Grouse reports

[Coldfeet]

NoodleSalad:

I have the fortune of living out in the sticks. The highway that runs by my house does not have all that much traffic. There just happened to be some cars going by. Rush hour traffic to me is about 10 vehicles per hour. To tell you the honest truth, I wouldn't have pulled the trigger cars or no cars. I guess they drilled those 10 commandments into my head pretty good when I took firearms safety training all those years ago.

[setterguy]

Went up this morning around the Mcgregor area, hunted there for about two hours. Three birds pointed and three birds missed. Did get a couple woodcock out of there though. If I really liked to eat them I could have shot a lot more. Then we went west a little and had two more pointed birds, got one and missed another. I can't wait for the leaves to fall, maybe then some of the ruffies will too!!!

[kingkidfisher4431]

went out this morning north of duluth, walked for probably an hour or two on the roads before we got the idea of walking in the popple and aspen stands, and we saw two ruffies running on the ground cause it was so thick and two woodcock, man they are fast little birds, well to bad we didnt get any... have to wait till the leaves fall.

[protrapper]

Real slow up my way. Hunted in rain on Sat. until duck openor. Saw one bird and it flew wildly away. Had snow shower late Sat. night and howling winds. Went out about 10a.m. Sun. hunted till 3p.m. Saw only one bird that dog put in tree went to shoot and ping dry fire and bird flew away. Leaves and ground cover are still real heavy. Need more frosty nights and wind to bring them down.

Funny how this grouse hunting works. Buddy went out with his girlfriend after work Thurs. evening and they got eight...

[Coldfeet]

I took a quick walk about 1/2 hour before sunset last night in the woods behind my house. Saw one, shot one, but forgot that I had switched my chokes in my O/U 12 Ga. for trap shooting. The bird was 10 yards away and I hit it with the barrel that had the IC choke. I hate it when I get pellets in the meat, oh well.

"As men we must remember that we are the stewards of the earth.... and that all of God's creatures have their place.... right next to the mashed potatoes on a dinner plate."

[protrapper]

Thats all I use is improved cylinder. Full choke blows them to bits.

[Guest]

Just returned from Colorado Archery hunting for Elk.

You wouldn't believe the Ruffed Grouse we encountered in the Aspen groves--all big and grouped-up in coveys of 6 or more.

Saw some nice Blue Grouse and Sage Grouse too. I was eating my heart-out while carrying my Bow the first day with no Judo-Points!

We managed to arrow a few for a meal.

------------------
Chells

[fishlakeman]

Went squirrel hunting last weekend within an hour of the metro. I went squirrel hunting because the area isn't very good for grouse. Got the 2 squirrels that we saw. The thing is, is that my friends and I jumped 14 grouse in a 2.5 hour period without a dog. Boy does that suck when grouse are flying everywhere and you have a .22 in your hands. Beautiful flushes that I easily would of had too. You always seem to jump more grouse when your not hunting for them.(deer hunting)

[kingkidfisher4431]

We went out on the pequawm road last night to a spot we know of that always produces great, and at about 6:30 we came around a corner and one took off just to the side of the road, (no shot or so we said) then the other guy with me walked into the woods but didnt leave enough room between the oad and him, so a grouse flushed away from the road and another in the same spot so there was two of them out there, then we decided to keep walking thinking they might come out again, we came to a popple stand that had always done good the last few time(seeing birds) and we flushed two woodcock i shot at the first one and missed cause they are so fast and ducked under the tree in front of me taking away my shot, we chased that one some more and we think we flushed the same one again but could have been different, but the other guy with me had a clear shot but must not have had any pellets in the bullet... didnt see the two grouse on the way back, must have been spooked from our woodcock shots....

[bieganekbaitco]

Hunters in the Kelliher-Waskish area have been having mixed results this past weekend. Some seeing many birds others seeing a few if any. My report is based on the info I've been getting from outdoorsmen getting supplies at my parents general store in Kelliher. The Fall colors are at there peak right know, and the weatherman predicts a beautiful week in northern beltrami county (Highs in the low 70's). Time to hit the trail myself. Good luck and stay safe. Mark Bieganek

[Guest]

I hunted some grouse with a friend over the beautiful weekend and it was the best hunting I have seen in over 10 years. North/NE of Detroit Lakes, Elbow Lake area.

We didn't hunt hard, just put some miles on ATV's and relaxed. Grouse were thick near every forest road. Didn't matter what time of day.

[Dano2]

Did you hunt Tamarac NWR at all, or were you hunting the state forests around Elbow?
I was thinking of heading up that away after some of these leaves start leaveing (HEH)

thanks

[Guest]

Not the refuge. The state and county forests just north of Elbow Lake. There are lots of small back roads off the main gravel roads. Hike those back into the aspen growth plots and you'll get birds. The grouse love to hang right close to the road, so walk slow and be quiet.

[kingkidfisher4431]

e and my dad and my brother went out north of duluth not to far on a trail/road off of pequaym, in this warmer weather we were finding them on or near the roads like crazy, my brother shot his first grouse yesterday night on the road we walked in about the same spot and same road i shot my first grouse two or three years ago!!!we must have saw 7 birds 6 of which were on one trail and one on a different one, we only took one home though cause its still to thick to shoot!Well we know where well be hunting for a while!And they were all stuck in a half mile stretch of road!well hows every body else doing in the pequaym area?Seeing any?Were doin great up there forr the 4-5 times weve been out probably 30 birds!(weve seen)Well hows everybody doing up there?Still to thick? what are your numbers for birds shot and seen?
King,

[kingkidfisher4431]

hows every one doing?we saw 7 got one in 4 hours...we were north of duluth pequaym road!hows every one doing up there?what are your seen and shot bird counts?lets here em!

[Dano2]

so leave the dog at home then?

[MNice]

I was just south of elbow lake the week of Sept. 27 - Oct. 4. We just walked the trails off the rat lake trail and saw birds each time. Also hunted the snowmobile trail to the east of little bemidji lake and did well.

[Guest]

The dogs stayed home. A friend and I just wanted to do a little ATVing, camping and hunting on his land. My dogs and ATV's don't mix. We didn't expect to do a lot of hunting, and the amount of birds we saw for the minimal amount of hunting was outstanding. Maybe we just got lucky?

The aspen (old clear cuts) forests were thick, even with a dog I couldn't have shot. Just walk the small forest roads quietly and you should get some birds. I rarely with hunt dogs for grouse. I walk slowly, sneaking through the woods, stop often and that's when the bird gets nervous and flushes. While sneaking I usually can see and hear the bird run on the ground before it flushes, so it gives me more time to react.

Pheasant hunting, that's a different story! You won't catch me without a dog.

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 10-08-2003).]

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[kingkidfisher4431]

so hows everyone doing?went out hunting tuesday night when it was warm saw 6 birds on one trail and one on another in about two or three hours, we shot one of them actually my brother did in about the same spot i shot my first bird same trail he shot his first bird. well we went north of duluth off the pequaym road, hows everyone doing up ther?what are your counts?how many you seen?shot?well ask any question where i went might be able to help out! king,jake

[Coldfeet]

It was a good week for hunting. I hunt west of Bemidji (about 30 miles) and here is the tally for this week:

Sunday: Saw 2 shot 2

Monday: Saw 7 shot 3 (my brother was with me, he shot 2 and I shot 1) Also one woodcock.

Tuesday: Saw 6 shot 4. (gave them to a friend at work who moved up here from Illinois about 5 years ago. He's never eaten grouse before (let alone seen one) so I thought I'd try to get him hooked. I haven't heard whether he's tried them yet.)

Wednesday: (saw 5 shot 5. These I gave to my mother-in-law. Peace offering.)

Thursday: did not hunt.