Garry back when I spent all my time chasing quail I heard some talk of grouse hunting in the Tellico region of the Cherokee NF and in Cocke County. I haven't heard of anyone grouse hunting around here in years but I am sure someone probably does. We have some Wilson snipe in our area. I have a daughter in Seattle, I plan to hunt my way west when I retire! That trip may begin in the UP or Minnesota.

Retirement is great, so I hope it happens sooner rather than later for you. If you decide to go to Minnesota on your way west, let me know and I can point you to some good areas. I assume quail are few and far between in Tennessee. We have had fair years the last two, and predictions are for the same for this year. It's sad when one is excited at a prediction of "fair" quail hunting. It still beats work!

Mills I have hunted grouse in N. Ga mountains and Est Tennessee. It can be dang tough hunting. Have also hunted them a good bit in Eastern Kentucky. My advice is take a light 20 gauge and enjoy the scenery. Nothing like walking in the woods with a shotgun, which is close second to walking in the woods with a shotgun and getting to shoot at your intended quarry a few times.

Believe it or not I stumbled upon a few grouse in the upper sections of Chatooga river basin years ago but I was not actually hunting for them. Its a long story but they are there and it is some of the meanest country. You gotta have a dang good dog and really study up on your maps.

Reggie, see my reply to Mills. Yes I have hunted the with my dad a long time ago in hills of Tn for grouse and it is not for the faint of heart. If you can find some areas that were clear cut 5 to 7 years ago and that are grown back up and you have a good dog you can find a few, maybe.

Tellico area does have them and I have seen them there. Used to be big into white water kayaking steep creeks and we would run Tellico and western NC creeks. Occasionally jumped some grouse but it was in some of the most inhospitable areas you could imagine. Tough country with few and far between birds. As you know worst part of hills of Tennessee are those cliff faces near the tops of those hills. You would be on the side of one of hills in a steep hollar hanging on to a laurel for dear life on one hand gun in the other and have a bird flush at your feet and fly on top of that cliff face. Tn grouse are mean spiteful birds and you gotta really want em.

One hunt in Minn where the land flatter and chances of seeing birds is 10 fold will break way from thinking about chasing them in Tn. Load up the car and go if you can. That is what we did and it was worth it.

Step up and be the high bidder on the Pineridge Grouse Camp three-day hunt in the Silent Auction this year Mills. You will NOT regret it!
Pineridge is THE place to get your feet wet on grouse and woodcock... Dis I say THE place?... hell it is THE BEST place to become fully immersed in grouse and woodcock shooting!






.

I'll be starting the season with my grandfather's 20 bore VH because it's traditional for me. Then I'll use a 20 bore PHE and a Holland and Holland 28.

We will head to the Michigan grouse woods next week with two Parker 16 gauges, Jenns 16 ga 26" GH Damascus and my 16 ga 28" vh 5lbs 6 0unce and 5 lbs 9 ounce... easy to carry all day with the setters.:bigbye:

Going Grouse hunting next week in upstate NY ,taking a 20ga VH and a 20ga Win.model 21.

You guys hunt with some really nice guns! I got an old war service (RAF) Birmingham Small Arms that is my go to. Last year I hunted a GH exclusively, maybe this year I'll get the Trojan out, just got figure out the full chokes with light loads!

Legh, those are both really nice guns and are perfect for “pa’tridge an’ ‘cock.”
I hope we can get together in October when you get back to Vermont.

(I might even let you look at my NEW Sterly):cool:



.