Grouse hunting

[tealitup 6]

I was out hunting pot holes in Sheburne National Forest and the Sand Dunes.  I was very surprised the amount of grouse I saw - In all my years hunting out there I can count on one hand the number I have seen.  Last weekend I shot six just walking to random spots.  They seemed to be concentrated in the transition areas from spruce to oaks.

[titelines 5]

My season started out great, then went downhill.  The last two times I have been out I spent about 6 hours walking each time without seeing anything, only to drive home and flush some in my yard...

[monstermoose78 2,422]

Well grouse are hatching hearing reports of big batches of babies. I know it’s early but if they can make it to fall it will be a blast!!

[PRO-V 529]

Let's hope so. Last year turned out to be a let down as they should have been near peak.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

1 hour ago, PRO-V said:

Let's hope so. Last year turned out to be a let down as they should have been near peak.

I did well last year I was finding coveys of  birds.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

The heavy rains in the arrowhead might have ruined the big broods I have heard about. Fingers crossed them broods made it.

[PRO-V 529]

Let's hope so. At least they are a little bigger by now and it's not cold.

[PRO-V 529]

Just read that drumming counts were down by 29% statewide this spring. No surprise there.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

The numbers where good where are was last fall, but the drop in drumming is not good

[monstermoose78 2,422]

My dad and brother saw a few birds on the echo trail.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

My family has not been seeing grouse around the arrowhead trail or gunflint. They made some trips to the echo trail by ely and saw a few broods. My bear hunting guide friends are telling me it will be a slow year for grouse. 

 

I took a drive to the rum river state forest and seen 4 singles and 3 broods today.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

Over the last 5 days I covered lots of back roads from Grand Marais to ely. Not much for birds around Grand Marais or the arrowhead trail, but as got towards ely the number of birds increased. Finn and I took walks and he found coveys of up to 8 birds and the good news is they were not tiny babies. We seen some spruce grouse near Isabella.

 

Fishing was slow caught 2 pinks salmon, one nice 16 inch brookie,and 3 smallies from a little lake.  I caught the salmon and brookie on a silver  spinner casting out into superior. With the rains the pink salmon should hit the streams in numbers.

[PRO-V 529]

Haven't been to my shack NE of Effie to check due to recurring neck problems. But have been working with my 3 month old Bichon puppy. Trained over guns and will ride the 4 wheeler now but probably too little to go this fall. 

[PRO-V 529]

Was up to the shack NE of Effie today to mow. Over 20 miles through the forest roads, only saw moose tracks. No, not Monster Moose tracks.  

[leech~~ 1,103]

14 minutes ago, PRO-V said:

Was up to the shack NE of Effie today to mow. Over 20 miles through the forest roads, only saw moose tracks. No, not Monster Moose tracks.  

 

Do you guy see some Moose when deer hunting?  I have done a bunch of snowmobiling in the area but never saw a Moose up there. 

[PRO-V 529]

2 hours ago, leech~~ said:

 

Do you guy see some Moose when deer hunting?  I have done a bunch of snowmobiling in the area but never saw a Moose up there. 

I have seen them all while grouse hunting. Mostly over the last 10 or 12 years. Have seen at least 15. Once I watched a Huge bull, cow and calf for 45 minutes. Got pics of the bull.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

Most of the birds I saw were when the dog and I walked the little trails for fun.

We were looking for high bush cranberries 

[PRO-V 529]

Seeing any birds Moose? We did 8 miles behind the shack last Saturday and saw 0. Also didn't see any on the logging trails on the way in.

[monstermoose78 2,422]

Duck hunting today Finn flushed 3 grouse I heard them never saw them. I have not got out grouse hunting.

[jbell1981 12]

I was just working in the woods, not hunting, but there were tons of grouse where I was near Warroad. 

[leech~~ 1,103]

1 hour ago, jbell1981 said:

I was just working in the woods, not hunting, but there were tons of grouse where I was near Warroad. 

 

That always happens-when you don't have a Gun!  They know.  

[History_Geek 6]

I'll Get out for grouse one of these days. Family owns a lot of land up north of Duluth, It's not to bad, it was the setting of my first hunting trip. Coincidentally, We were hunting grouse.  My uncle legit used my as his dog, I would scare the grouse and, once he shot them, pick them up. They weren't to hard to find, not a lot of cover.

[jgrimmz 38]

I'm trying to get out this Saturday for grouse. Not entirely sure of the area, depends on what kind of time I'll have. I will be out next weekend for sure, activity should be increasing 

[Jmnhunter 10]

i plan on hunting a little bit around Lutsen this coming weekend in between family time

[PRO-V 529]

Hunted Dixon lake area by Winnie yesterday. Saw 3 grouse. Got 1, no shot on the other 2.

[PRO-V 529]

Got back yesterday from a week at my shack. Tough conditions. Lots of rain and over 6" of snow. My buddy and I saw 28 grouse and got 15. They were pretty wild and had to put the chase on alot of them. Got pretty wet running after them and snow falling on your head. Had to chainsaw our way out to the trucks thanks to the heavy wet snow.

Edited October 16, 2018 by PRO-V

[jgrimmz 38]

Wow, impressive! I was out in northern MN over the weekend and, while working on stands, flushed six. No shots as all were roosted high in the trees thanks to the rain, but made for some excitement at least.

[Barbelboy 243]

took the kids out last weekend. weather was beautiful saturday, iffy sunday. ended up with 7 birds. basically shot 100% i should stop for the year. 

did end up with one nice male spruce grouse.

[leech~~ 1,103]

Nice day. Where?  

[Rick 1,052]

I hear numbers are up.