EFFIE,WASHINGTON STATE FOREST, GROUSE!

[Shack]

I take a yearly trip up to Effie in the Washington state forest. It is a great time. We four wheel around a lot and do see grouse on trails. I have a great grouse dog (not bragging) and I attached a kennel crate to my rear rack and let her stay in their. Some times I feel we are on wheelers to much. I have found getting off in a good stand and doing a little walking is best. My co-hunters do not have the same views, until last year when my wheeler broke down on the last full day. I bid my fellow hunters a farewell as they left on their wheelers and I started to plan a walking hunt with my dog and I. With GPS in hand, I started off in the depths of Washington State forest. At the end of the day I had walked about five miles and bagged 6 birds total 5 grouse and one woodcock. When my friends had arrived I had just gotten done dressing the birds and they could not believe what I had shot. They returned with nothing. On the way home, all I heard was about the more walking we were going to do this year. Wheelers are fun and you do see birds, but nothing beets walking.

Good luck,

SHACKBASH

P.S.

Does anyone else go up to Washington State forest?

[PrairieHunter]

Let's see first you are trying to pull in the ATV vs walking hunter debate ... been there done that

Then you brag on a public site that you shot 6 grouse on one WALK while hunting by yourself

Pretty sure the local warden would like to chat with you

[Powerstroke]

You better be careful. The bag limit for grouse is 5.......

[Shack]

I do apologize. I meant to write six birds total. 5 grouse and 1 wood cock. I will correct. I am sorry PrairieHunter that I started something that you “have been there done that”. I was not trying to start anything. I was stating my point that walking is better than wheeling in a hunting grouse application. Its by far your best chance of getting grouse. Now most good grouse spots take a wheeler to get to, but getting off and walking is the best way to improve your chances on getting a grouse. Sorry for the type “O”. We all make mistakes!

[Shack]

PrairieHunter,

I broke the seal of the freezer bag. Our Effie hunt is the last hunt of the year for use. We go in Early Jan., just kidding. We always go in the second or third week of Dec.. Snow has been a factor in past years, but this year there was none. With my wheeler broke down on Sun. (we come up Fri. night) and no snow equals your walking or sitting around camp fire. I do not think saving wings is a crime or my be it is. I use them for training dog during summer. I bagged alot of grouse last year, and usely carry a zip-lock and peel breast's of in field. At Effie when I was miles away from camp, I had no zip-locks and dressed birds at camp. I do have vhc video of when I got to camp and my buddies seeing the birds after they got back. I will try my best to post this footage. Do not get me wrong, wheeling is fun. After wheeling all day Sat. and seeing a couple, but not getting anything. It was fun to get off trail further than if I just hopped off wheel. We never leave wheelers that far behind, so it keeps us from going in deep. I went in deep and it paid off. Plus you can hear them drum and hear them flush better. Finally, it helps keep the beer belly away most my wheel'in friends have.

P.S.

The two tails up in right corner are from two biggest birds in center bottom. Also the only thing not going back in freezer is the breasts I has forgotten about untill now. I did not save wood cock wings, because they are very small and no good for training.

Grouse on!

[kgpcr4]

Personaly i would like to see all ATV's banned from all but private land while in possesion of a firearm unless you are handicapped. They have filled with woods with slob hunters who are to lazy to walk so the they drive untill they see a bird and stop and shoot it. I hope they do ban them. I could care less if a guy rides it to his spot and gets off and walks and hunts but we all know thats now how it works most of the time. For deer hunting they are agreat tool for dragging deer out of the woods but notice they can only be used during certain times. I did not intend this to be a flamer but atv's ruin it for all of us hunting the way it should be done.

[PrairieHunter]

wings detached from the breast make the situation illegal if you transported this in your vehicle.

MN law states one fully feathered leg, wing or head must remain ATTACHED. Page 48 of the DNR 2006 Hunting Regs.

[woody1975]

Come On guys! Shackbash comes on to tell us a story about a successful trip and everyone has to start bashing him about how, where, how many, where to clean, what to throw.

A little sad if you ask me.

It's one thing to make sure a guy is informed about the laws, but leave it at that.

Shackbash - I appreciate you taking the time to tell us about your trip and congratulations on a successful hunt.

[eggdish]

i agree with what woody said. information is always welcome, but bashing the guy is another thing. personally, i don't see the difference between grouse and deer entrails, other than there is a lot more in a deer and probably take a lot longer to go away. sorry you don't like smoking. good story shackbash.

[PrairieHunter]

Did not intend to attack the individual, but

First he started off with the post (now edited) saying he shot 6 grouse. Illegal.

I have no problem with pictures and limits - I typically shoot multiple dozen wild pheasants and grouse a year - most on public land, but how about the guy holding a limit of grouse in the Northwoods with his trusty pup next to him? the picture in the post shows what?

Quote:

---

I bagged alot of grouse last year, and usely carry a zip-lock and peel breast's of in field.

---

Sure I leave grouse guts, but not entire bird carcasses. He states he peels them. This basically means pulling of the breast meat and leaving the rest of the carcass behind.

Cigarettes are fine, but do not drop a butt outside - littering and do not expect me to have to support your heatlth care.

If this is indeed a family site. The pack of malboros could have been edited out.

[Powerstroke]

Prairiehunter,

Please refrain from making any mroe accusations about eh intent of the post or comments about the photo. This is a family site and bashing is not allowed. Who cares if a pack of smokes is in the picture. The wings etc were posted only to defend himself to you I'm sure. I made my comment, but I assumed it was a typo. There was no trolling for the ATV debate, he only made reference to his opinion, which is okay with forum policy. If you'd like to have a healthy discussion about all the rough points you've made you can start your own thread, but please don't hijack this one for shackbash or anyone else.

[huntmup]

Thank you Powerstroke.

huntmup

[PrairieHunter]

I respectfully disagree and do not see where this discussion was anti-family, quite the opposite.

respect the law, the land, and the game you pursue.

I did not mean to attack him and actually am glad he has become aware that grousen is funner without riding.

[Shack]

PrairieHunter

I never thought leaving a bio-degradable Item in wood was a bad thing. All I do when I clean my grouse is step on it feet and pull tail. After I am done, there is not much left to consider littering. A coyote or other animal will come along and take care of rest. Then mother nature will do the rest. The cigarettes are my wife’s. I took picture and left in for size specs. PrairieHunter, what is the legal way to transport grouse. Usually we eat them before we leave. Last year I got them right before we were leaving, so I did not have chance to eat. I do not know if you could gut a grouse, there is not much there to gut. It seems it would be a waste of time. If this is the law, it would fit right in to a lot of other laws. I did not want to offend anyone with my posts and i am working on finding video of trip and will try to post. Good luck..

[PrairieHunter]

When you pull out the breast plate leave one wing or the head attached to the grouse.

CO needs to tell what kind of bird it was.

I am sitting through hunter ed with my oldest son right now. The number of rules, laws, exceptions, ethics issues, etc is unreal. I realize it is not supposed to take the fun out of it, but I wonder how anyone could ever start hunting without guidance from dad, grampa or a good friend.

Glad you had a good hunt.