Grouse action report 10/22/2007!!!!

[Shack]

Went out tonight for a couple of hours of grouse time!

Did some power walking and moved dogs fast! First we tried the straight threw run in a good grouse area and we flushed an adult singe grouse on the edge of a aspen stand and low water area with adjacent old growth forest on the other side. Once I crossed water, we headed in to area where the grouse had landed and was unable to find that bird. Circled around in old growth area (bleak cover) and managed to flush another younger bird by a downed large tree! Again, had a good shot but could not bring down. At this point, I wanted to get back in Aspen stand and proceed on out of old growth and get back on course, so I found my way back across low water area and headed back up a slop, thick with aspen! Stopped for a minute and gave dogs a rest stop on the slop. I could tell my oldest dog Dakota was a little frustrated at my bad aim on the last two birds. What could I tell her, these are my first shots of the year and with no clay target practice. Once we started up slop, boom another one! This one was in front of us a just a little to far and I got one shot off . I wasted again another shot. We zig zagged through out the whole aspen stand with no further luck! I think we spooked them all over to the old growth area on the other side of the low water.

At this point, we went back to our truck and had some food! Then we went to another stand, mixed with popular trees and aspen! About 15 minutes into hunt, zig zagging this stand, I noticed my oldest dog start to get birdie. I love it when this happens. I know when she is on to something when I can hear her kind of snort and her jowls start flapping. She will also get very interested. Sure enough I saw a younger grouse run from under the downed tree and I had a clear shot of grouse on the ground, but Dakota suddenly got in the way. It flushed and once again I shot off a couple rounds and bird flew off! We ended up pumping that stand with no further luck!

Once again we moved to another good area that has produced in past! This is an older growth area with sparse thickets of under growth . Once we arrived, we followed a logging trail into forest and when the trail did not produce any grouse, we got off of the trail. Right away, Dakota flushed another bird, but I missed! We moved a little further into woods and again, I missed another bird! Now, these last two birds were very hard shots, in downed tree thick areas.

At this point, it was getting close to quitting time and I figured we would circle around in old growth forest and head back to truck. We got to another large downed tree and I figured we would stop and rest. I was standing on the downed tree and my youngest dog was right next to me. I moved forward and bam! One flew up and I was ready this time. Made a clean shot right down trunk of tree, as bird flew up. Sure enough bird went down and Dakota retrieved the bird. I could tell Dakota was pretty proud! I do not blame her for the last six (I blame my self).

All in all it was a great night and I am very pumped for this year. Birds are out there and are singled out. Not even one covey and no young broods to be found. I feel almost all of the birds we flushed we older birds!

Note: Ticks are very bad. The worst I have ever seen them and they were all deer ticks. I picked hundreds off of dogs and my self during hunt and when we got home. They seem to head for the head of the dog. They crawl up back and embed them selves in ears and eyes area on dogs head! They seem to be breeding at this time, because I found small black ones underneath larger ones with red back! Wear tick repellant on your self and you dogs!

In the end, I would look for downed trees with water near by! Water is all over and pooled up in large to small pools, where it used to be dry! Stop on logs and look around. Work an area around logs, do not just tread forward. You would be surprised what hangs out around large logs with root ball popping out of ground!

Sorry for the long report, but I figure it gives you guys something to read while it is slow on this forum!

Her she is in all her glory!

[uplander]

Out all day today...at times the action was fast and furriuos at times not so much...Ended up with plenty of birds pointed once the dog settled down 2woodies 2ruffies....So nice to be dry..wish the day was 6hours longer...and my gun shot better....or is it me? carpe' diem or however you spell that ......uplander

[Ely Lake Expert]

You guys need to shoot some more trap preseason. Anyway, I was out last weekend with my GSP's. In about 2 hours I saw 8 birds, got 3 of them missed 2 and didn't get a shot off at 3. I went out with a couple of buddies a couple of weeks ago and of course with my dogs. We saw 23 birds getting 6 and missing about 8. They are kinda rookies and I didn't exactly shoot good either. I remember taking 4 shots at 1 bird flying across a clear cut and getting it on shot 4. I'm bringing the gun when building deer stands this weekend. There are birds around, some places more than others and I am glad I know the "more" spot.

[cribbageboy]

Went up to Grand Rapids area last weekend. Say at least a dozen, it got 2 and missed my third shot. 2 for 3 isnt too bad. My dad got one. This year, i have seen more birds than the last 5. Great season for them.

[maros91]

The Bro-in-law and I went out on Sat. the 27th just north of Milaca. Hunted from 9 till 5. We flushed a total of 15 birds. We hunted the thick popples and aspen. Some of the birds got up a little far out while some were close but cover was really thick. It was my bro-in-laws first time out since coming back from the war and he had a great time which is all that matters. The cover we hit was off of the beaten path and all were single flushes. We talked to some other hunters who were hunting just the main trail and all they flushed was one bird all day. The dumb birds are already gone so my advice is to do some exploring and find the thick cover and you'll find birds. Shackbash had a great point, don't just barge your way through the cover, walk 20-25 yards and pause for 5-10 seconds. The birds will get nervous and flush. 13 out of the 15 birds were flushed this way. Happy hunting to all. Maybe I will get out one more time before deer season. Good Luck!!!

[tybo]

I hunted the Chippewa NF this past weekend. I was with my 14 month old Setter on his first grouse hunt up north. We flushed around 20 birds mostly walking forest roads/trails. He pointed several birds but only one stuck around for me to get a shot at, which I missed. Also got one woodcock point, which I also missed. Didn't bag any birds but they were mostly wild flushes. It was a great weekend for the pup but not so much for my ego. Lots of bird contacts for him so he got a good education. Of the 20 grouse we saw the vast majority were on the same trail Sat & Sun morning.

The best part was watching him hold point on the one bird I got a shot at over a point. It was ten feet away, nervously dancing about for a minute or so and the pup never moved. A slight flagging of his tail but otherwise he was pretty solid. I wish I could have done my part.

[Shack]

Great info dudes! I got to get back out before the gun hunting crazies are shooting up the forest !

I guess I am one of them! Unfortunately where I slug deer hunt, I have been told not to shoot any grouse! I respect this! Every year I have a couple of these little birds come under my deer stand and make so much noise! They are pretty neat to watch! They scratch at ground like a chicken!