Ht, the suggestion for a sling shot is a very good one. Are you going to Colorado, or Montana? I don't know about the grouse in Colorado, but the ones in Montana are about as sharp as the lead edge on a bowling ball!
They will be running down the road, then fly up into a tree, or a small bush, and when you throw a rock at them, they just look at you, like .....Did you just throw that at me? That almost hit me!
So if you have a good sling shot with extra rubbers, with is always a good idea......
One little, two, little, three little Indians....oh, sorry, the limericks are over. Anyway, take a couple extra "Bands", and some marbles. Go to the dollar type store, and load up on them. Excellent sling shot, ammo. You can get pretty close to the ruffed grouse, and the blue grouse, are real knot heads......
Be sure to take some heavy duty plastic garbage bags with you. There are a multitude of uses for them, from water proofing a shelter, to a rain coat, to carrying berries, use them for a wash basin, to a sleeping bag stuffed with dry leaves, spruce boughs, pine duff, under the trees, etc. You can use the stuffed bag for your lower extremeties, and your jacket, and or sweater for your upper. You can put your feet in them for wading, and keeping your socks dry. Oh, be sure to take extra socks, and foot wear. Take a small spoon, or spinner, with your fishing gear.
When are you going out there? The huckle berries should be ripe around June, or July or so. If you find some Coyote scat (poop)or wolf scat, don't disturb it, especially if it is old and dry. They carry tape worm eggs, and they are microscopic, and will float in the air, and if you breathe them in they can hatch in your lungs, and migrate to other organs, including your brain. They can be fatal. If you find a spring, coming out of the ground in the mountains, it should be safe to drink at the source. There is one way up in the mountains, in Montana, that my buddy found, and it is just bubbling out of the ground, and has a little stream, running away from it. He drank from it, and said it was just cold and wet. Cut yourself a good walking stick. If you can find some mountain maple it makes a good bow also. It will help you in going up a steep side, and crossing a stream. Also good for whacking ol Jed no shoulders. (snake)......
They are few and far between in the mountains, but don't discount there being one around. Have fun, and let us know how it went, and take lots of pictures. Oh, and cell phones don't work too well up high in the mountains. Oh, and even in the summer it gets a might COOL, so to speak, at the higher elevations, so plan for that also. Again, good luck, and have fun.
Wayne
