I've not hunted it, and plan to go around Quilcene/Brinnon ect. I have an air rifle that is accurate to 60 yards or so. The questions are:
Can anyone tell me where to go/ best roads to steer clear of deer hunters

Am I smokin crack to think I can get them with an air gun, or is a shotgun the only way (ie are they still enough or always on the fly)

Are there Blue Grouse up high there, or are forest grouse the only grouse I'll cross?
Thanks for the help.
ml

I don't know if It's crack your smoking or what, but I wouldn't use an air rifle for a bird of that size.

Sure there's a chance that you could kill it with a properly placed shot with a good airgun, but what are the odds of that? Most of the grouse you will encounter that will have been hunted before and are a little skittish. Meaning they won't sit there and look at you while you put a bead on it's head.

If you go father into the woods you may find some that have'nt been messed with and maybe get them when they fly up in a tree and look at you, but I wouldn't count on it.

Get a .22 or better yet a shotgun. You can go get a cheap single shot .410 at Wal-Mart or something and it probably costs less than the air rifle in question.

Good luck happy grouse hunting. I think I'll go tomorrow on the way home from fishing.

I was in that exact area this past wknd. What I saw were ruffs. I got a bunch of Chantrelles there too.
Plenty of grouse....you pick the road.

Hey seastrike, any input on my questions? Did the birds stay put, or were they airborn all the time? How close do you think you could get, in a stalk?

First and last light you should be able to get close enough. Not as much fun as wing shooting with a dog but good food non the less!
Stay low for the ruffs
Go high for the chantrelles.

Did you find em?
I leave for a 12 day elk hunt on Wed. morning and it's killing me having to wait!

I found some today. I take back what I said.

I had one sit there as I drove up on it. Blasted it with the shotgat. Then after I was done picking shoom's, I was coming around a corner and there was another ruffie. He didn't stick around as long as the other one. By the time I got my gun loaded, the little bastach flew off.

That's the first time in a while that one just sat there on the side of the road for me. On a heavier traveled road that is.

By the way. Good luck with the elk seastrike. Get a bigun'.

Thank you Mr. Black. I'm not picky. If it has horns it's dead meet. I also have a deer tag which in ID you can use for bears or cats too.
Never a dull moment.
I'll let ya know how I did when I return (with pics hopefully).
Dave

My little brother thats 14 takes grouse all the time during deer season with his pellet gun, but ofcource the gun goes 1000fps. He says go only for the head shots, nothing else will kill them. good luck