Rgrundz said:
We did put up a grouse at hillman grouse management area but didn't shoot for fear of it being a hen pheasant. We actually didn't realize it was grouse until it was outa range! It was like seeing an endangered specie!!!!! First grouse my lab has ever seen.
Rg,
I know what you're saying - grouse are almost an endangered species here in SW PA these days. I only live about 20 min from Hillman so that's my go-to spot when I don't have time to travel elsewhere. However, I haven't flushed a grouse there in at least three years. The cover is pretty good in some areas and I find woodcock fairly regularly in spots, but no thunder chickens.
SGL 285 is about the only public land where I'll bother to look for grouse in SW PA anymore, other than heading over to the Laurel Mountains/Chestnut Ridge area (realizing the PGC doesn't consider 285 to be in SW PA, but I do). SGL 51 can be good and I know some other public land spots up on the mountain that usually have a few birds. But that's at least a 2-hour drive for me and if I'm going to go that far, I'd sooner go north to the ANF.
Anyway, good luck if you get out to 173 or 285 today. Let me know how you made out and leave us a couple of ringnecks, if you wouldn't mind.