Grouse hunting around Cave Run

[HappyHunter]

I'm headed to the Cave Run area for a grouse hunt this weekend. Have any of you guys been hunting this area? What have the birds been feeding on? How was the acorn crop around Cave Run this year?

Any responses would be greatly appreciated. I live in Louisville and only make it out east a couple of times a year. I have had some sucess in years past hunting around stands of white oaks, even very late in the season.

[grousegunner]

H.H. I've got some buddies that have hunted cave run quite a bit & the hunting has been off & on. If you can find the right cover along with birds that havn't seen a lot of hunting pressure, you can make out alright. good luck & let us know how you do...G.G.

[Birdman]

I hunted Cave Run two weeks ago. We flew two birds. Both of which were came out wild, 50 yards in front of our dogs. Good luck.

[HappyHunter]

Thanks for the responses guys. I hunted the area 2 times in Feb last year. Flew four birds each time, nothing in the bag. I had a great hunt around Cave Run 2 years ago the last weekend of the season. I flew 9 different birds and put 2 in the bag!! It was very windy and cold with sleet and snow. The birds held very tight. They were gorging on very small white oak acorns. My dog flushed 2 birds from under a cedar. When I looked under the tree there was a pile of acorn hulls where the birds had been feeding. Have you guys ever seen this? I assumed that grouse would take the whole acorn into their crop. Any word on the mast crop this year? We had a very good crop of white oak acorns in eastern Jefferson county this yea.

[Birdman]

On locations I've hunted, there's been lots of acorns. Not many beach nuts. Most of our birds have feed on greens.