Late season in Pa

[grouse_fan]

Lilah did her job today. I managed to hit one of several I shot at.

[Rbishop]

Beautiful picture that tells the whole story!

[ROMAC]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

[grouse_fan]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

Yeah, I miss the late season. Bird numbers are up this year.

[Stan Hoover]

Thanks for sharing the beautiful picture, I really mean to get out atleast 1 time this season, hopefully next week. We were deer hunting last weekend and my cousin reported flushing 6 grouse at a spot that I've never tried for grouse.
Stan

[Silvers]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

Yeah, I miss the late season. Bird numbers are up this year.

Good for you in northwest PA but not in the northeast, both ime and as reported by good grouse hunters hereabouts. Trend has continued to the worst season I can remember since I started chasing grouse in my 'teens. Too bad the RGS and PGC have been pushing the habitat improvement propaganda over many past years. frank

[Stan Hoover]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

I was thinking of going out on the Dec 24, I'm curious what the thinking was on ending it on the 23rd? No hunting Christmas eve

[Stan Hoover]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

Yeah, I miss the late season. Bird numbers are up this year.

Good for you in northwest PA but not in the northeast, both ime and as reported by good grouse hunters hereabouts. Trend has continued to the worst season I can remember since I started chasing grouse in my 'teens. Too bad the RGS and PGC have been pushing the habitat improvement propaganda over many past years. frank
[/quote

Frank,
is your opinion that the grouse numbers declining has nothing to do with loss of habitat? Or what in your opinion is the reason for the declining grouse numbers?
Stan

[Jeff S]

That is a gorgeous picture! Nice dog and a beautiful bird. Congrats!

[Jim McKee]

Congratulations to have a nice dog that hunts grouse for you!
You are a lucky man
Enjoy the future!!
Jim

[grouse_fan]

Yeah, I miss the late season. Bird numbers are up this year.

Good for you in northwest PA but not in the northeast, both ime and as reported by good grouse hunters hereabouts. Trend has continued to the worst season I can remember since I started chasing grouse in my 'teens. Too bad the RGS and PGC have been pushing the habitat improvement propaganda over many past years. frank
[/quote

Frank,
is your opinion that the grouse numbers declining has nothing to do with loss of habitat? Or what in your opinion is the reason for the declining grouse numbers?
Stan

I was wondering the same thing?

[grouse_fan]

Very nice! Way to get it done.

Not much time left in the season and no second season after 12/23 this year in PA!

I was thinking of going out on the Dec 24, I'm curious what the thinking was on ending it on the 23rd? No hunting Christmas eve

I'm not sure why they are closing it the 23rd. They always allowed hunting on the 24th in the past.

[Foxnut]

Lila is a beauty! Pretty colored bird as well

[Silvers]

Frank,
is your opinion that the grouse numbers declining has nothing to do with loss of habitat? Or what in your opinion is the reason for the declining grouse numbers?
Stan


I can show anyone many 1000's of acres of prime upland habitat in 5-6 counties here in northeastern PA but with a dearth of grouse. The RGS and PGC keep beating the drum for loss of habitat but with that in mind what good will it do to create more habitat when there's plenty now and other factors seem at play for the decline? Oh you can find the occasional bird but walk the fresh snow and you'll go long and far before cutting a grouse track even in good feeding areas. Over recent years we've seen an increase in predators after eggs, chicks and adults. Not only the traditional skunks, possums, coons, feral cats, foxes and a limited number of hawks, but now we contend with coyotes, bobcats, fishers, turkeys all over (yes they are predators), and total protection of hawks and owls for decades now. Fur trapping has pretty much gone away. Then you have the WNV "explanation" that we're told is a major factor here in PA but why is it not causing major declines in other states? I do think both the RGS and PGC really know what's going on with grouse and similarly with rabbits but it's a case of, if you pass propaganda long enough it gets people on a tangent and becomes accepted. Anyone here in PA remember the back cover of the PA Game News, the official PGC publication, that urged hunters "to take these vicious predators of small game on sight". Not that long ago really. frank

[Jeff S]

When I go to South Dakota, there are pheasants galore and every day we are…

“urged "to take the vicious predators of small game on sight".

by the guides.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of killing cute little critters for no reason, but if you want to increase the game bird population, you need to eliminate some predators. Once upon a time, these predators were trapped for their furs. That is no longer in vogue so we have raccoons and skunks everywhere. The problem is, raccoons are smarter than me.