On my office bookshelf, I have a copy of Frank Woolner's now-classic book, Grouse and Grouse Hunting.

Even as a young hunter, I enjoyed Woolner's work because he wrote in a style that was easy to understand, and his enthusiasm for the sport of grouse hunting came through on every page. Although the book was first published nearly four decades ago, his words are timeless.

"The partridge hunter is all-American, and he is a true perfectionist," Woolner writes. "He seeks a game bird that has been called the greatest simply because it is completely wild and very difficult to kill with any degree of consistency."

The author is right, of course. To have a "grouse," "pat," "partridge," "pa'tridge" or whatever you choose to call it flush suddenly from thick cover on a crisp fall morning is something few hunters can forget.

I'll go a step further: The only thing to compete with that adrenalin rush is getting an accurate bead on the bird as it twists and turns through autumn cover -- and then pulling the trigger and seeing it tumble to the ground. That, I have no doubt, is one reason why this bird is so beloved by New York hunters.

According to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, some 75,000 upland enthusiasts manage to harvest about 225,000 grouse each year. That's an average of three birds per hunter! Considering that the daily bag limit is four birds per day statewide, it's easy to understand why Woolner's words hold as true today as they did 40 years ago.

Grouse are widely distributed throughout the Empire State. Some may be found in mature forests, but according to the DEC, the greatest population densities occur in our younger forests, especially in areas managed specifically for upland game and that offer new growth and varied habitats.

Much of that important special habitat work has been conducted on wildlife management areas and state forestlands, which offer some of the best grouse hunting opportunities in the state.

ADIRONDACK FOREST PRESERVE
Containing 6 million acres, including more than 2.6 million acres owned and managed by the state, the Adirondack Forest Preserve ranks as one of the largest public hunting areas in the United States. Except for developed areas such as campgrounds and picnic areas, practically all of it is available to the grouse hunter.

Grouse are found throughout the preserve, and bird hunting has always been popular here -- partly because the preserve is so large it allows hunters to get away from the competition, even near settled areas. And it offers a variety of hunting experiences.

Hunters can use over 2,000 miles of trails and miles of forest roads to access old homesteads and other areas of prime grouse habitat. Some of these areas are relatively easy to find, while others will take some exploring, but that is one of the everlasting attractions of the preserve.

For the more adventurous bird hunter who really wants to get away from it all, there are 16 designated wilderness areas covering 1 million acres where motor-vehicle access is restricted. There are also over 1 million acres of wild forests where limited access by motorized vehicles is allowed, and two dozen primitive areas covering 51,000 acres that offer prime hunting opportunities, but easier access.

For more information on hunting in the preserve, contact the DEC's Region 5 office at (518) 8976-1291, or the Region 6 office at (315) 265-3090.