grouse numbers

[dwag70]

Does anyone recall seeing the drumming counts for this year have they been posted anywhere? GOT A TASTE FOR A LITTLE GROUSE WITHCREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP!!!!

[Cooter]

They are posted, I believe I saw them for WI and MN in a recent magazine - sorry, can't remember which one. Anyway, the info. is out there, counts are down in most of WI, can't remember MN counts.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

Counts were down but attributed to bad weather during survey. Word on the street is number are on the rise everywhere.

[Slowfinger]

The numbers are down. Although, it was mentioned that the count may have been influenced by cold weather...

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/hunting/grouse/grouseharereport04.pdf

[dwag70]

Thanks for the info

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

The Sept issue of Minnesota Sportsman has a big article on grouse this year and the word down is not in the article. Just the contrary. From what I saw last year the article is correct. We'll all know in another month. Personally I know where some great numbers are but maybe it's just localized.

[dwag70]

Ya there always seem to be a couple of aera I go to that can produce birds no matter what they say. But the best time i have ever had grouse hunting is when I took the wife, who had never hunted but loved to shoot clays,on a trip up to Grand Marias. We stand in a little log cabin behind a hotel. It was fantastic up there and all the people we meet were great especially the guys on the trail.(ate at the same place twice and the waitress remeber our names) We were up for four days and on the first day out I get a real close shot at a grouse and it falls into the middle of the trail and you know how the keep beating their wings, well that was it for her, she did not want to shoot one after that but the great part is that she keep going out to the woods with me walking all the trails and she enjoyed it even more than i did. Plus she said she wants to go back. Said she will even take a crack at shooting one this time.

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

My wife likes to walk with me too as long as I go on a trail. Wierd thing is I have had great luck when she has been with me.
On a side note I was in Ifalls for 5 days and did not see any grouse. I was always looking down trails and walked a mile down a beautiful trail but nothing. Maybe just bad luck but the locals didn't seem all that excited about them either.