Russ Sewell, regional biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, offered these tips for grouse hunters:
Get off the trails and you'll have more success. So many hunters stay on the trails. If you're hunting with a friend, one should traverse the thicker cover while the other walks the trail, hoping for a clear shot.
Recognize good grouse cover. That means new-growth aspen, trees maybe 5 years old, about 1 inch to 4 inch in diameter, along with a mix of more mature trees nearby. Navigating the thick, early succession aspen isn't easy, but those areas should hold birds.
Work edges, areas where new-growth trees meet older woods.
• A pointing dog gives you a huge advantage over a flushing dog, especially in thick cover, because they allow you to be prepared for the flush.
After the first frost, birds seem to concentrate in areas of lasting greenery, such as lowland edges.
