Black spruce or white spruce?

[limon32]

Do you tend to find more spruce grouse in black spruce or white spruce forests?

I walked a fairly swampy black spruce thicket for a couple miles tonight and didn't see a single bird.

Thoughts?


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[miller]

Spruce grouse can be in either habitat, but you'll likely have better luck in white spruce. There may be more food for them early in the season, plus the habitat is probably a bit more open and you'd have better shot opportunities. I find the most birds near edge habitats (overgrown road edges, fire breaks/scars, etc), because they have lots of different habitat types available and there is more food and better cover, generally. Open white spruce forests with some aspen can have spruce and ruffed grouse.

 

[limon32]

Spruce grouse can be in either habitat, but you'll likely have better luck in white spruce. There may be more food for them early in the season, plus the habitat is probably a bit more open and you'd have better shot opportunities. I find the most birds near edge habitats (overgrown road edges, fire breaks/scars, etc), because they have lots of different habitat types available and there is more food and better cover, generally. Open white spruce forests with some aspen can have spruce and ruffed grouse.

Thanks for the input, I've been scouting some new spots, I'll keep this in mind!


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