Grouse, west of?

[Xtreme]

Folks , after having toured quite a bit of ground in the eastern part of Kentucky this past weekend I spoke with a few folks who told me about a restocking program involving the Dept. I was informed that in places their Grouse were pretty well plundered in spots.

Has any of you seen any grouse in the Central and Western parts as a result of this? I have spoken with two men wo claimed to have seen one on Ft. Knox.

[Valley Station]

Xtreme,

KDFWR had an "on going" grouse trap and release project, for at least 20 years, up until ending it last year.Trapping grouse in eastern Ky and transporting to and releasing in central & western Ky.
Grouse were released on Ft.Knox early '80, as I recall, in Carpenter Test area ( release in Hog Hollow, Area 3). They seemed to be doing O.K. for a while, then they dissappeared. ( I flushed a young brood of 5 or 6 grouse on Iron Mtn., Area 2) . I have flushed grouse in Area 1 & 2 in the past.
There have been grouse in Meade & Breck. counties, long before Ft Knox stocking. They came from natural expansion from Indiana. Indiana "had" grouse in counties bordering the river - Perry , Crawford, Harrison, etc.
I have flushed several grouse in the past , on what is now the Wolf Creek Hunt Club property in Meade co. My brother in-law shot one in Breckinridge co. in late '70s.
In recent years they have been stocked in Bullit, Nelson, Larue, Hart counties, LBL, Pennyryle State Park.
Most have been a failures. With all the predators, hawks to be specific ; you have to manage woodlands for grouse cover or eliminate some of the predators.

[grouseguy]

Xtreme, I just confirmed a report from a hunting buddy of mine in Maysville, that he flushed a grouse the weekend before X-mas this year on the Meade/Hardin line while quail hunting. He said the grouse was in a honeysuckle choked woodlot adjacent to a grain field.

[schuyler olt]

I hunt Meade County along the Ohio. I've seen several and heard several this year and consistently in the past. In fact, I see more grouse than quail, although the quail are coming back and the rabbits have flat exploded.

[Multidigits]

Anybody know of the exact numbers of grouse stocked in each area I'd appreciate hearing from them. Be specific.

[Birdman]

Grouse trapped for restoration from 1984-1996.1290 birds. Birds taken from Bath Co. 111, Carter 346, Lawrence 55, Johnson 76, Jackson 86 Knott 132, Leslie 43, Letcher 6, Harlan 178, McCreary 257.

Grouse Releases,1984-1996 (1442 birds (152from Ind ) 15 sites. Grant 117,Gallatin 99, Henry 101, 2nd. location 65, Owen 85, 2nd loc. 65, Carroll 91, Nelson 71, 2nd loc. 86, Bullitt 86, Marion 36, Meade 64, Union 88, Christian 136, Trigg 167.

From 84-99, a 16-year total: 1535. 1997 McCreart(21) Breathitt(16) 1998 Breathitt(12) McCreary(1) 1999 Lewis(21) Jackson (15) McCreary(7) Releases: 1997 Marion Co. 37 1998 Edmonson Co. 13 1999 Edmonson Co. 43.

The trapping program stopped in 2000, by a request from the KENTUCKY GROUSE HUNTERS ASSCATION. Due to the lack of birds and the dept. wanting to shorten grouse season to Dec. 31. With out doing any habitat work.

[grouseguy]

Thanks Birdman for posting the specific trap & release counts. I knew how they would roughly come out, but I didn't have the specifics.

Xtreme, hopefully you can see why I have the tendency to come "out of time" when the grouse trapping program is discussed. If you look at Carter County, you see where we were the single largest donor county (26.8%), but we definately didn't have that many birds to spare. The reason that we had more than our fair share taken from us was...<b></b>The biologists and techs could stay for free at Camp Webb on Grayson Lake<b></b>. No biologic or management reasons, we (Carter County grouse hunters) got SCREWED because it was CONVENIENT. Then when we asked to be "kissed" by the Department (actually it is required by their lease with the Corp) and have some habitat work done on Grayson Lake WMA, we were repeatedly LIED TO with empty excuses, even though we presented an solution that was permitted by CoE regs and required by the Dept's lease that would result in NO net dollars from the Depts budget.

Also, keep in mind that Birdman only posted the totals through 1996, but the trapping continued through at least 2000.

[grousegunner]

two years ago I jumped a grouse on Ft. Knox myself while deer hunting.

[Valley Station]

Grousegunner ,

What hunting area was you in??

[Multidigits]

To put those numbers in perspective, Birdman has hunted grouse since Moses was a baby and has killed less than a 100. A man ain't going to walk those hills behind crappy dogs, so you can tell that many birds put a hurt on the population. The Kentucky Grouse Hunters Assoc. keeps accurate records on hunts they hold every two weeks during the season. In the last three years, they've weighed less than 250 grouse. That's several parties, hunting two days, every two weeks. Hummm.....something's wrong with this picture????[}:)][V]

[Birdman]

Thanks BIG GUY

[Highbow]

Why no mention of the lack of food supply because of all those acorn vacumes going around the hill.

[Xtreme]

I'm glad Grouseguy and Multi like me,.....can you imagine having these to "hound" you?[:0]

Valley, I think Birdman is trying to contact you.

Birdman you may want to post how to join Ky. Grouse hunters. I joined em and proud I did!!![:D]

I think Grouseguy is a Sasquatch of the Eastern sub species Big Foot's[:o)][:D]

[Birdman]

To join the KENTUCKY GROUSE HUNTERS ASSC. CALL 606-789-2612 and ask for Ronnie dues are $12.00 per year. We do a lot more than hunt. We would like to have any grouse hunter or anyone that thinks they would enjoy grouse hunting.

[grousegunner]

V.S I cant recall exactly, but I cantell you it was right behind a large motor pool of tanks. I'm thinking it was 30 something but couldn't be for sure. I do know that the area we hunted is not open to the firearm hunts.

[Valley Station]

Grousegunner,

All areas on post that are bowhunted, are also, <u>normally</u> gun hunted.
Two years ago , after 9/11 , some areas in close proximity to air port were not gun hunted. Areas 16, 18, 19 and 20.
There is a large motor pool in Area 20, on Wilson Road.

[Multidigits]

The Carpenter Test areas were closed for 5 years to all hunting except Gun and Bow deer hunting due to the grouse stocking program. There is a tank park in that area also.