# where to find ruffies?



## Steelpuck18

*where do you see the most ruffed grouse?*​
busting through brush330.00%walking trails660.00%open woods110.00%food plots00.00%other... If so, post it.00.00%


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## Steelpuck18

ok guys I need some tips. I spent about five hours walking through the woods (trails mostly) yesterday during morning and evening, saw four ruffed grouse sitting on a wood pile, but they spooked before I could get a shot on them. Otherwise I havent seen too many, does anyone have tips on where to look for them? I know they like clover and obviously they like woodpiles, anywhere else? I ended up getting two this weekend.


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## wbakimi

I find them in a range of cover types, but most of my production comes from covers near younger aspen stands. Finding food and cover from predation is important. Look for thick cover near a food source like fruit or aspen and you should find some birds. Good luck.


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## Gildog

walk the trails, and use them as starting point to bust some brush/woods in likely areas.

Grouse like cranberries, and buds of many kinds of bushes...they like it pretty thick, it's a blessing to find one in the open.


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## Gooseguy10

As I stated early, my experience is that this year has been very disappointing in terms of numbers of grouse...

However, I talked to a guy that had some success last weekend and he said that he found grouse but not in the typical areas. He said he focused on green clover and other green food sources off of the main trails.


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## sod44

i believe that if you walk the trails and look for thick brush areas you will probobly be able to find some. but i dont think a food plot would work for ruffed grouse haha


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## Steelpuck18

Gooseguy10 said:


> As I stated early, my experience is that this year has been very disappointing in terms of numbers of grouse...
> 
> However, I talked to a guy that had some success last weekend and he said that he found grouse but not in the typical areas. He said he focused on green clover and other green food sources off of the main trails.


yeah i have noticed that the numbers have been down also.  
when I cut open the gullet on the birds I did get, I found lots of green. I found one with some green leaves, and a few berries, and the others had mainly clover.


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## birdsforever

Here in NY we have great numbers of ruffed grouse. My tactics change as the season progresses. Early season (ours opens Oct. 1) I hit as many old apple orchards as I can find. Oddly enough, many can be found around here on state land. After those areas, I tend to focus on dense underbrush mixed with saplings. As crazy as this may sound, I also will find birds by walking the edges of standing corn fields that back up to woods. They eat the grass in the rows, not the corn itself, and it's the closest you'll ever get to wide open shooting. If it's warm and dry, concentrate your efforts around water or streams running near good cover. Grouse need water!

Once it turns cold and the snow flies around here (like it's been doing the past two days) I head straight for the conifer forests. Pines, hemlocks and fir all offer the cover and protection from the elements that grouse need. You'll find a lot more birds busting out of the trees then from the ground.

Hope some of this info may help you find more birds and god luck!

Scott


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## Estaban

We don't have any shortages of partridge in Vermont either! I flush out at least a dozen birds every time I go even for a short walk on a logging road. Heck, I had to slap JR upside the back of his head when he came back with a partridge after shooting it with his pellet gun while it was in a tree. Kids :roll:


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