How has the hunting been in WA. I know that most of the state has been closed because of Fire Danger. We've had a few days of rain so maybe more land will be open. I work for a large timber co. and I've seen up to 50 grouse a day.
Fuzz

What kind of grouse? Ruffed, Spruce, Blue, sharpies, sage? Dutch.

The Idaho season started Sept. 1. I went scouting a new area for mule deer and took along my GWP and a .22 handgun. Missed one blue grouse and got the second. (also shot a rattle snake)

The second day we moved to another area and we awoke with birds just out side our camp. I worked my dog on them and never shot. My best guess as to the number of birds was 17 They were all young birds and all within 250 yards of the truck. My dog holds point much better now!

On a related topic, I am seeing lots of second hatch quail and we jumped numerous big coveys of chukar last weekend.

3/4 were Ruffed and 1/4 were Blue. We have rain predicted for the next 3 days so maybe they will open up the woods for hunting.
Fuzz

I shot my first blue grouse yesterday while elk hunting; with a bow. We were back at the truck relaxing and having a beer when they flew over us and landed about 50 yards away. So I grabbed my bow and several shots later I had my first grouse. It was also my first kill with my bow.

I went scouting for elk Saturday and just driving around on Weyerhaeuser roads I shot two blues and 1 ruffed grouse, and this was in the middle of the day. That's the first time I've been out in the woods this year. Kind of wish I would have gone last weekend now. But then, I don't know if Weyerhaeuser would have had all their gates opened last weekend. They do now.

Around Pocatello the grouse are in good shape as far as I can tell. I've gotten 6 so far in two outings, seen and heard a lot more. All were Ruffed Grouse, as we have not hunted high enough to get into blues, although another friend of mine got a couple.

We have seen a lot of young birds, too.

We jumped a covey of sharptails scouting for deer, too. Plus Chuckars! Looks like bird hunting will be good around here this year.

I hunted with my old .410 for the first time in decades...a H&R Topper Junior, full choke. I had been using my Ithaca 600 20 gauge O/U, but at the close ranges we have to shoot, it tears up the birds too much. The .410 works fine and does not tear up the birds so much. Besides, it is MUCH lighter than the 20!

Ben Reinhardt