I have jumped lots of … Last modified on Monday, 17 October 2011 09:44. , an e-zine that features news, reviews and stories about women in the outdoors. Description. Up, up and up to more than 11,000 feet. The grouse hunting season spanning from Sept. 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, overlaps with most of the state’s big game seasons, not to mention the habitat, so it’s usually worth the effort to snag a small game license and come to camp prepared. “She locked into a beautiful point, and all of the sudden seven or eight birds just exploded out of nowhere,” Arvada resident Terry Stegehuise said of his late German shorthaired pointer, Mocha, recounting one of her final dusky grouse hunts in the Routt National Forest. We hunters had already passed through that neck of the woods and stood out in a grassy meadow. Mule deer can … Elk hunting at Silver Creek Outfitters includes horseback travel to hunting areas, pack out of game and guides or non-guided assistance. Further, he's willing to share this hard-won knowledge with the great unwashed, namely you and me. Katherine said, “You have to pound ground when you’re hunting grouse. They inhabit at least portions of 43 of Colorado’s 63 counties. They are hunting machines – in running shoes. The dusky grouse is found throughout the western United States and Canada. Located in Paradise, it felt heavenly to rest and visit and talk about the one that got away. The twins, in their foot attire, scampered like mountain goats and used a skiing-type method (minus poles and skis, of course) to traverse down mountainsides. If you strive to be a better shooter, then our FREE e-letters are for you. Steep hillsides and dense habitat call for a different hunting pattern than pheasant or quail, and a good grouse dog works slower, closer, more methodically. Katherine also said, “A good dog increases your chances too. Reply by: kiva Posted: 9/9/2020 5:22:21 PM Points: 109 . This bird’s hunting season usually runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 20, and West of I-25 only, with a daily bag limit of three and a possession limit of nine. Big, explosive and oftentimes erratic, these birds have hands down become my favorite game animals to chase. Dusky grouse are considered forest grouse, but during different times of the year they utilize distinctly different habitat types. We smelled elk everywhere, and came upon a wallow that looked like feral hogs had been at work. To attract females, males also strut with tails raised and fanned, and neck feathers spread, … You don’t know until you get in there with the dog and look around,” said C.J. Dusky Grouse are numerous but inconspicuous for most of the year. We snuck up on mountain meadows and grassy areas. Let's hear how your Blue / Dusky grouse hunting is going. Katherine said, “You have to pound ground when you’re hunting grouse. Along the way we’ll look for a variety of resident, early-arriving, or late-departing species, including White-tailed Ptarmigan and Dusky Grouse and all three … I decided not to brave the crowds and waited until the following Thursday to chase grouse with the birddogs. In practical terms, that means that no matter how far back in you drive before you begin your hunt, you're still going to have to climb to find them. The reflective tape on their shoes gleamed in the pre-dawn and I thought, “I’m in trouble here.” My hunting boots already felt heavy. Meanwhile, the photographer and the guide tried to cajole, scare and move that grouse out of the tree so it would fly over us. Colorado, United States • The Hubbard Creek region of Western Colorado is renowned for its exceptional turkey and game bird hunting opportunities. Sage hens/grouse are the next bird on Piper and my bucket list! To find them, hike through a mountain forest with fairly open understory. In fact, our guide and photographer found him. Tracy said, “That shotgun has helped feed the Barnes family for over 80 years.” And, at the rate these women are going, it’ll probably feed the family for another 80. Females tend to be browner than males and have barring on the head, neck, and back. All rights reserved. Green-tailed Towhees are numerous in the park, and this is a terrific place to see White-throated Swifts swooping dramatically along the cliff edges at eye level, to the music of Canyon Wrens. Now booking Elk & Deer hunts for 2019 . “You can’t look at a place from across the valley and say there’s going to be grouse there. In fact, these young women grew up hunting with their father and still hunt whenever possible, eking out time between training sessions, or including two-hour runs before hunting. A lone grouse roosted in a pine that eventually eluded the hunters. The dusky, aka blue, grouse is the only animal known to fly to higher elevations in the winter. They are also one of the best eating birds around. How to use online maps to help you pre-scout terrain for Dusky grouse. Colorado Bird Hunting Seasons Span September 1 – January 31, 2021 Resident License Fees: $30.11 1-Day $13.90 Non-Resident License Fees: $82.78 1-Day $16.94 Many big game bow hunters will add a rubber-tipped arrow to their quiver, which offers ample impact to bag a bird that doesn’t demand much in the way of killing. She shot her first waterfowl and grouse with this gun, and wouldn’t trade it for any more modern, synthetic shotgun. Dusky grouse hunting is tough. For Sharp-tailed Grouse take CR 80 over the first rise, down into the valley, and up to the next rise. With lush forage tucked beneath its signature cloak of quaking aspens, Routt National Forest northeast of Craig traditionally accounts for a significant percentage of all the dusky grouse harvested statewide by hunters. And fly he did – about 60 feet from the nearest shooter. Smoke and heat was the theme for our annual Colorado grouse camp this year. And while they may not be the first two words that come to mind as you choke down the unexpected shot of adrenaline, that gray and white explosion actually has a name: Dusky Grouse. and U.S. 40, 37, 181, 201, 211, 301 and 441. With birds so evasive, it can be difficult to find a point of reference to start the hunt. North America is home to 15 or 20 different grouse species. grouse (Dusky Grouse, White-taile d Ptarmigan) to the Colorado D ivision of Wildlife from 1966 to 1972 and for all hunted species of grouse from 1973 into 199 9. We’ll travel along the Colorado River and the magnificent Black Canyon of the Gunnison, through montane spruce-fir forests and expansive sagebrush flats and grasslands, and past more than a dozen 14,000-foot mountain peaks. About a week later, Lanny and Tracy sent photos of a recent grouse hunt in their neck of the Colorado woods, near Durango. A complete guide to hunting for Western Colorado, Colorado hunters are on the prowl for North America’s largest feline. Lanny (left) and Tracy Barnes are on the pro-staff at. For that matter, they may fail to show up at all in otherwise ideal habitat. Just make sure he is well trained because a dog that ranges out too far will ruin you opportunities.” Of course, for that hunt, we had no dogs. Breeding aside, they tend to ease into the role, as if developing instincts with age. Kausel, who has successfully chased grouse in northwest Colorado for more than 35 years. We crept into forests, always looking up. Both sexes have long, square tails which are unbarred. We offer specialized hunts tailored to the needs of the sportsman. Shotgun Life is the first online magazine devoted to the great people who participate in the shotgun sports. Katherine added, “Getting out at first light or last light is also important as they are harder to find during the middle of the day.”. The birds are both inconspicuous and unpredictable, sometimes flushing wildly, other times holding tight in thick cover under the noses of both dog and hunter. I believe Colorado is one such place, but I'd have to check the book to be sure, which is at home. I hunted with a couple of friends on Thursday and by myself this morning. And hike we did. Ft. condo townhome rowhome coop built in . PO Box 6423Thomasville, GA 31758Phone: 229-236-1632. The dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to the Rocky Mountains in North America. Sometimes even Gunnison Sage-grouse are seen near the park entrance. On a good day, the dusky grouse, also known as the blue grouse, will walk right out in front of a hunter, as this one did the day before hunting season opened. The Barnes’ sisters took a weekend break from their Olympic training routine in Utah, to scoot back to their home state of Colorado and hunt October’s season of dusky grouse with us. From this alititude, we admired vistas that would make fine doublewide postcards at the local tourism shop. In the winter, dusky grouse live in the high country, roosting and feeding in stands of Douglas fir and lodge pole pine. By necessity, a grouse dog works differently from other upland bird stalkers. Join an elite group of readers who receive their FREE e-letter every week from Shotgun Life. Show Caption of And, of course, they move uphill when it gets colder.”, Kausel has found his Routt County honey hole right around the 8,000-foot mark, where he works up and down remote ridges and draws littered with deadfall beneath September’s golden aspens. The thunderous eruption of wings and feathers bursting from behind a bush or beneath a tree as hunters hike the forest almost always catches us off guard. “You need to have the right mix of oakbrush and trees for cover and the serviceberries, chokecherries and huckleberries to eat. For this reason, your best chance to see them comes in early spring, when displaying males become both conspicuous and quite fearless, often easily approached. The usual song is a series of five soft, very low-pitched hoots that can rarely be heard beyond 100 feet. As with most hunting, if you work a particular area, you will soon discover areas where the game that you are seeking congregate. « Exclusive: Baserri Slated to Introduce a Shotgun Designed by Women, for Women, Meet the New Fashionistas of British Tweed ». This bird’s hunting season usually runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 20, and West of I-25 only, with a daily bag limit of three and a possession limit of nine. Everything you need to know about the shotgun sports is a mouse-click away. Lanny’s godfather, Austin Stockton, gave her a Remington Wingmaster 870 in 20 gauge. Although hunting conditions have not been ideal, there are still plenty of birds to be found in what is shaping up to be an average year, said Ed Gorman of Colorado … Overall it was a great time and a successful hunt. Whether you’re stalking big game or on a dedicated bird hunt, it’s likely you’ll stumble across at least a few dusky (or blue) grouse in the hills of northwest Colorado. During the spring gobbler season, the hunter can hunt archery or shotgun. Adult males are mainly dark with a … He sat alone in a pine about 25 feet high. The twins believe their diet of organic wild game, acquired through hunting, is an important tool – part of their training regimen. A guide to finding and hunting the Dusky Grouse. Early 1st … The Dusky Grouse (until recently known as the Blue Grouse) is the largest of Montana's three species of mountain grouse. The author (far right) with Olympic twins Lanny (middle) and Tracy Barnes head out at first light in the Crested Butte area of Colorado. High above the Colorado river is where I started my day off…but not a single bird was located before the temps hit into the mid 80’s. Short of having a heart attack, there is little more exciting than chasing Dusky grouse deep in the mountains while the aspens are showing off their colors. While we had good luck with five birds between the three of us on Thursday and myself and my … Tracy said, “The birds in Colorado, because of high altitude, tend to be a little slower.” Slow, fast, after five hours of climbing and seeking, it became clearer and clearer – while getting foggier and foggier because a cloud had descended on us – that we would be grouse-less. An NRA pistol instructor, avid huntress and freelance writer in travel and outdoor markets, Baird can be found afield or on a range when not editing or writing. Despite being Colorado… An NRA pistol instructor, avid huntress and freelance writer in travel and outdoor markets, Baird can be found afield or on a range when not editing or writing. Add in some working bird dogs and I’m pretty sure … Whether you’re stalking big game or on a dedicated bird hunt, it’s likely you’ll stumble across at least a few dusky (or blue) grouse in the hills of northwest Colorado. Colorado Waterfowl Stamp: $10.13 $10.13 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp ... Grouse: Dusky (Blue) Sept. 1 - Nov. 22: West of I-25 only: Grouse: Greater sage-gro use: Season 1: Sept. 12-18 Area: GMUs 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 18 except east of Colo. 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except north and east of Grand CR 50 (Church Park Rd.) The more you hike, the better your chances of flushing grouse.”. Hunting is allowed at White River National Forest, but hunting is managed by the state. In this episode we show you some Utah native and often overlooked upland game species: Dusky and Ruffed Grouse. Nothing. Colorado Outfitter #2578 Unit #15 *Equal Opportunity Service Provider of the Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest . As befitting someone who once prepared a doctoral dissertation on the subject, Remington knows almost precisely where and how to find blue grouse, even during hunting season. He hunted ducks with it, and then passed it on to his son. Male grouse perform their spring displays individually in the oaks along the south rim road in spring. So we did what all hunters do after a long, exhausting hunt. Hunting for grouse in Eagle County Colorado. The region is game rich with turkeys and blue grouse. You'll discover ways to improve your shooting, learn about the best new products and how to easily maintain your shotgun so it's always reliable. The twins stepped out of their vehicle next to us – dressed in camo, do-rags and running shoes. Our goal is to provide you with the best coverage in wing and clays shooting. In the mean time, you can keep up with the twins’ adventures at their website. These readers gain a competitive advantage from the valuable advice delivered directly to their inbox. That last one might not be the first thing that comes to mind, if at all, but grouse hunting is solidly planted in the “upland hunting” realm. The ground was still warm. The dusky and the sooty. Remington is the acting research program leader for upland game with the Colorado Division … Here are a few tips. Dusky Grouse in Colorado: A Guide to Hunting and Viewing Introduction Dusky grouse, formerly known as blue grouse, can be found in suitable habitats in all of Colorado’s mountainous areas. But, the credit went to a local herd of elk that had just been there. For me they are usually in pretty thick cover, at a high elevation, lots of work. Of course, there's a catch: Although they live in national (read: public) forests, dusky grouse also live at high elevations. Their web site describes procedures for obtaining a license and planning your hunt. Dusky Grouse are usually found singly, not in flocks (except for hens with young), and are generally fairly wary. Elk & Dee R Hunting . Males have slate-colored upper parts, white-based neck feathers around the air sacs, and yellow-orange eye combs. They are a fun bird to hunt if you know how to find them. Barbara Baird is publisher of Women’s Outdoor News, an e-zine that features news, reviews and stories about women in the outdoors. For grouse, Katherine and Eric say they hunt steep terrain and look for open meadows where grouse feed. Big Game Hunting; Game Bird/Waterfowl; Small Game Hunting . Contents of this site are © Copyright 2021 Colorado Hunter. Good grouse dogs are something of a rare bird themselves. The Colorado Division of Wildlife oversees hunting and licenses on the White River National Forest. Some refer to it as “heart attack country.”. But, we had the twins; they covered ground like panthers. The Colorado dusky grouse season opened on Labor Day this year…getting out of the I-70 parking lot is an absolute nightmare as there are hordes and hordes of people in mass exodus from the mountains. From left: The author, Lanny Barnes, Eric Grand, Katherine Grand and Tracy Barnes. The sooty grouse can often be found where you least expect them. … Parked our car on a pull-off area on a mountain road in Kebler Pass, located in the Crested Butte area. That bird exists--in abundance--and it's called a blue grouse, which has officially been renamed the dusky grouse. View 3 photos for 5340 Dusky Grouse Pt, Colorado Springs, CO 80924 a 3 bed, 3 bath, 1,658 Sq. With a good dose of luck you could also find a Dusky Grouse displaying in the same area. “I got one and the rest flew off into the trees.”. But like almost all dusky grouse country, the most productive habitat is neither easy to get to nor to hunt. The dusky, aka blue, grouse is the only animal known to fly to higher elevations in the winter. On the plus side, they sit tight and if you miss or don't get a shot they will often fly just a short distance giving you another chance. Friday morning was a unwelcome day off because of steady rain. 5 days of hunting, airport transfers to and from Hayden, CO. aspen) but no ruffed grouse, presumably because they are too distant from source populations to facilitate colonization. I've hunted two of the three days our season has been open here in Colorado. We ate 2 of the birds that night. In Colorado we have about 6 of those with the most targeted being the dusky grouse. The area right outside of Hayden is one of the best in Colorado to see two species of lekking grouse in the spring, Sharp-tailed and Greater Sage-Grouse. The Model 17 originally belonged to Thad’s father, Norman Barnes, who had acquired the gun when he was a sophomore in high school, about 1930, in Michigan. The sooty are prevalent in the Sierras while the dusky’s inhabit the Rocky Mountains. Not only had we arranged to hunt the high country of Crested Butte, Colo., with our friends and acting grouse guides Katherine and Eric Grand, but also, Olympic biathletes Lanny and Tracy Barnes joined us for this morning’s dusky grouse hunt. Nothing. We found a local diner and chowed down on pita concoctions with sprouts. But we only saw one, count ’em, one grouse. Tracy’s gun is a Remington Model 17, 20 gauge, given to her by her father, Thad. Colorado grouse country ablaze. … A few of the birds harvested on the day’s hunt. The women hunt with shotguns that hold special meaning. Oh dark-30. It is closely related to the sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus), and the two were previously considered a single species, the blue grouse.. For more information about Colorado Small Game hunting, visit the state’s online guide. Males sing from the ground or from a low perch such as a stump. Most others rely on shotguns of various gauges, often with an even-keeled dog at their side. They don’t run far or fast, mostly just mosey and sniff as the hunter follows close behind and awaits a signal. Also, you may donate to their fundraising for the 2014 Olympics. Gordon Gullion wrote a book "Grouse of the North Shore" in which he highlights the various places that contain suitable ruffed grouse habitat (i.e. In the spring, dusky grouse leave the high country and move to their breeding grounds. Reply … It’s a heart-stopper, every time. Listen for the quiet, low-pitched, but insistent hoots that males make as part … Season … More of the game birds are harvested annually in its namesake county than anywhere else in Colorado. There are two types of blue grouse. Adults have a long square tail, gray at the end. They primarily occur in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Oregon, and Washington, as well as most of British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon Territory. That includes places to shoot, ways to improve your shooting and the latest new products. We showed up on time. Much like elk hunting, it includes some tough walking on uneven ground, climbing upward as the birds shift to a diet of conifer needles in the colder months. … Best areas to hunt. Postcards at the local tourism shop 3 bath, 1,658 Sq are on the day ’ s hunt has... Colorado we have about 6 of those with the great people who participate in outdoors! Inconspicuous for most of the birds harvested on the head, neck, and yellow-orange combs... Big game hunting hike, the hunter can hunt archery or shotgun stood out in grassy! T run far or fast, dusky grouse hunting colorado just mosey and sniff as hunter... ) but no Ruffed grouse of friends on Thursday and by myself this morning, 301 441... Could also find a dusky grouse fun bird to hunt hunted with a good dog increases your chances of grouse.... 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