The native Upland Game Birds in Georgia are the Ruffed Grouse, The Eastern Wild Turkey, and the Northern Bobwhite Quail. Star and I were very fortunate that I had hunted with Fatsto learn the ropes and where and how to hunt. Without saying a word to him, I started taking the three grouse out of my vest and arranging them and my gun for a photo in front of a stump. Maps of the Chattahoochee National Forest showing where clearcuts are located can be obtained from the USFS. The perimeter of a 10- to 12-year-old hardwood clearcut that harbors patches of evergreen vegetation and a few mature trees to produce hard mast is an ideal north Georgia grouse haven. In the mid 80s he averaged 35 to 40 birds per season. To me, this was some good shooting. Ruffed grouse populations are limited in the southeast U.S., as they require snow for a portion of the year. Thats my favorite weather to hunt.. Fats had all the talents needed to become a grouse hunter. Back in those days when we hunted, there were no food plots or drivable roads off of the main U.S. Forest Service roads, just logging roads. The northeast region of our country is hit-or-miss with grouse. We returned to the truck with empty bird bags and tired legs, but the views of Lake Burton and the mountains beyond had been worth the trip. Archery: Sept. 10 - Jan. 8 Extended Archery*: Sept. 10 - Jan. 31 The ruffed grouse is a medium sized bird, smaller than a chicken, measuring approximately 12-18 inches long. However, his weight was not all fat, there were muscles in his arms and legs. Certainly a more obscure tradition than bobwhite quail hunting, there is a fascinating culture of grouse hunters in Southern Appalachia that will trek miles for a handful of flushes. Hiking through chilled high-country forests with a shotgun over the arm can be good for the soul, and grilled breast of ruffed grouse is definitely good for the taste buds. The national forest had been logged selective for the past 50 years. Jul 30, 2020 #7 Whit90 Senior Member Mixed oak-pine forests and eastern red cedar-hardwood forests are important habitats in this region. As the season progresses, the effects of hunting pressure will reduce the birds you see in the easy places. Use these habitats as a general guide, but dont be afraid to try finding new coverts elsewhere. Another happening at this same time was a span-worm infestation, which lasted three or four years. Arthur and I continued to hunt wild turkeys and deer together for many more years, but his glorious days of grouse hunting were over. Eighteen Grouse Management Areas (GMA), covering over 95,000 acres, are focused on providing optimum habitat for ruffed grouse and American woodcock located . These span-worms completely defoliated the mountain hardwood trees in the summers, which made the mountains look like it was wintertime. From the coastal plain to the Appalachian Mountains to the Piedmont Plateau this state has much to offer a hunter. In Idaho, riparian areas and mixed conifers like Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, and quaking aspen woodlands are the most productive. Just go to where theres some cover. I also joined the Cherokee Gun Club in Gainesville back then and began shooting skeet at the old Buck-horn shooting range, hoping to improve my grouse shooting. How to Identify Ruffed Grouse Habitat for Hunting - Project Upland The Upland Hunter also has some great resources on grouse hunting. Anywhere theres a change in the cover type, theres going to be a more diverse mix of tree/shrub species and one is bound to be thicker than the other. grouse populations over the past 25 years with a general decrease in numbers since 1996. While about 90 percent of Georgia is privately owned, there are still more than 100 wildlife management areas covering about one million acres. I reached a total of 25 kills during the last week of that season. I asked him what made a grouse flush so legendary, and his eyes brightened with memories. Dog training in Georgia is permitted on the hunting dates for the species listed for each wildlife management area. Your email address will not be published. Deer hunting exposed Fats to the ruffed grouse. That was the last time I ever went grouse hunting in Georgia. Beyond the feathers of Georgia, there are small game animals with fur that are available to hunt in the state. Killing a limit of three grouse did happen often. Grouse Facts. He has researched the bird's winter diet and said that during winter months, it's primarily made up of evergreen plants such as mountain laurel, Christmas fern and foam flower. A feature film on grouse hunting in America will be a highlight of an event on Feb. 8 in Thomasville, as Project Upland magazine and Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) host the Public Grouse Film Festival. Finally my dog pointed way up on the side of a mountain that was a straight up climb. Gilreath and Williams creeks in Gaddistown were very special places, and almost all of the Blue Ridge WMAs creek drainages were, too. Having your own dog will cause you to hunt more than anything else. Although the game species listed above account for the core of small game hunting in Georgia (beyond waterfowl), there are some other opportunities worth pursuing. Grouse kill easy, said Broderick. When I got almost to him I put my gun back together and went to load it and a grouse exploded out in front of him and flew way down to the other side of the hill. The good news is that grouse populations tend to be cyclical, often waxing and waning every seven to 10 years, and Broderick said that this year seems to be on the upside so far. Dense thickets and forests are used by hens to rear their chicksthe really thick cover helps hide them from aerial and ground predators until they can fly better to evade them. Durrell also has a wide range of articles on the website, many of which feature hunting in Georgia: Articles by Durrell Smith, Ruffed Grouse SocietyQuail ForeverNorth American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA). 3. Arthur knew that grouse tend to feed during the day upon the hillsides for grapes, acorns and whatever else they could eat. Even though there is a season, I do not believe there is a hunt-able population in GA anymore. The Golden Age For Georgia Grouse - Georgia Outdoor News The Georgia grouse season of 1976-77 was my pinnacle season of shooting grouse. Theyll do whatever it takes to get away from you fast. After lunch, Star and I went to High Shoals Creek nearby for another hunt. How To Grouse Hunt - YouTube At that cost price, I did some shooting, and thank goodness my grouse shooting was improved, too. Many of you reading this story knew Arthur personally, or you may have known about Arthurs grouse hunting days. The trees and ground were white. Stopping your hunting in December, its proven, will result in more birds next year. Arthur already had nine seasons of grouse hunting before he took me under his guidance. This was before I hunted with him. Bucks point melted back into a searching run, and the hunt continued up the mountain. Most weeks they hunted six days a week. Buck was stretching into a point now, staring intently at the tangle of brush. All rights reserved. I reached a total of 25 kills during the last week of that season. I turned around to my right and killed the bird going straight-away, Arthur told me. It was late November, and we were hunting national-forest lands near Lake Burton WMA in Rabun County. Whys are yous quitting so quick? he asked. At least not in the northeast. It works best if youve got the bird pinned by a pointer; anticipate the flight path, check for clearings, note the sun direction, and position yourself accordingly. Heard a ton drumming this spring during turkey season, which is promising. She was being quoted about her many accomplishments during her lifetime for big society. Ive noticed they have a tendency to flush toward the sun. Find places where the trees have been removed and replaced with new growth. How to Hunt Ruffed Grouse | Field & Stream Efforts by Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division to monitor grouse populations via spring drumming surveys have proven to be ineffective and were recently abandoned. Arthur once revealed to me he had killed 12 grouse without missing a shot. Sometimes, it would be so cold that when the dogs ran across a creek and got water all over them, they would stop to shake the water off of their hair. One of the 2 antlered deer must have at least 4 points, one inch or longer, on one side of the antlers or at least a 15-inch outside spread. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Project Upland is strictly prohibited. Meyer, Rachelle. All things must come to an end sooner or later. Today, that average has dropped to about 3/4 of a flush per hour. After Arthurs retirement from grouse hunting, I was given a young female setter dog by another friend, the late J. D. Davis, of Gainesville. In 7 seasons we are approaching the 600 mark on grouse and woodcock. She was tracking and working her way up a steep bluff. He was not a follow-through type shooter like todays gun-range shooters are. There are few bird species that are known to take winter in a good way. I wrote some additional grouse hunting tips here as well for anyone thats interested. General Ruffed Grouse Habitat Since ruffed grouse can and do survive across Canada, the northern half of our country, and even down into Georgia along the Appalachian Mountains, the habitats vary greatly. In this guide, well take you through the basic habitat requirements of the ruffed grouse across its range so can have a general idea of what to look for in a healthy forest. Being a sporting-goods buyer and retail sporting goods manager for 47 years, I was exposed to all kinds of hunters and outdoorsmen. Shop Sportsmans Guide selection of Upland Hunting Gear! These guns weighed in at more than 8 pounds. I like a cool, overcast foggy day with temperatures just above freezing, he said. Are there still ruffed grouse in Georgia? | GON Forum