Dusky grouse hunting on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Kaibab national forest. Expect to walk six to eight miles a day. The dusky grouse is found in the Blue Mountains of Southeastern Washington, Northeastern Washington, and areas on the east slopes of the Cascades in Northern Washington. Some of the best places to hunt for dusky grouse include Cache County and the Wasatch Plateau. They are also one of the best eating birds around. What comes to mind when you see that phrase? What I'm about to write is likely going to put me on the hit list of every khaki-clad, upland-bird-hunting purist out there. The Big Timber area also has very good sharp-tailed grouse habitat. In the winter, dusky grouse live in the high country, roosting and feeding in stands of Douglas fir and lodge pole pine. Dusky grouse are more widely distributed in Utah than ruffed grouse. Blue Grouse provide a very unique upland bird hunting experience. The sooty grouse can often be found where you least expect them. All the land we hunt in Big Timber is private. Without exception, the crops of the grouse I've killed have been full of snow berries, juniper berries, and creeping barberries as … Along with big game, fall is a great time for pursuing smaller, feathery table fare. Dusky grouse are considered forest grouse, but during different times of the year they utilize distinctly different habitat types. It reminded me how challenging Mr. Ruff can actually be and encouraged me to make an assessment of what it takes to be successful on a long-term basis. Fall Aspen trees mixed with the dark forest green of evergreen trees dot the landscape while on this classic grouse hunt. The dusky and the sooty. There is also some incidental hunting for blue (dusky) grouse and ruffed grouse. When e-scouting grouse spots, I look for fairly steep berry-covered hillsides and spruce or aspens BELOW for grouse to fly DOWN to escape predators. If you’re lucky enough to be able to hunt grouse, you’ll know how good they are to eat and how much fun they are to hunt. Areas near Cedar City in southwestern Utah, such as Cedar Mountain and the Pine Valley area, also hold good numbers of grouse. Colorado Dusky Grouse Hunting with the Fiddleback Forge F2. In the spring, dusky grouse leave the high country and move to their breeding grounds. The sooty grouse is found from sea level to the alpine conifer forests of the Olympics, the west slopes of the Cascades, and east slopes of the Cascades in Yakima County and south. Upland Hunting. Best areas to hunt. I grew up hunting ruffed grouse in the Great Lakes States, and after almost a decade being “gone” hunting pheasants and quail on the Great Plains, I returned to the grouse woods. They are a fun bird to hunt if you know how to find them. December 11, 2016. The sooty are prevalent in the Sierras while the dusky’s inhabit the Rocky Mountains. 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