Useful life hacks for grouse hunting

We've previously covered how and when to hunt hazel grouse. Now it's time to reveal the secrets and life tips for this hunt, ensuring it's a surefire trophy. After all, hunting this forest game is very interesting and popular, as it's considered the most accessible.

Although you won't be able to shoot this bird of the chicken family on the Putorana Plateau, it's worth knowing some key facts. It's worth mentioning that the taiga reserve offers a spring goose hunting tour, where you can combine hunting and ice fishing.

Where to look for forest game?

Hazel grouse are often found in the following places:

• Forests and coniferous thickets of spruce and fir are considered the most favored habitats for this game. Hazel grouse often hatch their young in the thickets of fir trees.
• Deciduous thickets are less populated. Game may appear in aspen and birch forests. Hazel grouse are much less common in cedar and pine forests.
• In mixed groves, this species of forest game is most often found in places where there is spruce and alder, albeit in small quantities.
• It's worth searching for trophies of these chicken-like creatures near various bodies of water. They hide in ravines near rivers, lakes, and streams. Hunting hazel grouse on the outskirts of forests can be promising, especially if there's water nearby.
• When berry trees ripen, hazel grouse settle near berries (blueberries, rowan, lingonberries, etc.).

It is worth considering that this bird belongs to a sedentary species and after breeding in one place, you can look for it somewhere nearby.

What is required for trophy grouse hunting?

1. In any case, high-quality camouflage plays a special role, i.e. it is necessary to have excellent equipment.

2. The approach to birds is more silent in places where there are forest paths and roads.

3. When selecting decoys and squeakers, it is better to choose several different ones.

4. You must move through the forest as carefully as possible so as not to create unnecessary noise.

5. Stop near the spruce trees and begin whistling, waiting for a response from the game. If there is no response within a few minutes, move on.

6. Hazel grouse hunting can be successful and yield trophies in good, clear weather. In autumn, when the leaves are falling, and in winter, during the early morning, it's best if the weather conditions allow for light frosts. Trophy hunting is less likely in windy or rainy weather.

7. If you're looking for a time, you can shoot game from early morning darkness and in the evening after 5:00 PM. During these periods, the birds begin to forage for food. Around 10:00 or 11:00 AM, the hazel grouse goes back to sleep, making it more difficult to find them.

Helpful tips:

• Experienced hunters recommend not to sit on stumps when ambushed, as this reduces visibility and can lead to loss of maneuverability, mobility, etc. It is better to hunt hazel grouse while standing.
• Use halved charges when shooting, as hazel grouse can sometimes approach very close. The distance can be only a few meters.
• When choosing hunting calls, remember that indoors the sound is different than outdoors. Therefore, buy the loudest ones.