The Ghost Bird Of Virginia | Virginia Upland Grouse Hunting with Wesley Hodges

The mountains and foothills of Virginia and West Virginia offer some of the most exciting and challenging upland bird hunting opportunities in the nation. Covering rugged and wild terrain, we target several different species including Ruffed Grouse, American Woodcock, Quail, and more. These hunts are not for the faint of heart-requiring sturdy legs and a tough set of lungs-as we traverse through thick forests and ridgelines. We set a hunting pace and plan that works for you and ensures the best possible opportunity for a flush.
Learn more about hunting with me and book your Virginia Upland Bird Hunting Trip at:
wesleyhodgesfl...
Connect With Me On Instagram:
/ wesley_hodges_fly_fishing
Follow Me On Facebook
/ wesley-hodges-21027500...
Shot by Forged Film Co. and Dave Fason. Check them out below
/ forgedfilmco
/ dafason

[@RichardBlazek-q8r]

Best bird hunting video ever with the prettiest dogs as the cherry on top.

[@gvsoutdoors2673]

great video. VA groise hunter myself. Nothing better than following a setter around. We DESPERATELY need some real forest management in the state. New sub earned

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Glad you enjoyed the video. We have lots of cuts in my area

[@duck_rifle5879]

Va hunter here as well. We have forest managment that prefers to use herbicides instead of Rx burn. We NEED better forestry practices in Virginia.

[@burkkus]

Got my first grouse ever this year in VA behind my GSP. Best day ever. Great video.

[@blainelarson7497]

Could not agree more been doing it for over 50 years the best upland game bird

[@birddogdoc]

Well done!

[@offthepathoutdoors]

Loved the video, great work!

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Thank you much

[@mandograssable]

Nice video! I hunted grouse in Virginia all my life, from 8 years old to about 70. I can't do it anymore because my English setters have died. They were something else; we were like a team I lost my 2 best friends. I will never forget those dogs and those days., The grouse numbers have really dropped, and I am not sure anyone knows the reason. Greatest bird on earth!

[@scottkaminski9561]

Very artfully done , almost poetry . "There is a lot of beauty in discomfort " and "The only thing you should expect is to get your ass whipped " classic .

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Glad you enjoyed. Was a great film to make

[@grahamsteel7737]

Great video. Hopefully the grouse can make a comeback in the mid-atlantic area.

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Not sure if they will ever make a strong comeback but I believe they will never be gone. I hope you find some

[@3tvet]

I’m a die hard hunter. Since I could walk and talk. I’d rather feel the grouse drumming through my bones during deer and squirrel season, the drum that feels and sounds like it’s coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time somehow, then feel the recoil of a shotgun and hold its holy everything in my hand. They are just to special. I’ve seen more piebald and albino deer in my life than grouse.

[@davidfranks5915]

Love bird hunting. I have 3 English setters that retired 3 1/2 years ago. They are 14 &15 years old. Getting itchy for some new dogs. Like the training aspect so rewarding. Hard going to find grouse up here in northern Va. God bless! And keep after those Birds!

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Glad you enjoyed the video. They are my favorite bird. I hope you find some

[@drewhopp1729]

Great video. I can relate as an Ohioan. Still worth it though

[@Pdwlx4]

What's up, Dude? Good for you. I'll have to stop by some time.

[@UziNineMillimeter]

Had two flush up in nova last Thursday, going back up to check this week before season ends! Definitely more numbers down in your area than up north towards Winchester.

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

Glad you enjoyed the video. We are finding birds pretty consistently here in The Bath Co area

[@UziNineMillimeter]

@@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470 put on 10 miles today just to have one flush 50yds from the truck at the end, lol. Getting my butt kicked!

[@bobbygreen2291]

Fifty year North Carolina grouse hunter here and I have things I could tell you about grouse hunting that you would not believe, for one would you believe that I have stood in one spot and turned in a circle and counted over forty grouse roosted in the tree tops around me ,,at that spot , the fox grape vines were as big around as my thigh and grew to the tops of the oak trees and entangled to a canopy hanging full of grapes all winter falling with weather over time , covey rises of eight birds were the normal , and a three bird limit was a thirty minute job. I have lived long enough to know the difference in then and now but do you think they would listen to me ,,no they won’t.

[@richardfarley7956]

I believe, if you are in the woods enough and have the time to want to be you will see unbelievable things! Just having and making the time is all it takes.

[@bobbygreen2291]

@@richardfarley7956 this was in Watauga county near meat camp , and in the sixties,,back then there was no deer or turkeys and just a few rabbits for the grouse to share the fox grapes with ,,very few people ever hunted them back then ,,but for those of us who did ,,it was a glorious wonderful meal easy and I always flushed them before shooting.also back then there was not any open deer season in that county

[@richardfarley7956]

@@bobbygreen2291 Oh Wow! That was way before my time. I hunted the Virginia mountains in the Whitetop area religiously for 40 years. Always wanted to get into grouse hunting, but never got the chance. I’ve seen sum massive coveys while deer hunting and have shot a few over the years, but strictly grouse hunting has always been on my wish list, just gotta make the time!

[@bobbygreen2291]

@@richardfarley7956 in the seventies n eighties n nineties I went four or more times a week ,,my father was a drinker and a grocery store / gas station/ produce market owner and did not want to be out at night so I worked the store many years from 3or4 pm until closing up to keep him at the pool room or home and off the streets. I got up every morning went to where I was gonna hunt that day , and roamed all over the hills listening and looking for spots to have good hunts ,,my actual hunting would start around 9 or 10 am and hunt until 2 or so pm ,,go home , take a nap , n shower , n go to the store and work till I closed ,,he owned it for 36 years and I did that same thing the whole time , to most people’s astonishment I lived at Sparta NC and that store was in the middle of hickory NC ,,that’s 53 miles from home ,,,that was a lot of driving. If I had known then what I know now ,,I would have spent a lot of time filming and documenting my hunting and walking adventures, that was the worst mistake I ever made ,,I can tell a man a lot of secrets to the successful hunting of ruffed grouse.

[@RichardBlazek-q8r]

Whoa, somebody using a map, OMG. May the good LORD BLESS all your efforts.

[@ventureoutdoorswithkirk]

Sounds/Looks like they need to do some clear cutting to improve some habitat. If you build it, they will come!!

[@wesleyhodgesflyfishing8470]

We do need more cuts, and bigger cuts.

[@Doghunter0222]

Growing up, we had all kinds of grouse around home ever since the turkey started killing all their little ones and stuff we have no grouse anymore. The state of Virginia should’ve stepped in and help with the grouse population. Instead, they wanted to push license for turkey and now look at us greed will kill everything.