Clown Bird vs Thunder Chicken

[uplander]

I think we had this debate last year, but to the point and I got together on Sunday for a grouse hunt and always love teasing each other over which is more fun to hunt and why.

Most know I'm Thunder Chicken all the way..The North Woods just calls to me and I'ld rather hunt the millions of acres of public land than fight for permission on some small chunk in western or southern MN

Not to mention the Roosters well documented ways of not behaving well when put under pressure(can't blame him for that) and the smell of cow manure never beats the smell of the woods in fall.

I get the draw to the cackling gawdiness of mr. pheas and the open shooting of it but it never seemed to capture me like the grouse. which one is for you ...and why?

[Prairie Hunter]

I love them both but the pheasant is my choice simply because I have better access to hunt them and I love the challenge of late season pheasants.

[TruthWalleyes]

Pheasants...they're delicious!!

[NoWiser]

Grouse, hands down. Don't get me wrong, its a rush when a big, cackling rooster gets up 12 inches in front of your dogs point, but there is something about being in northern MN on a nice fall day that just can't be beat. For me 90% of it is like Uplander said. I can either confine myself to a crowded, 80 acre WMA in western MN and hope that I'm the first one there before all the birds get chased into a cornfield, or I can go north and hunt 3 days without bumping into another hunter. Grouse live in the most beautiful, pristine part of the state while pheasants live in patches of weeds surrounded by fields. I'm not knocking pheasant hunting, I do it a few times a year and enjoy it, but my heart belongs in a patch of aspen bordered by an alder thicket with a little creek trickling through it and a dog getting birdie as it catches the scent of a ruffy or doodle.....

Unfortunately I'm obligated to chase roosters this weekend with some friends. Its going to be a painful two days wishing I was up north....

[Matt Breuer]

Grouse, hands down.

[tybo]

Grouse is my favorite by far. I may hunt pheasants a bit more but that's because I live in near the cities and have much more local access to roosters. If I had more access to grouse I'd hunt them way more than pheasants.

[2thepointsetters]

Uplander-

Do I even have to answer your question? Grouse are a good way to get the dog in shape for pheasant season, buts thats about all they are good for.

There is just something about pheasants that I am addicted to that I cant explain.

I will put close to 10,000 miles on my suburban chasing pheasants by the end of the season, and I can just about hunt grouse in my back yard.

[charliepete]

Grouse without a question. I love the cover, the shooting challenge, the solitude and the perfection they demand from the dogs. I still spend a lot of time chasing pheasants, but it's more social for me. A good grouse dog is a rarity, just about any dog can get it done on pheasants. A good grouse shot takes 1/4 of the birds he shoots at, a good pheasant shot shouldn't get the second barrel dirty too often. The best pheasant cover is privately owned and tightly guarded, the best grouse cover is open to all comers.

Ask me again in 5 years when the best grouse dog I've ever hunted behind is dead. I'll probably feel different since his younger kennel mate has never cut the mustard on grouse, but is a passable pheasant dog.

[Neighbor_guy]

Grouse, everyday of the week and twice on sunday....

Unless the season is closed, then a put and take pheasant hunt will work for me, but I'm not proud.

The worthless dog is a lot better in the Grouse woods than the Pheasant fields.

[gspman]

I love both but do a lot more pheasant hunting than grouse hunting. I grew up in farm country so that is probably why I gravitate towards pheasants. I don't think I went grousing until my early 20's and didn't make a hard effort at 'em until my early 30's.

Each has their own challenges. Grouse don't put up with a dog pressuring them. Pheasants have an insane will to live and will do anything to survive. It's the cover that makes grouse hunting hard. It's the pheasant that makes pheasant hunting hard.

Don't know if I'll go grousing this year but I'll definitely be wearing out some boot leather hunting the king of the prairie.

[CodyDawg]

Roody for me. I like Timber chicken's, but pheasants are in my blood. I really like hunting them out west. Late season pheasant hunting is fantastic!

[TylerS]

I'll shoot pheasants if I drive by and see them in the ditch, but I'd much rather take a week off work and hunt ruffs from sun-up to sun-down.

Plus, I think ruffs are way better on the table than ditch chickens.

[charliepete]

It's the cover that makes grouse hunting hard. It's the pheasant that makes pheasant hunting hard.

Have you ever caught pheasants in grouse cover? There is a big patch of dogwoods and sumac near a field I pheasant hunt. Once the product is harvested, it's not uncommon for me to catch up with roosters in the dogwood tangle. You could practically kill them with rock as they clumbsily try and climb through the cover. It's tough steering through the trees when you have a kites tail where your rudder should be.

[muc33]

I don't have any expierience to anwer anything but Pheasant. Sorry crew, I live 45 miles from SD and 11 from Iowa. We just have Pheasants! And I LOVE them!

[CRAZYEYES]

Coinflip for me. I grew up doiing a lot of grouse hunting up north but have really enjoyed pheasant hunting the last few years especially with a decent number of birds to chase. I guess I just really enjoy bird hunting, rather chase birds than sit in a deer stand anyday.

[Matt Breuer]

Each has their own challenges. Grouse don't put up with a dog pressuring them. Pheasants have an insane will to live and will do anything to survive. It's the cover that makes grouse hunting hard. It's the pheasant that makes pheasant hunting hard.

Don't know if I'll go grousing this year but I'll definitely be wearing out some boot leather hunting the king of the prairie.

C'mon GSP man, we all know that the king of the prairie is the sharptail...

As for difficulty, I've never once thought pheasant hunting was "hard". You walk prime cover, the birds fly into open air, and you knock them down. They hold tight, making points solid and flushes semi-predictable. The hardest part about pheasant hunting is finding good cover that's not beaten to a pulp...

[gspman]

Quote:

They hold tight, making points solid and flushes semi-predictable.

I wanna hunt the pheasants that you're hunting.

It's criteria based and everyone's criteria is different. I only shoot pheasants my dog points or occasionally pheasants that flush and my dog had nothing to do with it. And I don't always hunt prime cover. It can be very difficult and frustrating when the birds are running like Usain Bolt. The shooting part is usually okay but I'll say the toughest shots I've ever made were on pheasants.

If the king has to be a native then I'll go with the sharpie too.

[Harmonica Bear]

I have to say some of my most memorable hunts have come hunting pheasant in the National Grasslands in South Dakota. But....I think that is because those opportunities are not available to me every year (or maybe they are, but not for my check book). Through and through though, I am a grouser. The only reason I’m going pheasant hunting this weekend is due to the company of friends getting together once a year to hunt. Otherwise I’d be in the Northwood’s.

Don’t get me wrong, it is pretty cool when that big majestic rooster gets up in front of you in the big sky, big-country prairie. However, nothing beats walking up to your dog on point, hidden in alders, and the forest floor explodes from ol’ ruff. In my case, I remarkably miss most times, but d@#$%&*! I can walk a lot miles in god’s country just to have that happen again. Not to mention I love the forest. To each their own, I guess.

And as far as dogs go….IMHO, once a dog (pointers/setters in particular) learns how to handle a grouse, and I mean really handle a grouse, pheasants are a piece of cake (corn being the exception). Again, just my opinion/experience.

[CaptainMusky]

Quote:

They hold tight, making points solid and flushes semi-predictable.

I wanna hunt the pheasants that you're hunting.

It's criteria based and everyone's criteria is different. I only shoot pheasants my dog points or occasionally pheasants that flush and my dog had nothing to do with it. And I don't always hunt prime cover. It can be very difficult and frustrating when the birds are running like Usain Bolt. The shooting part is usually okay but I'll say the toughest shots I've ever made were on pheasants.

If the king has to be a native then I'll go with the sharpie too.

Its time to leave the game farm Matt. I too would love to hunt pheasants where you do since I cant find them like that.

[IceAge@work]

I find pheasants generally easy in two situations. Opening week and unpressured private land.

Hunting wild birds on public land I expect about a 25% success rate on roosters encountered. That 1 in 4 success rate is all about the roosters instincts, adaptability and escapability.

I expect about the same success rate in the Grouse woods but thats way more about the cover grouse live in than there keen survival skills.

Throw in the fact only 50% of the pheasant population is available for harvets and IMO the "challenge' argument gets pretty one sided.

The "best experience" argument is all about personal preference. Me I like the Grouse woods in October but switch to total pheasant mode in November.

[Matt Breuer]

1 for 4 in the grouse woods would be fantastic. I've never had a year where I was even close to 1/4!

I hunt some public land for pheasants, but fo rthe most part I hunt private land in SW MN. It's never been a huge issue finding a whopping 2 birds to take home in a day.

[IceAge@work]

1 for 4 in the grouse woods would be fantastic. I've never had a year where I was even close to 1/4!

I hunt some public land for pheasants, but fo rthe most part I hunt private land in SW MN. It's never been a huge issue finding a whopping 2 birds to take home in a day.

I don't journal my hunts so it's a guess but I think pretty close. It probably doesn't help my argument but I only hunt grouse the first four to six weeks of my season and usually stick to hunting during afternoon prime time only.

One thing that does help my argument (and my harvest rate vs. grouse encountered) is the fact I'm not too proud to follow up short flushing grouse multiple times until a good opportunity presents itself. Not to mention the ones that will flush out of heavy cover only to sit on a tree limb in easy range of the shotgun. I'm not too proud to put those in the vest either especially if the dog worked it first.

Two weekends ago (two afternoons) I harvested 4 of the 10 birds the dog and I moved. But in full disclosure I shot one off a tree limb, one after the second flush and one after the third flush. No way I get those kinds of second chances hunting the wily pheasant.

Have a good season.

[CaptainMusky]

1 for 4 in the grouse woods would be fantastic. I've never had a year where I was even close to 1/4!

I hunt some public land for pheasants, but for the most part I hunt private land in SW MN. It's never been a huge issue finding a whopping 2 birds to take home in a day.

You are hunting in the best area of the state for pheasants and on private land. This is a huge advantage. There are 3 times the birds there than there are where I frequent. I used to hunt that area every weekend, but it is just too far to go since I hunt every weekend.

If you hit a grouse, it is down. I have dropped one with literally one pellet. On the other hand I have hit a gawdy rooster with a full load and they keep right on flying. On one occasion my buddy and I tag teamed a rooster shooting literally at the same time. I shot one wing completely off and he shot the other. The bird hit the ground running. These birds have an unbelievable drive to survive.

I would consider myself an accomplished grouse hunter and there are obviously challenges with it due to cover, but in my opinion bagging a late season rooster is FAR more difficult than shooting any grouse. Pheasants are just that cagey, and in the grouse hunting I have done, I have yet to be outsmarted by a grouse or my dog for that matter. Pheasants will humble you in a hurry.

[Matt Breuer]

I have yet to be outsmarted by a grouse or my dog for that matter. Pheasants will humble you in a hurry.

If you have yet to be outsmarted by a grouse, you're not hunting them enough. I am outsmarted by a ruffie at least once weekly. Now I'm not the most intelligent guy out there, and yes, a lot of them getting away is luck, but I think they know that running like the dickens is a far better choice than flushing sometimes...

I don't think ruffies are stronger, or smarter, but I think they have the same will to live as anything else. Just because their head isn't bright green doesn't mean they don't want to survive. They depend on camo, not speed.

Just because I hunt a prime area that shouldn't mean that my vote doesn't count. Why wouldn't you hunt where your chances are good?

Numbers play a role in my opinion too. I've put up roughly 100 birds in a day pheasant hunting. In the grouse woods you're lucky to see 20.

If you put a full load in a ruddy that kept flying, how do you know you put a full load in it? And how would you know that you literally dropped a grouse w/ one pellet? Because you only found one in the breast?

To each their own opinion, I just think pheasants are easier...

[CaptainMusky]

Dont take it personal Matt. Of course your vote counts. Never said it didnt. All I am saying is that WHERE someone hunts plays a huge role in success. I think you agree with that. If it was feasible for me to hunt in SW MN, I sure would be there every weekend, but it isnt.

How do I know it killed it with one pellet? Because I shot it with a BB gun. I didnt hit it in the head either. It wasnt even a high powered BB gun.

The rooster I hit with a full load was about 30 yards with 7-1/2 shot - modified choke. The feathers rolled of it. Obviously this is not the shot of choice and I would never use it again, but early season it seems to work when the "4H birds" are thick. I shoot a thousand rounds a year so I know when I hit something and how well I do.

I spent 5 years in Bemidji going to College there, hunted grouse every weekend and most days after school, never with a dog back then. if I flushed them and missed, they would land a short distance away so I could walk up to them and get another chance. They are a fun bird to hunt, I think they taste a little better than pheasants, but I still prefer pheasants since it has been in my blood far longer and more accesible to me now.

The other thing is how do we define success? if success is bagging a limit, I will agree 100% grouse is harder bccause I dont know if I have ever shot a limit while I have shot many limits of pheasants.

[Matt Breuer]

No worries on me taking it personal. Sorry if it appeared that way. I am just trying to stand up for the little drummer boy...

[cribbageboy]

Personally Ruffies by far. Something about casually walking through knee-high grass doesn't really sound like hunting to me. No offense to anyone, but it doesn't really fit into my deffinition of the sport. That may also be why I don't like to walk trails for grouse. I feel that if you dont have a cut or two on your arms and face after a day of grouse hunting, your just not trying hard enough.

Also as far as the "will to survive arguement", I think its kind of a load of you know what. I don't think any creature WANTS to die more than the next. Some may be smarter than others, but I don't think any animal ever throws in the towel until it CAN'T fight any more.

[grousewoods]

Good topic! new to the site and thought I would chime in on this one. After hunting both birds for more then I would like to say there isn't any better feeling for me then bring down a grouse in the woods.I like to Phez hunt aswell and maybe like someone said if there were more land to hunt them I would be there.When Nov comes I'm out of the woods for deer hunting and back into the field as much as I can. Getting off at the end of this week for some Phez hunting out west is it works out or I'm back in the woods. This weekend I have to stay around the house for family things and it drives me nuts. Hope everybody has a safe hunting season!

[CodyDawg]

For me it is the opposite. waltzing along in some woods is a lot easier than hitting the cattails and willow swamps. nothing against those ruffies, but roody's are in my blood.

[lindy rig]

Both are pretty cool birds, each with their own challenges. I think a lot these opinions come from our passion and our own unique experiences.

I have spent many days chasing grouse. Battling through thick cover, branches and twigs whipping you in the face. Having a fraction of a second to make a shot. Sinking deep into snow, getting lost deep in the forest, and stumbling over fallen logs. Days where each bird seems like a trophy.

Also many days chasing pheasants. Trying to work a game plan on a huge piece of property. Battling through thick cattails and dragging weeds with you on each step. Sweating profusly, falling through ice around a swamp, and hiking until it hurts to move at the end of the day.

I wouldn't say either bird is easy. Love 'em both!