Bird (grouse) season starts tomorrow up here in Maine! I' m getting pretty anxious to get out there and try my luck.

Up where I hunt in northern Maine, grouse hunting is a different game than it is in most places. A dog is not at all necessary, and in most cases if you want the bird to fly you' d better carry a pocket full of rocks with you. I have noticed though, that in years when the popualtion is relatively low, they tend to be a bit more flighty than normal.

I like to drive old logging roads in the mornings and evenings. The best bird roads are ones lined with alders and grass, and have some clover growing in the middle/along the edges. During mid-day I like to walk more inaccessible roads or trails. The best spots have a stream or other water source nearby, and have abundant alder growth as well as clover.

Mornings are a good time to spot them anywhere where the sun hits, especially after a heavy frost. They are often found sitting in a sunny spot on a road or on the banks alongside the road. Evenings they also come to the roads to fill their crops before roosting.

My ears have become good at distinguishing the sound of a bird running through the leaves. Many times I will be walking or driving along, and hear one run. I stop, go to the spot where I heard the sound, and most often there will be a bird there. It takes a lot of time in the woods for your ears to become able to tell between a running bird or a squirrel or other critter. After learning this technique, I have shot many birds that otherwise would have escaped my attention.