“Ruffed grouse crowd is thinning” by Bill Marchel

[DanH]

Saw this article in the Strib today.

Has anyone in the field noticed a decrease in Grouse hunters?

I’ve hunted the same area and coverts for about 30 years. My observations indicate that there are significantly fewer walking Grouse hunters than there were say 10 years ago. Which is fine by me. However, annoying ATV traffic legal and illegal is on the uptick.

[TylerS]

Less hunters?! I seem to be running into more and more every year. Used to be I could walk the trail by my grandpa's without seeing any sign of hunters. Now if there aren't half a dozen empty shells scattered on it by the time I get there, I count it as a blessing.

[Harmonica Bear]

I haven't read the article but my observations, especially the first 3-4 weeks, more traffic, but less walkers for sure.

[CANOPY SAM]

Does anyone walk anymore? All I see is guys on ATV's with gun scabbards, or truckloads of folks driving the gravel roads.

I can't even recall the last time I saw anyone walking down an old logging trail, or meandering thru a young aspen stand.

Tyler, if you don't mind me asking, about how old are you? I'm just curious.

[TylerS]

Tyler, if you don't mind me asking, about how old are you? I'm just curious.

I'm already over the hill...half way to 52!

[CRAZYEYES]

I think that part of the reason that it seems more crouded is people are being pushed into smaller areas. Theres more than one spot that I can think of that we used to hunt that is too built up now. Also i agree that there really aret many walkers left. I love riding too but people are lazy. I grouse hunted a lot last year and hardly remember running into anyone else walking. I would hope they bring back the 20 yard law and acually enforce it.

[life=outdoors92]

I think that part of the reason that it seems more crouded is people are being pushed into smaller areas. Theres more than one spot that I can think of that we used to hunt that is too built up now. Also i agree that there really aret many walkers left. I love riding too but people are lazy. I grouse hunted a lot last year and hardly remember running into anyone else walking. I would hope they bring back the 20 yard law and acually enforce it.

your last sentence is beautiful. even though than can barely enforce it, it is a load of [PoorWordUsage] the DNR lets hunters walk a step off their ATV to shoot a bird. lets face it, grouse are mainly for the most part, stupid. most times u can get easily close enough for a shot on an atv (so i hear from friends. I for one have never hunted with one for grouse and NEVER WILL). how is it fair chase to step off your ATV, and ground pound a bird off a road or right off it with a wide pattern bird shot, especially when all it takes is one or 2 pellets to the head. its not. my grandpa was a walker, my dad was a walker, and i will always be one

[CRAZYEYES]

I'm not going to knock people that do it, to each his own but it doesnt seem real sporsmanlike to me. I know some of my froends strongly disagree and they'll be up at my cabin with their machines next weekend but it woukd be a real wake up call to them to get fined because I know sometimes they never get off the machine. They did it even when the old law was in place because the risk of getting caught was about nothing. We argue about it every year over cocktails but the best they agument they can ever come up with is its efficent. Well so is fishing with dynamite.

[uplander]

I'll hunt 20 yards off the trail pounded by ATV riders and put up grouse if the numbers are decent. They drive past so many birds it's rediculous. They get the young dumb ones early in the season but once they've been pushed around a little they don't get as many. I say let em ride them leave the peacful walks in the woods to us. The true die hard walk em up grouse hunters. the guys who know it's more than just how many you kill but how you go about it that matters just as much! I suppose they all taste the same...but the ones i've shot pointed by my setter always seem o taste a little bit better. As far as number of grouse hunters go.. My job has always afforded me the ability to hunt durring the week so i'm not a good judge. But this year i am forced to hunt the weekends....So we shall see! Good luck all ...yes even the ATV's get out there and do it how you enjoy it. Keep the sport alive!

[JJK]

If you hunt Chengwatana, Nemadji, or St.Croix on Sat or Sun, you will see plenty of folks, too many for my taste. But last year was my first, so I have nothing to compare it to. I did notice that not many people hunted with dogs.

Isn't the number of hunters in general decreasing?

[NoWiser]

When I was too young to hunt by myself my dad took me grouse hunting once or twice a year. He discovered grouse aren't afraid of ATV's, and we shot MANY grouse riding the trails. It wasn't uncommon for us to come back with our limits at the end of the day. His excuse was they tasted too good to not hunt them that way. Funny thing is......of all those grouse, I don't remember shooting a single one. Not even my first grouse ever. They all blur together. Fast forward 12 years and I'm armed with a 6 year old Britt and a good pair of hiking boots. I might not shoot as many birds, but I can remember every grouse shot over a point like it was yesterday. Not only that, but I discovered a new thrill to go along with grouse. The woodcock. Doesn't get much more exciting than a solid point in the aspen thickets wondering if you'll hear the thundering of a grouse or the cheeping of a doodle!

In a way I feel sorry for the guys hunting off of ATVs. They truly are missing out on 95% of the experience. Hard to smell the moldering leaves and hear the chickadees singing with an engine rumbling nonstop and exhaust fumes in your nose.

Each to their own, but if I want food, I'll go to the grocery store and get chicken. If I want memories, I'll hit the trail (on foot) and chase grouse with my dad (I converted him from his former road-hunter self) and faithful mutt.

[TylerS]

When I was too young to hunt by myself my dad took me grouse hunting once or twice a year. He discovered grouse aren't afraid of ATV's, and we shot MANY grouse riding the trails. It wasn't uncommon for us to come back with our limits at the end of the day. His excuse was they tasted too good to not hunt them that way. Funny thing is......of all those grouse, I don't remember shooting a single one. Not even my first grouse ever. They all blur together. Fast forward 12 years and I'm armed with a 6 year old Britt and a good pair of hiking boots. I might not shoot as many birds, but I can remember every grouse shot over a point like it was yesterday. Not only that, but I discovered a new thrill to go along with grouse. The woodcock. Doesn't get much more exciting than a solid point in the aspen thickets wondering if you'll hear the thundering of a grouse or the cheeping of a doodle!

In a way I feel sorry for the guys hunting off of ATVs. They truly are missing out on 95% of the experience. Hard to smell the moldering leaves and hear the chickadees singing with an engine rumbling nonstop and exhaust fumes in your nose.

Each to their own, but if I want food, I'll go to the grocery store and get chicken. If I want memories, I'll hit the trail (on foot) and chase grouse with my dad (I converted him from his former road-hunter self) and faithful mutt.

Probably the best post I've read on this topic!

[JRedig]

I get way too much enjoyment out of watching my dog work to start hunting from any motorized or mechanized machine. Don't get me wrong, I love shooting birds, but I REALLY enjoy the dog work. That goes for any kind of upland hunting.

[Harmonica Bear]

+1

[setterguy]

Don't walk trails very much anyway so crowds don't matter much to me. Over all I guess I'd say there are less people in the woods.

[CANOPY SAM]

I might be wrong, but I'd say about the same amount of hunters, just far fewer walkers.

[Recon]

Great Post "NoWiser"! People have gotten lazy. Far more enjoyable and satisfying to hunt with a knowledge of the birds habitat and habits then to swat them along a trail. Watching your dog work is far more enjoyable than harvesting a bird!

[sparetime]

I have shot grouse within 5 minutes of being passed by ATV hunters, so I guess they must miss a few. I probably do as well.

The hardest part for me is knowing when the trail has been hunted. Before the ATV was the most popular grouse hunting method (lets face it, it's true), there was usually a tell tale car or pickup parked at a trail, so you knew if there was someone there or not, and could move on to the next spot.

Far fewer walking hunters than in the past, and I think fewer grouse hunters in general. Just my observation.

[JayinMN]

I hunted a grouse management trail today. What really shocked me was when I pulled into the parking lot there was not one other person parked there and its opener. I think the heavy cover discourages some people this early in the season. I ended up getting 4 birds, the dog flushed many more. I could only hear them not see them even though they were close. On the way out I ran into three other walkers. Over all though I was shocked how quiet the woods were.

I like to walk and I like to ATV.

When its grouse season, I usually carry a gun while I am doing either one.

[mixxedbagg]

You know, I hardly ever hear people defending grouse shooting from an ATV (I won't call it hunting). "They cover more ground and ruin the trails for walkers." "They're lazy." "They miss out on the experience while simultaneously affecting other people's experiences." "The new DNR rules are stupid."

[PoorWordUsage] out of everything. Are there a bunch of closet ATV shooters complaining about ATV shooters? (And why is this unsporting garbage legal?) Personally, I don't care if a person wants to ride to a trailhead, park, and then walk....but nobody seems to do that.

In addition to those lazy meathogs, I was out today and saw lots of pickup trucks driving the Blandin roads REALLY slowly with all of their orange on. Road hunting. That's pretty crappy, but at least they leave the trails for the rest of us who aren't lazy slobs...the ATV grouse shooters aren't even that courteous.

Sorry for the rant, but shooting a grouse off an ATV is a pretty sorry action not worthy of the term "hunting" and not worthy of the bragging these jerk-baits do at the bar later about how many birds they shot.

[wdgold]

If you hunt Chengwatana, Nemadji, or St.Croix on Sat or Sun, you will see plenty of folks, too many for my taste. But last year was my first, so I have nothing to compare it to. I did notice that not many people hunted with dogs.

Isn't the number of hunters in general decreasing?

I have hunted grouse in the St.Croix and Nemadji since the late 70's. We used to always go on the weekends when I was a kid and most of the people you would see were hunting. Now days you've got ATVers, horseback riders etc. I will only go during the week now even pulling the kids out of school to go.

[CANOPY SAM]

Mixxedbagg, is it really legal to shoot off an ATV? I didn't think it was.

[Harmonica Bear]

It's not legal, and therefore, nobody would dare do it...........