They're BAAAACK!!!!

[sachem longrifle]

22 flushes this am. Got three. Lots of ruffies are out there. It's been a few years since it has been this good. It appears some of the family groups are breaking up. Still too many leaves though. but this is my son's first up cycle and he had fun

[Sartell Angler]

great to hear! I'll be stomping in the Grand Rapids (actually Hill City) area next weekend so its nice to have something else to look forward to...sure makes the week of classes more tolerable!

SA/wdw

[Cooter]

You certainly have more birds in your area - was out Fri til today, not hunting birds but still not many sightings. Enjoy - I heard a few 'take offs' but still am gonna give er another year to get serious about it. Great to be in the woods again!!!

[got_wood14]

I have to agree. I was not looking for this season to be very productive. I was sad for my 2 yr old lab again, but this morning I was out for about 2hrs and put up 10 birds. 2 shots no kills. Once the leaves fall it will get better.

[daredevil_tipped_w/leech]

Sachem, my thoughts exactly. Whoooo Daddy. Yesterday was slow with the wind & rain. Went north of Grand Rapids today and the Setter who is in his 1st year had 18 bumps. No points though... 2 kills.

Got home tonight and asked momma to pick me up a bag of depends. Goinna need them!

Oh my. I thought I'd have a year to work with the new Setter. Doesn't look that way. THe leaves are past peak north of GR.

Gotta check and see how much sick time I have left!!! I am feeling under the weather and it looks like Friday it will prohibit me from going in. We'll set the stage with cough drops tomorrow!!!

I ain't been this mad at the ruffies in a long long time.

[sachem longrifle]

I went out sunday before work and bumped 10. They still are in their family groups so it will only get better when the full fall dispersal takes place. Still too many leaves

[OUTDOORNUT]

Hunted Saturday morning in off and on rain and wind with my buddy and my two dogs (21 Grouse Flushes & 2 Woodcock) 9 Grouse.

Sunday (15 Woodcock & 12 Grouse flushes) 6 Grouse

Even with a each of us missing, we did pretty good for opener! Still lots of cover for them to disapear in!

Could have piled up the Woodcocks, had they been open......what the heck does one week difference in the season for them make anyway?

It was great to get back in the woods and watch those dogs work. It was even better having fresh grouse!

[Harty1384]

WOW!! You guys are getting me all jacked up. I didnt get out opener had to help with the church festival. I will be hunting north of grand rapids this weekend and if its as good as you guys are saying i should have a good report on sun. night or monday. That is if I can hit anything.

[almostthere!]

Have to agree that there are too many green leaves and hiding places.

Found a good spot and just ambushed them: pegged them while they are walking by.

[Roosterslayer05]

Me and my buddy hunted around mille lacs saturday for 3 hours. 11 flushes and 2 birds, not too bad for no dog.

[OUTDOORNUT]

The rain and clouds passed, the sun showed itself, and winds were losing their luster..........To the Hunt mobile!

Armed with my trusty O/U, my two sidekicks, and about 2 hours to spare, we hit the woods in our quest for the Mighty Northern Chicken. We struggled to find anything the dogs thought worthy of a tail wag until about 45 minutes into the hunt. Finally.......a Whistler....nice work girls, but we need Grouse. As if they could read my mind we found a family of 4 hanging a mere 10 yards away. A family of 3 they'd be, as one meet his maker. The girls are working hard now, looks like a great area ahead. Wind in our face, and snouts full of scent, lets roll. We worked along flushing singles and another Whistler along the way.....just too thick, couldn't get a shot off. Until finally another explosion from the ground and through an opening.........find the bird girls....find the bird. With two in the jacket and the sun getting ready to duck below the tree tops we headed back towards the trail. Not more than 10 feet before the trail........bird! It took flight, but was shorted by the beaver pond just 20 yards on the other side of the trail. We pushed until our feet and paws were wet........A POINT! Whoa, Whoa, Whoa........the ground came alive and a grouse now found himself floating in the middle of the beaver pond.......a little mock duck retrieval action and two birds and a wet hen were in the bag. It is getting dark, lets call it a night, but not before the girls flushed one last Whistler working back to the trail. They've waited all year for this, and you can tell they have been ready.

((9) Grouse & (3) Woodcock flushes) (3) Grouse for the Belly

[kingkidfisher4431]

I live up here in ely and ive gone north, south, east and west of town for thirty miles in each direction and hunted as hard as i could for the conditions, and have only seen maybe a dozen birds in the last four days... To miss every one.. But ive been hearing really good reports about south of here, guys seeing easily twenty birds and getting half of them??? I guess when i leave to go home at the end of the month ill have to hunt my way home! Hows everybody doing north of duluth and northeast up towords Isabella??? Any infos appreciated...

[OUTDOORNUT]

Snuck out last night and jumped 6 Grouse, 2 Woodcocks, & 2 Moose.

I got myself and two dogs between a Cow and her Calf and it was a bit crazy there for a minute. My Weim was barking like mad, so I pushed into the thicket assuming I need to pull my dog off a criter that had treed itself in the young Aspen. Then the Aspen started moving and I could clearly see this huge Cow just 20 feet ahead of me. I pulled the Weim out by the collar keeping my eyes on this Cow only to make it to the trail to watch my Lab sniff out the Calf that darted across the trail. The power of the E-Collar saved my vocal chords! I gathered up the dogs and went back the way we came from. We all had enough excitment for the evening and was content with one Grouse in the jacket.

[Sartell Angler]

wow, sounds pretty intense. thats one thing about hunting with dogs that will get your blood pumping--running into other animals out there. my golden has gotten into it with skunk, a raccoon, and a woodchuck over the years but we have always managed to come out of the ordeals unscathed. at the time it is pretty unnerving, but at least you end up with a good story!

SA

[kingkidfisher4431]

Went out yesterday with a roomate and had the best day ive ever had and believe it will be the best day i ever have. I live in ely and decided to travel south quite aways and do some hunting, and boy did it pay off!!!!!! We saw 24 birds in 4 hours and got 8 of them. The numbers of grouse are, as previously stated, up though(i believe)... I feel very fortunate being as young as i am to have had experienced a day like that one that i will remember forever.

Good Luck, and Great hunting to all!!!

[wdgold]

I agree the birds are up, the best part is it will increase for the next 2-3 years. Dad and I went on Mon. no dog, 5 flushes 2 birds, thought that was O.K. with all the leaves that there are yet. Dad has a hard time walking so wasn't able to walk as much as I would have liked.

[brittman]

19 flushes in about 5 hours - not bad. Dogs did well, I shot not. 2 in the bag.

I suspect my 4:1 ratio of pheasant to grouse trips will tilt more to grouse this fall.

Leaves are turning early this year.