Maine Grouse

[huntinghagen#12]

Who’s done it? If you have, how’s the learning curve out there? I’ve been reading up on it the last few days.

[trkykilr]

I haven’t hunted grouse there, but I’ve turkey hunted and see/hear grouse all the time. I have never hunted grouse and don’t know Jack about it, but Maine is an awesome place with tons of land to hunt. If land isn’t posted you can hunt it without asking. If you ask, they think you’re the nicest person ever and offer you their daughter’s hand in marriage.

I can point you in the direction of a huge block of NF land that I know has grouse.

[huntinghagen#12]

Send it over.

I have an area I’m focused on, but nothing is concrete yet.

[scmoose]

I lived in Northern Maine from 7th grade until I left for the Army. Grew up hunting rabbits and grouse, although we called them Partridge. We mainly hunted them while walking snow mobile trails and old abandoned railroad beds and logging roads. Would catch them in the sunny spots in the road beds, both up in the trees and on the ground. You can here them from miles away it seems. My grandfather used to joke when ever we would here them, “that’s ole man, insert name here, starting up his lawn mower/ snow blower” depending on the time of year. There were always a few types of fruit trees or nut trees we seemed to see them the most, choke cherry, hazel nut, beech nut trees ext. We never really shot them on the wing like quail or pheasant, we normally shot all of our small game with a .22, or sometimes and old .410. Grandad hated pellets in his rabbit stew. Only dogs we had to flush birds and rabbit were me and my cousin walking the thickets and flushing rabbit out to granddad and grandma. Good times.

[Two Barrels]

We went the past two years. We were a week earlier in 2019 vs 2018 and weather was dramatically different. Birds were using different covers both years. We were initially not planning to go back this year and hit South Dakota instead. Plans changed and we will be back in Maine the third week of October if the Covid police will allow us to drive there.

[willk]

I have always wanted to go see that place. A friend of mine lives in Portland and runs a boat for bluefins. Hopefully next summer I can get up there.

[huntinghagen#12]

We went the past two years. We were a week earlier in 2019 vs 2018 and weather was dramatically different. Birds were using different covers both years. We were initially not planning to go back this year and hit South Dakota instead. Plans changed and we will be back in Maine the third week of October if the Covid police will allow us to drive there.

Any input?

[UPSTATEWATERFOWLER]

Haven’t hunted there but probably the prettiest place I’ve ever seen. the coast is awesome and the drive from Portland to Camden and north to Acadia National Park is awesome. Make a trip to Acadia if you go, you won’t regret it. Great seafood up the coast. Camden is a cool port town if you are looking to see anything else while you are there. I assume the season starts in October and the place is beautiful that time of year.

[nitro5x6's]

All the above is good intel.

Food sources if you can find them. Pointing dog is a must .. I prefer a two barrel gun for Grouse or Woodcock.. One with IC or Skeet choke. LM or M for second shot. #7.5s for your first shot which will be close if the birds hold. #6s or even 5s for your hail mary. Once the birds get up into the tree branches, it gets sporty.

Ruffed Grouse are damn fine eating. I wear shooting glasses to protect the eyes. You will be walking thick cover if you get off the beaten path.

[Two Barrels]

What region of Maine are you headed to? If it snows, rains, or is very wet, hunt the evergreens. Grouse do not like to be wet. If it is dry or drying, they will move into alder/popple cuts. This is the traditional magazine photo grouse cover along road and trail edges. Last year the beech nut crop was tremendous. That is where they were and not along the edges. Grouse are not early risers. Give them some time to wake up and move to feed in the morning. It is not necessary to turn the dogs out at daylight. Most Mainers that hunt partridge do it from the truck on a gravel road. If you have a dog, get off of the road. Sometimes 25 to 100 yards off the road is where they will loaf and only come to the roads for grit late in the day. Do not hunt too fast. Give your dog time to hunt an area well. I walk fast and that causes my dogs to hunt faster. I learned my first year up there to slow down my pace and we started to have a lot more bird contacts. If you move too fast, grouse will just let you walk right by and you will never know they were there.

Take a light shotgun with open chokes that you shoot well and fits you the best. A 28 ga on up is plenty. I normally shoot a 16 and sometimes the 28. Skeet and IC are my chokes of choice with a load of 7-1/2 shot moving around 1200 fps. Grouse are not hard to kill, but challenging to hit.

You will probably see a bird or several looking at you from their perch in a tree. These are devil grouse and smarter than they appear. When they do flush, they will always put the tree between you and them offering only a poor shot if one at all.

[nitro5x6's]

We hunted for several seasons in a row around Ashland / Presque area. Gorgeous places. Full on color on the trees makes for some fine days afoot and afield. Take an extra pair of broken in boots.( or a Peet boot dryer). You can cover some ground.

Mainers take great pride in their beer.. try Allagash, or Pepperell both go great with Lobster rolls

[scdiver]

Headed up for the first time in Oct, my 17month old GWP and my buddy's drop.

Excited to see pretty country and spend some time in the woods without cell service.

[Duck Nitz]

https://mobilehuntingmaps.com/state-...-hunting-maps/

[Two Barrels]

https://mobilehuntingmaps.com/state-...-hunting-maps/

Have you used these? Are they reasonably accurate? Is it worth the $. Looks like a good tool.

[nitro5x6's]

What region of Maine are you headed to? If it snows, rains, or is very wet, hunt the evergreens. Grouse do not like to be wet. If it is dry or drying, they will move into alder/popple cuts. This is the traditional magazine photo grouse cover along road and trail edges. Last year the beech nut crop was tremendous. That is where they were and not along the edges. Grouse are not early risers. Give them some time to wake up and move to feed in the morning. It is not necessary to turn the dogs out at daylight. Most Mainers that hunt partridge do it from the truck on a gravel road. If you have a dog, get off of the road. Sometimes 25 to 100 yards off the road is where they will loaf and only come to the roads for grit late in the day. Do not hunt too fast. Give your dog time to hunt an area well. I walk fast and that causes my dogs to hunt faster. I learned my first year up there to slow down my pace and we started to have a lot more bird contacts. If you move too fast, grouse will just let you walk right by and you will never know they were there.

Take a light shotgun with open chokes that you shoot well and fits you the best. A 28 ga on up is plenty. I normally shoot a 16 and sometimes the 28. Skeet and IC are my chokes of choice with a load of 7-1/2 shot moving around 1200 fps. Grouse are not hard to kill, but challenging to hit.

You will probably see a bird or several looking at you from their perch in a tree. These are devil grouse and smarter than they appear. When they do flush, they will always put the tree between you and them offering only a poor shot if one at all.

Great synopsis Two Barrels. When do I need to be in your driveway?? Damn fine trip to chase them .. We hunt Grouse in the PNW too and it's similar rules - just the addition of Blue and Spruce grouse in the same coverts as Ruffies. The Blues get limb whooped. They will stand on a limb and let you walk right under them.

[Delmer]

https://mobilehuntingmaps.com/state-...-hunting-maps/

Have you used these? Are they reasonably accurate? Is it worth the $. Looks like a good tool.

I have the one for NC. Trying to get in the grouse game myself.

It's pretty good at telling you what's been cut and when. I think it was $45/yr. and works without cell service. It's basically a map you download and save on your phone.

I'm hoping to get up to Wis. this year. With school and the 'rona kicking around it may not happen.

[BOGSTER]

Jacob, I’m jealous!

I wanna make this trip as well.

[Duck Nitz]

Have you used these? Are they reasonably accurate? Is it worth the $. Looks like a good tool.

one of the most successful DIY grouse hunters that I know swears by these...he hunts MI and WI regularly and that's how he works out where he is going. He also knows the owners of that company very well. I'm broke and not going anywhere for awhile or I would be plotting my next trip

[huntinghagen#12]

What region of Maine are you headed to? If it snows, rains, or is very wet, hunt the evergreens. Grouse do not like to be wet. If it is dry or drying, they will move into alder/popple cuts. This is the traditional magazine photo grouse cover along road and trail edges. Last year the beech nut crop was tremendous. That is where they were and not along the edges. Grouse are not early risers. Give them some time to wake up and move to feed in the morning. It is not necessary to turn the dogs out at daylight. Most Mainers that hunt partridge do it from the truck on a gravel road. If you have a dog, get off of the road. Sometimes 25 to 100 yards off the road is where they will loaf and only come to the roads for grit late in the day. Do not hunt too fast. Give your dog time to hunt an area well. I walk fast and that causes my dogs to hunt faster. I learned my first year up there to slow down my pace and we started to have a lot more bird contacts. If you move too fast, grouse will just let you walk right by and you will never know they were there.

Take a light shotgun with open chokes that you shoot well and fits you the best. A 28 ga on up is plenty. I normally shoot a 16 and sometimes the 28. Skeet and IC are my chokes of choice with a load of 7-1/2 shot moving around 1200 fps. Grouse are not hard to kill, but challenging to hit.

You will probably see a bird or several looking at you from their perch in a tree. These are devil grouse and smarter than they appear. When they do flush, they will always put the tree between you and them offering only a poor shot if one at all.

I appreciate it, this is the kind of things I was looking to hear.

This trip isn't a 100% go yet. I have an elk hunt in Canada scheduled for the end of September. It is pretty much a goner as the border won't be open, but I'm not scheduling anything until it's official. As soon as I get the word that trip is canned, I'll be making accommodations in Maine.

I've been looking at the Jackman area. I've read the same things you posted, locals drive/hunt the roads pretty much exclusively. I plan on taking my 7 year old, so I'll be doing a mix of hunting with the dog and driving more than likely, will definitely hunt with the dog the majority of the time and do some driving whenever he (and my son) starts to wear down for the day.

I've found some cheap cabins that can be rented, rural and rustic, which is what I want. I've been to Maine before, just driving through (covered the entire state from South to North on my way to Canada last year). I did stop and eat and do some grocery shopping before crossing, and told myself then that I wanted to come back and hunt there. This year will be one of the only chances I have to go for a few years as I have some other trips scheduled in the fall for the next 2 or 3 seasons coming up. I'm hoping to make it up there, get a feel, and make it a trip I take every few years. It's only a 15 hour drive, not difficult at all and easy to make into a 5 - 6 day trip with 3 or 4 days of hunting and the others for driving.

If anyone else has more advice, my ears are open.

Thanks.

[CofC Waterfowler]

I've always wanted to hunt Maine for Grouse. I've never hunted any type of Grouse so I don't really know where to start. I do have a pointer who is solid on released quail. I would be interested in joining up with any group if anyone is interested. If not, I will do some more research and possibly go on a solo trip. The worst that can happen is I get to see Maine and pound lobster rolls.