Just talking here about grouse hunting in the large expanses of state woods here in northeast PA. That's where I've chased grouse for decades. I'm convinced that the birds have gotten smarter since I started hunting as a pre-teen, likely due to predators and hunters killing the dumber ones and the resulting effect on the gene pool. For sure ..... food, water and cover are the primary habitat considerations but given the choice between those factors close to the road or the same farther back in, and if you're physically able, you'll find more birds while hunting in our big woods farther away from the travelled roadways. Whether it’s the traffic noise, new instincts or whatever, the birds seem to be especially scarce and wary close to the roads even though the edge cover looks good. Now, I don't know if all this applies elsewhere but its something to think about.
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