Look what I found
 

A pair of grouse has taken up residence on my farm. The first I have seen there in a number of years.
A good omen for 2022 I hope. We frequently move Woodcock there in the spring and fall.

Very promising

That's a good sign Harold. Don't know as I would hunt them in 2022. Maybe they'll multiply.





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No, I have not shot a grouse around here for since 2012 , and only did it then because I knew old Shiner would not be around for another season, and it ended up being his last hunt.

Good to see birds moving into new cover...in Ohio(!) (It's funny how we (hunters) care so much about the game we pursue. Something non-hunters -- especially anti-hunters -- will never understand.)

Harold, we've been doing a lot of grouse/woodcock habitat work here at The Rock. I asked our PGC and RGS biologists about hunting or not hunting any birds that show up here. They said until there's enough new forest regen, we might as well hunt them because if the West Nile doesn't kill them the predators will.

There is a reason why hunters support wildlife conservation far more than any other group.

Harold,
I own 6 acres where we built a new home, theres another vacant 20 acres that adjoin our property. In December our brittany has had a few points, I only run him around our property when I don't have time for a hunt, or weather is just to bad. Cash was on point for several minutes, I heard bird flush, about 3 minutes later, he took a half step forward as he was losing scent. You can see each foot is lifted during the point. I am thrilled to have some grouse here, last spring we had woodcock too.

so thats what they look like :shock:

Plant some clover along those trails Harold! You want to keep them around, you have to keep them fed. I've had them come into my lower yard eleven birds, which would be two family groups, at a time just to feed on the clover I plant.