sooty grouse
Member
Was going on 3 years now and havent downed a blue grouse yet in the tahoe national forest, I've seen only a few while deer hunting.
So, my first enconter with a blue was deer hunting in TNF, while getting back to the landcruiser I heard wings flapping so put the rifle away and got out the trusty o'l 28ga. thinking some blue's flew up a red fir, well one did an when I walked up hill to were I thought he was, it bolted out of that fir like nothing I've seen before, fired 1oz. of 6's, then in between tree's fired #2 barrel........that big plump blue just keep on going.....
The next morn. while deer hunting I saw a blue driving on dirt road mabey 75ft. away, pulled over, had to get 28ga. out from case, put it together, put vest on. load it.....ect ect. then finally started to go in area were I last saw him, and thought, like pheasant hunting he's probably RUNNING way ahead of me, through forest...nope, almost walked on him and he flew behind me down hil, not even getting a chance to shoot....rats!
Soooo, 3 years later, went 2nd week of opener grouse. Had cousin with me, he wanted to take one two, if possible. We headed out to the sierra nevada mt. range and got to a place were some deer hunters said they saw a bunch of blue's last year, humm, sounded like a good area.
Set up camp then found trail head and started our journey to were hunters said they saw all those grouse...camp was at 6000ft. and the trail takes us up to over 8000ft. Man this trail dont get used, had a heck of a time trying to find our way to the top, thick forest. Made it to top, no grouse in site...but what a view!!! Walked ridge a bit, then had to turn around and head back because it was a good 2 miles back down and we were hurting bad, blisters barking loud.
Feeling very discouraged, and sore, we decided to just hunt a bit around camp, by the creek with elderberry's when just 80yrds from camp we kicked up two blues, (are you kidding me, 5 mi. round trip yesterday and there in camp?) boom, cousin blasts 1st then 2nd barrel...miss..both flew up in different tree's, I could see one barley sticking neak out and fired # 6's from remmy 12er......dropped it, got across creek and what a beauty my first sooty blue grouse a female. We kicked up 4 that day, only one in bag.
Now on to next week.... I went to a different area, hopeing to bag another.
Elevation was a bit higher, camp was 7000ft. wanted to hike up old mining trail and see if any blue's would be in the area, got to the top of ridge and beautful veiw, looking down on the north fork of the american river.
While on top of ridge, I could hear some snapping sounds up and below a white fit tree, when all of a sudden at almost at the top of tree, a male grouse came around on branch getting a side view, bam, my 12er goes off, dropping him with #6's out of that 125ft. fir, boy did he fall far!!!...went to get bird down hill a bit, when another blue flushed to right, got gun up and fired, feathers floating...but no blue, just winged it a touch....wow what a day. Finaly got my sooty blue's!!!!!!!!!!!!
Behind this pic about 100yrds or so is were I shot the blue and almost another.
So, my first enconter with a blue was deer hunting in TNF, while getting back to the landcruiser I heard wings flapping so put the rifle away and got out the trusty o'l 28ga. thinking some blue's flew up a red fir, well one did an when I walked up hill to were I thought he was, it bolted out of that fir like nothing I've seen before, fired 1oz. of 6's, then in between tree's fired #2 barrel........that big plump blue just keep on going.....
The next morn. while deer hunting I saw a blue driving on dirt road mabey 75ft. away, pulled over, had to get 28ga. out from case, put it together, put vest on. load it.....ect ect. then finally started to go in area were I last saw him, and thought, like pheasant hunting he's probably RUNNING way ahead of me, through forest...nope, almost walked on him and he flew behind me down hil, not even getting a chance to shoot....rats!
Soooo, 3 years later, went 2nd week of opener grouse. Had cousin with me, he wanted to take one two, if possible. We headed out to the sierra nevada mt. range and got to a place were some deer hunters said they saw a bunch of blue's last year, humm, sounded like a good area.
Set up camp then found trail head and started our journey to were hunters said they saw all those grouse...camp was at 6000ft. and the trail takes us up to over 8000ft. Man this trail dont get used, had a heck of a time trying to find our way to the top, thick forest. Made it to top, no grouse in site...but what a view!!! Walked ridge a bit, then had to turn around and head back because it was a good 2 miles back down and we were hurting bad, blisters barking loud.
Feeling very discouraged, and sore, we decided to just hunt a bit around camp, by the creek with elderberry's when just 80yrds from camp we kicked up two blues, (are you kidding me, 5 mi. round trip yesterday and there in camp?) boom, cousin blasts 1st then 2nd barrel...miss..both flew up in different tree's, I could see one barley sticking neak out and fired # 6's from remmy 12er......dropped it, got across creek and what a beauty my first sooty blue grouse a female. We kicked up 4 that day, only one in bag.
Now on to next week.... I went to a different area, hopeing to bag another.
Elevation was a bit higher, camp was 7000ft. wanted to hike up old mining trail and see if any blue's would be in the area, got to the top of ridge and beautful veiw, looking down on the north fork of the american river.
While on top of ridge, I could hear some snapping sounds up and below a white fit tree, when all of a sudden at almost at the top of tree, a male grouse came around on branch getting a side view, bam, my 12er goes off, dropping him with #6's out of that 125ft. fir, boy did he fall far!!!...went to get bird down hill a bit, when another blue flushed to right, got gun up and fired, feathers floating...but no blue, just winged it a touch....wow what a day. Finaly got my sooty blue's!!!!!!!!!!!!
Behind this pic about 100yrds or so is were I shot the blue and almost another.
Last edited:
