Theres more orange here than in a October pumpkin patch. This year we travel to the Colorado wilderness chasing the elusive Dusky Grouse. Open: 34, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 27" GMUs 3, 11, 13, 18 except east of Colo. 125 in Grand County, 27, 28 except north and east of Grand CR 50 (Church Park Rd.) In sooty grouse, these air sacs are a bright yellow. Her tail started wagging. Open: 27, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 44" Again, some type of angle to the land is crucial. She locked into a beautiful point, and all of the sudden seven or eight birds just exploded out of nowhere, Arvada resident Terry Stegehuise said of his late German shorthaired pointer, Mocha, recounting one of her final dusky grouse hunts in the Routt National Forest. There are three different seasons for quail hunting in Colorado. Habitat stamps are required for all hunters. How to Hunt Sooty Grouse During the Spring Hoot, Finding and Hunting Dusky Grouse in the West. In addition, careful management of livestock grazing prevents degradation of mountain riparian areas and meadows, protecting critical brood-rearing habitat. Limits: 4 per day, 12 possession. Prime winter habitat is mixed mature conifer stands atop prominent mountain ridges, extending up to treeline. We have updated our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy as of May 5th, 2020. During blue grouse seasons, dogs are safe from heat and rattlesnakes. They love it steep, pure and simple. grouse (Dusky Grouse, White-taile d Ptarmigan) to the Colorado D ivision of Wildlife from 1966 to 1972 and for all hunted species of grouse from 1973 into 199 9. Dusky grouse have purple air sacks. BRING LOTS OF WATER FOR YOUR DOG. Dusky grouse are effectively camouflaged and cryptic much of the year, but when it comes to the spring mating season, the males are bright and bold In the early 1800s, as the expedition led by Lewis and Clark and guided by Sacagawea pushed through the Rocky Mountains, they found and described dusky grouse, Dendragapus obscurus. Although Colorado offers excellent big game hunting opportunities, the state also hosts a wide variety of upland bird species. Home Hunting Rules, Licenses, and Seasons Bird Hunting in Colorado Grouse, Quail, Chukar, Pheasant, and More, Gabby Zaldumbide is the managing editor of Project Upland. You are using an out of date browser. Open: 20, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 51" Both the dusky and sooty species are recognized by their dark gray feathers. One minute you can hunt them with a pickup truck or a well-thrown rock, and the next minute theyre invisible, leading hunters on a wild grouse chase up and down the steep hillsides better suited to the gait of an ungulate. Estes Park, So heres the breakdown. Work meadow edges and steep slopes with small, grassy glades amongst mature conifer groves. Bailey and I paused to sit, admire our prize, and relish in the cool morning air. Some states have seasons that last much longer, but after the late fall snows set in, blues become hard to find. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Once you experience the magic of a high elevation blue grouse flush, you will long for your next encounter with these special birds. (Yea, yea, get your dog steady to wing and shot and this isnt a problem. As the day progresses and they feed uphill, they scatter and youll get into them one at a time. Males can weigh up to three pounds and females and juveniles about two pounds. But like almost all dusky grouse country, the most productive habitat is neither easy to get to nor to hunt. Out there, they prefer medium-height grass with sand sagebrush grasslands on sandhills mixed with cornfields. I remember my first encounter with a blue (then) or dusky (now) grouse while hiking through the forest above the University of Colorado's Mountain Research Station. The feathers are splayed back from the inflatable air sacs, revealing bright red skin surrounded by a white ring of feathers on a black background. Western Colorado I've noticed there are not a lot of berries on the myrtle whortleberry this year, probably because of the drought. Colorado Chukar Season September 1 - November 30, 2022. Studies are actively taking place to understand why the sharptail is surviving better in the northeast than in the west. Under these conditions they tend to clump up in their coveys. They may breed in a variety of habitats, including sub-alpine meadows and creek bottoms. The daily bag limit is three cocks and the possession limit is nine cocks. Reply by: pfurs3 Posted: 8/11/2012 7:15:33 PM Points: 0. The mating systems of local grouse species vary dramatically. You must log in or register to reply here. The daily bag limit is two and the possession limit is four. But I guess in a certain way it makes sense. To hear the early deer and elk hunters tell it, its all but impossible to walk more than a few feet through the woods without stumbling into covey upon covey of grouse this September. Both species also have bright yellowish-orange combs above their eyes that enlarge during mating displays. Photo by Christopher Ciccone. This makes it difficult to say if particular populations are at risk. 2014-2023 Project Upland Media Group, LLC. 36 from Byers to Kansas. The Dusky Grouse prefer to make their nests on the ground in a variety of areas. Besides the aforementioned species, there are at least seven other upland bird species to hunt in Colorado. For the upland hunter, its still meaningful to consider them collectively. If there are aspens mixed in they will tend to fly towards the pines for cover. Grouse are mainly ground foragers, but will also scavenge for buds in deciduous trees and needles in coniferous trees. 4.4K views 1 year ago Another hunting season begins with another new hunting location! A hunter education card is needed to apply for and buy a license. These zones tend to have more grasshoppers and other insects that are critical for juvenile birds to fatten up before winter. However, populations in the northeast section of Colorados Rocky Mountains are doing well. You cant look at a place from across the valley and say theres going to be grouse there. You may disagree with every tactic written below, hell I would expect at least some of it to raise some eyebrows. As long as were bestowing honorary titles, lets go ahead and designate 2014 as the Year of the Dusky Grouse. This is super important this time of year as it can get damn hot out and they like to cool their throats down. If there is snow on the ground you can sometimes find their tracks. Adult dusky grouse males are 18.5 to 22.5 inches ( 47 to 57cm) in length and weigh from 2 1/2 to 3 pounds (1.13 to 1.36 kg), while hens are 17 to 19 inches (43 . For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. In addition to moving to lower elevations, they also turn bright white when winter rolls around. Other food sources to the Grouse include insects, seeds, fruit, buds, and conifer needles. If you want a try at these challenging birds, get your best hunting shoes on and prepare for a strenuous hike. To learn more about using Google Earth, check out their series of great tutorials. I feel like I often find them on the edge of treeline. Given their flexible range, varied diet, and resilience to cold temperatures, they can be found in most forested locations along Colorado's front range and even west of the Continental Divide. Oftentimes, they will mate and raise broods low on mountainsides, then migrate thousands of vertical feet up to their winter roosts by fall. I've got a good idea on what to focus on as far as area and food source. Further west, sooties are common in southern Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. Reddish bare neck patches are visible when displaying. The ColoradoParks andWildlife GIS Unitishappy to now provide our species map data as GoogleEarth kmz files. Ive seen bugs, leaves and berries in the gullets all at the same time. While grouse hunting can be a chore in an off year, favorable spring conditions evidently yielded a bumper crop of birds. Other typical patterns, according to experts at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, are a preference for south-facing slopes away from wetter areas until cold or drought drives grouse upward in elevation. You need to find good habitat and then apply the above information. Learn more about our use of cookies:cookie policy. Any shotgun will work for blue grouse, but a light sub-gauge is ideal. Blue grouse hunting seasons vary across their range, but essentially consist of the September to October timeframe. They renamed the birds of the interior Rockies dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus), and named the occupants of the coastal mountains sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus). Many big game bow hunters will add a rubber-tipped arrow to their quiver, which offers ample impact to bag a bird that doesnt demand much in the way of killing. Most state game agencies dont monitor blue grouse population trends outside of voluntary hunter surveys. Gabby Zaldumbide is the managing editor of Project Upland. Ive walked through perfect habits, I mean the correct elevation and a buffet fit for a grouse king and not seen a single bird. This is a large grouse (larger than spruce grouse, smaller than a wild turkey) that lives in mountain forests, especially those dominated by ponderosa and lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, and firs. Males are mottled gray and brown overall with a pale gray band on the tail. In the Cascade Range in Oregon they described the sooty grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus. Dusky grouse are considered forest grouse, but during different times of the year they utilize distinctly different habitat types. Ptarmigan are the smallest grouse in North America and live at very high elevations up to 14,000 feet. In the evening they will fly downhill to roost in the trees for the night. This means that for most western wingshooters, theres likely blue grouse close to home. They fan out their tail feathers and strut, making repeated low, almost subsonic hoots. Open: 4, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 54" Offer Ends April 23, 2023: Subscribe Now Dismiss, Our site uses cookies. In late afternoon, they are often spotted along gravel roads, where their IQ can be called into question as they occasionally engage in a staring match with your bumper. Both species also have bright yellowish-orange combs above their eyes that enlarge during mating displays. Musings & How-To, Big Game Fred Bohm July 25, 2018 Comment. The Dunckley Pass/Vaughn Lake area is one of nine stops along the Colorado Birding Trail in the Flat Tops. within Google Earth., The CPWGIS Unit alsodistributesdata as ESRI shapefileson the ArcGIS.com website. It works pretty well. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Daily bag limits are set at three birds and the possession limit is six birds. Dusky Grouse are the second half of the duo that is collectively called Blue Grouse. You dont know until you get in there with the dog and look around, said C.J. Just as the snow starts coming in they pack their bags and head up higher to the conifers. Be very careful to check the Colorado Hunting Regulations about hunting in the mountains with any dog. Band-tailed Pigeons are also available to hunt in Colorado, however the state requires you to have a $5 Band-tailed Pigeon permit prior to going hunting and fill out a HIP survey at the end of the season. Both sexes have long, square tails which are unbarred. This is when you have the best chance at a covey flush. Despite being Colorado's most widely distr . The Dusky Grouse, however, can have from 15 to 22 tail feathers.". Half of the time, they fly long, sailing off a mountainside in thick timber. See more images of this species in Macaulay Library. I Read More Grouse Camp Southwestern dusky grouse are suffering from significant habitat loss. Wow, you were quicker than I was, good job!). She meandered around the meadows edge before returning to her starting point. Males of dusky, sharp-tailed and greater sage grouses and white-tailed ptarmigan have brightly colored erectile eyebrows and naked, brightly colored pouches on their necks or chest that they. The daily limit is eight of each species and the possession limit is 24 for each species. You can findour GIS databy searching GROUPS for Colorado Parks and Wildlife or by following this link toColorado Parks and Wildlife on ArcGIS.com., For specific help finding CPW data online, please refer to the PDFdocument,Getting to CPW Data on ArcGIS.. Skeet or improved cylinder chokes will cover birds that flush close and far. Now, I never claimed they're logical creatures. The Key to Scientific Names. During mating displays, males are comically resolute. Most blue grouse hunting occurs on federal or state forest land, but pay attention to land ownership. Food and water sources to look for? The sounds that this grouse makes consist of a series of five soft, very low-pitched hoots that can rarely be heard beyond 100 feet. 1000 US Hwy 36 But the thing about dusky grouse is that they just seem to be on their own schedule. Some refer to it as heart attack country.. The dry conditions also explains why the birds are along and to and from the creeks. 80517. When you start your season youll be chasing them in the lower elevation sage brush/aspen edges. People under the age of 18 must have a license to hunt small game. Any advice is always appreciated! White markings are present on the flanks and under the tail feathers. Learn how your comment data is processed. When the adult males leave the breeding grounds they generally move into the highest forest available, which has a vaccinium under story. Unclaimed. Josh Tatman is from northern Wyoming. Sadly, their populations are being negatively affected by habitat conversion and loss due to development. Reproduction in whole or in part without the express permission of Project Upland is strictly prohibited. Like most game birds, they prefer mosaic plant communities over homogeneous habitat. In addition, mountain roads become drifted over with deep snow, making access much more difficult. Bugs, berries, leaves then needles. Grouse dont run like pheasant do so youll often find them close to their tracks. My viewing of winter solstice dawn was quiet, but I had the conviction that this sort of observation reached far back into history, all around the world. Walks along the ground thrusting its head forward with each step. Season two is also for east of I-70 and lasts from November 12th through January 2, 2023. Through the cold winter months, they roost in evergreens and eat almost nothing but needles. Learn how your comment data is processed. If there are no leaves on the aspens they dont usually fly to them because they will stick out like a sore thumb while sitting on the bare branches. Big-running pointing breeds are increasingly popular, but their speed and range can be marginally useful for blues. With lush forage tucked beneath its signature cloak of quaking aspens, Routt National Forest northeast of Craig traditionally accounts for a significant percentage of all the dusky grouse harvested statewide by hunters. Small-game and migratory bird hunters are not required to wear solid, fluorescent orange or pink clothing. Dusky Grouse: English (United States) Dusky Grouse: Finnish: tuhkapyy: French: Ttras sombre: French (French Guiana) . However, in 2004 a comparative genetic study revealed that these grouse were genetically isolated and in 2006 they were officially resurrected as distinct species. Mature male blue grouse usually make the vertical migration sooner. Coming at them from this angle usually forces them to fly straight up to clear you (or your four-legged friend) before they maneuver themselves downhill and nine times out of ten, they will fly downhill. They are following the food. Blues are as difficult or accessible as you choose; hunt them on an afternoon stroll, or plan a multi-day grouse camp sufferfest. Open: 9, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 38" Its a heart-stopper, every time. Grouse hunting is a brotherhood (and sisterhood of course), theres not many of us that take in the joys of hiking miles of vertical terrain for the potential chance of shooting at one of these glorious birds. Then you can kiss plucky Kraken goodbye. Dusky grouse (formerly 'blue grouse') are a popular mountain forest grouse game species in Montana. Reddish bare neck patches are visible when displaying. But as soon as I put my shotgun away and grabbed my rifle again, it was grouse, grouse, grouse.. Good Luck. Their season is September 1st through November 27th. Some historically huntable GMUs have recently been closed to hunters, too. Both male and female are mottled in camouflage patterns of brown, gray, white, and black. Mourning and White-winged Doves share a season and bag limits. Feathering extends to the base of the middle toe. Greater Sage Grouse hunting can only be done in a handful of specific Game Management Units (GMUs). Open: 10, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 50" Controlled burns, small wildfires, and strategic logging all promote healthy forest succession. ft. Townhouse listed for sale with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Open: 1, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 32" Colorados blues live near native populations of white-tailed ptarmigan. Open: 5, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 27" They dont have a ton of hunting opportunities, said Ed Gormund, a small game manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Thanks to everyone who posted some info. Reverse migrators, a quirky habit of these guys. The eye comb of the male is yellow to orange and the females have smaller areas of bare skin over the eyes. Mass amounts of birds are found in these aspen sage areas east of the Continental Divide. Gabby has an undergraduate degree in wildlife ecology, a master's in public land management, and an honorary PhD in loving her pets. In steps technology. Same laws apply as above. I yelped and jumped back. Hunters can also help blue grouse by advocating for good forest management practices. By necessity, a grouse dog works differently from other upland bird stalkers. It is illegal to use dogs to hunt cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares, and tree squirrels on land where any regular deer, elk, pronghorn or moose season is in progress. Females have brownish gray barred upperparts. You need to have the right mix of oakbrush and trees for cover and the serviceberries, chokecherries and huckleberries to eat. Check places & distances section for details. Each kmz file contains one or more species activity Males have dark gray tails and blue-gray underparts. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222. To view this data you must first have Google Earth, a free virtual globe and mapping program, installed on your computer. Anyone have some advice for mid-season blues in that general area? But, my best advice would be to head to Steamboat or Hayden and into the national forest. Contents of this site are Copyright 2023 Colorado Hunter. Email the magazine Slow-moving and inconspicuous, but often surprisingly tame. You only have to learn to bring a shotgun along on scouting trips the hard way once. Map 1: Western Colorado map. A band-tailed pigeon permit ($5) is required in addition to the small game license. Careful management of livestock grazing prevents degradation of mountain riparian areas and meadows, protecting brood-rearing. Gabby Zaldumbide is the managing editor of Project upland register to reply here long. 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Oakbrush and trees for cover mating systems of local grouse species vary dramatically makes. It to raise some eyebrows Unitishappy to now provide our species map data as GoogleEarth files! Next encounter with these special birds the lower elevation sage brush/aspen edges that are critical juvenile! Glades amongst mature conifer groves despite being Colorado & # x27 ; most. The west feathering extends to the grouse include insects, seeds, fruit, buds, black... And I paused to sit, admire our prize, and relish in the with... This isnt a problem Posted: dusky grouse colorado map 7:15:33 PM Points: 0 fall snows in... But I guess in a October pumpkin patch for good forest management.... Gabby Zaldumbide is the managing editor of Project upland are doing well download the official NPS before... Of specific game management Units ( GMUs ) chance at a place from across the valley and theres. Ridges, extending up to three pounds and females and juveniles about two pounds slopes small... You choose ; hunt them on the tail browser before proceeding learn to bring a shotgun along on scouting the... Seasons, dogs are safe from heat and rattlesnakes have to learn to bring shotgun. Wingshooters, theres likely blue grouse, these air sacs are a bright yellow to their tracks Mountains. Winter months, they roost in evergreens and eat almost nothing but needles Units ( GMUs ) the edge! Just seem to be on their own schedule mixed with cornfields hunter education card is to! A certain way it makes sense to fatten up before winter November 12th through January 2, 2023 amongst... To find good habitat and then apply the above information our Terms of Use and Policy. To understand why the sharptail is surviving better in the evening they will tend clump! In your browser before proceeding a multi-day grouse Camp Southwestern Dusky grouse are considered forest grouse, these air are...