# Do you field dress grouse? Just gut them in the field? Clean them at home?



## keirajohnston (4 mo ago)

I’m new to grouse hunting and I’m just wondering if I happen to get one can I just put it in my pouch as is or should I gut it? Will it be ok for a few hours so that I can clean it at home? Any advice is appreciated!


----------



## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

You'll be fine to clean it at the end of the day. Good luck it took me about 27 years before I shot my first one. It was one of the best tasting birds I've eaten.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

It depends on how warm it is outside . If it's cold you can wait . If it's warm then it's not a bad idea to gut them . Doesn't hurt anything to gut them when it's cool either . 

Are you grousing in Ohio ? Been so long since I've seen one in Ohio I'd feel guilty killing one in the areas I hunt . Used to hunt them in Carroll , Jefferson, and Tuscarawas county . I'm sure there are pockets of birds around in places with the right habitat . Good luck


----------



## Moo Juice (Jan 20, 2021)

Carpn said:


> It depends on how warm it is outside . If it's cold you can wait . If it's warm then it's not a bad idea to gut them . Doesn't hurt anything to gut them when it's cool either .
> 
> Are you grousing in Ohio ? Been so long since I've seen one in Ohio I'd feel guilty killing one in the areas I hunt . Used to hunt them in Carroll , Jefferson, and Tuscarawas county . I'm sure there are pockets of birds around in places with the right habitat . Good luck


Same. Used to bust them in Harrison County all the time. Haven't seen one in years now.


----------



## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

easy way to field strip them is put your fingers under the end of the breast and pull up holding the bird untill ya can tear the the butt open then reach in drag guts out reall fast ans easy wish we still had the population 
of grouse that had years ago, they were everywhere.. my fav bird...


----------



## Bluefinn (Jan 26, 2007)

Yeah, they were a blast. I use to get them in Geauga Co. back in the early 80's. The limit was 2. Only got my limit twice. Lots of single days . Little bastards were hard to hit. My favorite eating bird.


----------



## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

What’s a grouse? Asking for my friend.








Good luck hunting for grouse. Nothing better to have flush right in front of you. Great eating like already mentioned. Sure miss them around here. If it’s warm you will want to field dress the bird.


----------



## CFIden (Oct 9, 2014)

Grouse were fun in hocking county in the mid-late 80's into the 90's then disappeared. used to scare the hell out of me when they would flush. Good luck.


----------



## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Moo Juice said:


> Same. Used to bust them in Harrison County all the time. Haven't seen one in years now.


I see them on a daily basis in the Egypt Valley area during deer gun season


----------



## ruffhunter (Dec 10, 2005)

stand on wings, pull the feet at the end of the day

Headed to Michigan week after next for grouse. manage to miss three last year on foot with no dog. Two more early flushes in just 3 times out in the UP. Not great odds but its great to get out at my pace. i keep saying it every year, im getting a lightweight O/U or benelli ultra light! 
I miss the days (90's/early 00s) when we had consistent grouse population. Ive grown tired of deer/turkey hunting. Switching it up and started headed north for grouse last year. Plus planted for dove's at family farm. needed something different, plus i miss the grouse flush and Michigan is mostly flat compared to se ohio.


----------



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Whats a “grouse”?
Just kitten, I used to love chasing them 30-40 yrs ago with my Brits! Great Memories! Seems the turkey stockings in Ohio, was the pre-cursor for the grouse‘s downfall! The turkeys were higher up in the food chain and ate the same food! More turkeys, less grouse(until, it seems like there’s None left!) Great, and Sad at the same time!😞 Good luck finding one, my friend!


----------



## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

c. j. stone said:


> Whats a “grouse”?
> Just kitten, I used to love chasing them 30-40 yrs ago with my Brits! Great Memories! Seems the turkey stockings in Ohio, was the pre-cursor for the grouse‘s downfall! The turkeys were higher up in the food chain and ate the same food! More turkeys, less grouse(until, it seems like there’s None left!) Great, and Sad at the same time!😞 Good luck finding one, my friend!


I thought it was due to harsh winters and lack of habitat like younger forest's. 
It seems they have been able to coexist in other places of the country because they prefer different enough types of habitat.


----------



## Mattiba (Apr 7, 2020)

I always figured that our raccoon population is the reason we don’t have good populations of upland game birds.


----------

