for anyone's secret spot) who can point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance. The photo attached (if it posts) is of my son with his first blue.

OK, We'll skip the photo. How is it that an entire generation of idiots can do this in their sleep, yet I cannot manage it even once without my wife's help?

Bull....... After checking different bird books, the Ruffed grouse is found only in the extreme North West corner of the state and should never have been anywhere near Oak Run. That said, stranger things have happened. Sourkraut

That is how I see it too, Sourkraut, yet there was no mistaking this one. It was a brown-phase ruff, and I have no idea how it got here or where the rest of its kind might be found in this neighborhood. Thanks for the response.

I've killed quite a few over the years, certainly over 100, here in the higher elevations of Humboldt County and western Trinity County. South Fork Mountain was always good. I haven't seen many in the last few years however. Mountain Quail numbers are way down too, in the same area. Most of the grouse were just "targets of opportunity". I would see them along side the road as I was driving. I put a lot of miles this weekend and didn't see one.

Eel

Guns are like parachutes. If you need one and don't have one you probably will never need one again.

Thank you, Eel. I am not familiar with that country, but perhaps I will give South Fork Mountain a look one day. Is there public access in the area, and do the grouse prefer the mountain tops (like blues) or are they in the drainages, if you do not mind me asking?

You're welcome bullskin. South Fork Mountain is almost all public Forest Service land. There is some timber company owned land on the north end but it's not posted and they don't mind people using it. South Fork Mountain is the longest mountain in the US. It runs north and south for approximately 50 miles. There is a good road running along the ridge the entire length. Highway 36 crosses over the South Fork Mountain Road about mid point and is a good access point from the east (Red Bluff.)

There are many public roads that branch off the South Fork Mountain Road down both the east and west sides.

I have found grouse just about everywhere, both high and low, and east and west sides of the ridge. Up higher is probably more consistent.

In order to cover all of it you will need a Six Rivers NF Map and a Shasta-Trinity NF Map, as the boundary between the two National Forests is the South Fork Mountain ridgeline.

I hope you get the chance to come over and enjoy it. Even if you don't get a grouse it's worth the trip. There are lots of unimproved places to camp along the top, so don't worry about that. Just bring your own water.

Eel

Guns are like parachutes. If you need one and don't have one you probably will never need one again.

I've only seen 4 this year up on the Oregon boarder, slim pickings I heard n Idaho was good this year...?