[Grayson in Boone]

Went out to the Pisgah (globe area) two weekends back and had a wonderful couple of days camping, fishing and chasing grouse with my cousin. Stayed in the backcountry and caught a few lil brookies. The temps stayed in the 30's and snow fell just enough to be pretty but not enough to be a hassle. Good friends, good dogs, and good fishing. Not a bad way to spend a weekend.

 

[Scott Hobbs]

Hey guys looks like a great trip

I use to head to toward Santheela Creek/Lake area and do some fishing and camping. Thats whats being a sportsman is all about. I had almost forgotten those days, thanks for the memories.

tight lines <*)))))>{

 

[Keith]

Looks like you guy's had one sweet time. Pic's take me back a few years wish I had more time to linville gorge are just north of Table Rock. Nothing like waking up some snow on the ground. No cooler needed!

 

[Topsail Angler]

Nice, thanks for the report & pictures!

 

[Scott Hobbs]

You didn't say if you bagged any grouse, that would top the trip or at least got a shot.

tight lines <*)))))>{

 

[gambusia]

You get any partridges?

 

[Grayson in Boone]

Unfortunately grouse #'s are way down. I thought it couldn't get any worse than last season. Wrong. I'm averaging 1 flush for +7hrs this season. I haven't shot at one all season, no sense in bringin em down any worse. Some say it's a cyclic thing but I think that high coyote numbers are probably the biggest strain on the population. Turkey are way up too and grouse have to compete with them for resources. Lack of forest management also hurts. The poor ole ruffed grouse, I'm sad to say, seems to be headed the way of the bobwhite in NC.
On the positive side, woodcock hunting was awesome this year. Hopefully this trend will continue. I'd hunt birds even if I knew there wasn't a single one in the state, but I won't shoot em till the recover a bit.
Clyde (the setter) did point one runner that weekend, but couldn't quite manage to pin him down. Never got to see him flush.

 

[gambusia]

I agree with you about grouse numbers.

I flushed one while bear hunting and that was it all hunting seasons.

I believe it's a combination of predation, turkeys and lack of logging (at least on public lands).

 

[slickrocktom]

you forgot the biggest reason for low grouse numbers. there is no thinning or logging going on. what the happy trust fund so called nature lovers do not realize is that grouse and deer are not true forest creatures. they need clearings and young growth. we have had a virtual stoppage of logging on my grouse turf up here. no openings = no food. not saying we need to lay waste to our nat. forests, but everything is starving to death up here.

 

[gambusia]

you forgot the biggest reason for low grouse numbers. there is no thinning or logging going on. what the happy trust fund so called nature lovers do not realize is that grouse and deer are not true forest creatures. they need clearings and young growth. we have had a virtual stoppage of logging on my grouse turf up here. no openings = no food. not saying we need to lay waste to our nat. forests, but everything is starving to death up here.

Deer don't need the cutovers and logging like grouse.

They can survive in big woods.

Grouse do need cutovers

 

[slickrocktom]

we hardly have the poulations of deer up here like where i hunt in granville co. if you notice , the largest deer deer densities in the mtns are located in places with agriculture like the large farms in henderson, polk and the biltmore estate near asheville, i fish the park (great smoky mtns) and trout streams in joyce kilmer where the "big" woods are and i am hard pressed to see a deer. another problem i forgot to mention is that when logging takes place, the oaks and hickories are replaced by 2nd growth species like maples and poplar. they make for great color and tourist photos, but lousy deer browse

 

[gambusia]

A lot of trees logged now a days in the mountains are yellow poplar

And folks also want to plant a lot of pine for harvest

There are still plenty of deer on the game lands and forests in the mountans

 

[Crummy]

Hey Grayson,(funny, that's my brother's name) What part of the Globe? You are in my back door.

 

[Grayson in Boone]

Hey Crummy,
We were between 221 and Gragg. I think it's Wilson's Creek, but I'm not exactly certain. I count myself pretty lucky to live so close to that stretch of woods. Have you been out yet this year?

 

[Crummy]

Hey Crummy,
We were between 221 and Gragg. I think it's Wilson's Creek, but I'm not exactly certain. I count myself pretty lucky to live so close to that stretch of woods. Have you been out yet this year?

Lol! Many times. Beautiful country. Roamed it since I was a kid.