30.06 for grouse hunting?

Yukon Mike

Yukon Mike

Well-known member
After this weekend, I'll go with a yes on that one. Mac and I were looking for grouse along an old trail and had decided to turn back and try another spot. Jenny was still pretty fresh so I let her run in front of the truck on the way out. While running down the road her nose pulled her a hard right and she bounded into the poplars only to return seconds later. She ran a bit more and pulled some scent out of the air and jumped in again. A big brown fuzzy thing with a hump came blasting out on to the road, did a fancy fake right go left move, and crashed into the spruce on the left side. Jenny flushed up a wood bison! Mac and I looked at each other "Holy Crap!" and he started digging for rifle shells. I called the dog back and watched the bison circle downwind of us through the trees. By the time I got the rifle sorted out he was disappeared. I went for a short walk but the bush was so thick it was kinda scary.

The next night we were walking down an old logging road I used to cut on and we were again armed lightly. It was like an alley cut through black spruce with three foot willows on the old road. As we were walking I noticed bear diggings but they always look fresh so didn't mind. Jenny was quartering out front and her nose was coming up so I really started looking ahead. Sure enough, another big brown hump 100 yds ahead but this one had pretty blond tips. I whispered to Mac and lowly whistled to Jenny to heel and we snuck out back to the truck. The bear heard us though and started coming our way through the scrub. I lost sight of him by the time we got to the truck so I honked on a predator call (from inside the cab!) to see what would happen. We didn't see him again though. He was a big fella.

Yesterday morning we went out to look for ruffies at sunup and I had the 30.06 loaded and on my back. No big stuff encounters, but one nice rooster got a ride to town.

Mike
 
Your title reminded me of my experience some 30 years ago... I was new to deer hunting, and went with a couple neighbors. They placed me in a tree stand for the morning. This was in Vermont, where it was buck only, and 1 per season. The plan was to meet at the truck at noon for lunch, and as I was in the lowest stand on the hill, I was to stay put until they were visible in the field below me.

Around 11:30, I heard something moving, but could not see it. It was shuffling around in the leaves for awhile.... then it was gone. Around noon, I was listening and looking for movement when I saw the other guys break into the field below me. Just then I caught movement again.... and put my binos on a pair of ruffed grouse routing around in the leaves..... I stood up, and rested the 30-30 on a limb and slowly squeezed off a shot. Poof! lots of feathers!. The other bird just tucked it's head down and froze. I slowly cycled another round, and aimed a little higher and waited for the 2nd bird to raise his head.... after a minute he did and I squeezed off another shot.

By the time I get out of the tree and walked over to the birds, the other guys were heading back into the woodw below me.... they asked if I got him, and I responded I got 2 of them! They went white.... that 1 was the limit, what was I doing, etc.... then I held up the 2 birds! They busted my stones, but I had dinner, they did not!
 
Mike, sounds like some interesting grouse hunting. You would have had a difficult time getting either of those critters in the game pouch of your hunting vest.

Dave, that reminds me of my Vermont deer season of 1977. I hunted all day and didn't have any luck, I was up in the NE Kingdom where they have snowshoe hares. Late in the afternoon as I hunted through a cedar swamp that was still all green I spied a snowshoe hare that was white in this lush green mossy carpet. I put the crosshairs on the hare's nose and touched off a .06 round. The carcass landed about 10 feet from the head and all the guts. I couldn't have done a better job gutting that animal.
 
I got some grouse one time when I was moose hunting in Canada. I little butter in the pan to cook them and real tasty. Not like those I got out west elk hunting. Even with a good brine soak, they were not near as good. Oh yes, I got a moose too.
.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top