Grouse Reports

[protrapper]

Hoping to start a thread here to see how its going so far.

Over the openor we had great weather and I took a young lady on her first hunt. We shot one grouse early. It was a young bird. The dog and the lady walked right past the bird 5 feet of the trail. And we never saw another bird that day. Ther where how ever lots of hunters out.

Sunday we flushed one bird but had no shot due to thick cove.

So early tips to remeber. Its real early yet. Birds are still in coveys. If you shoot one more are likely near. ITS THICK. Its dang hard to see them birds when its this thick out in the woods yet. The best bird hunting is when the leaves are down middle of October is when you can really tell if the area has birds.

Get out and get a few and keep the reports coming in.

Good Luck,

Trapper

[89Bronco]

My bro. saw two last Sat. at Crane Lake, but didn't get a shot. Sunday---nothing. He'll be hunting north of Buhl tomorrow. I'll let you know how he does. I'm going to wait until October.

[protrapper]

I just realized my grammer in the above post is really bad. LOL

[Neiko]

My friend and a co-worker went up by Elephant Lake north of Orr and they only got 5 birds,with a dog for 2 and a half days of hunting. We usually get 5 a day in the past.

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Neiko

[half2fish]

Me and a buddy went out on his land by mille lacs lake. flushed up 10 birds but only got to see 2 of them. missed both. so thick you cant see anything out there. we are going to do some more hunting in the area when the leafs are gone.

[kingkidfisher4431]

in my area (duluth) weve heard of there being quite a few shot and seen... personally numbers are'nt down, birds are up. Usually dont hear of any being shot this time of year. work the cover right and your sure to see birds. I havent yet seen one but have been hunting where ive heard of good reports. well hope ya'll have a good year, cause i know i sure wil!

[Roosterslayer05]

I did make it out for about an hour and a half friday and flushed 2 grouse and shot at 1. today I got a shot at a grouse while I was jumping a duck pond, I was going down this trail to a small pond back in the woods and I scared one up and missed it. Not too bad for all the bad reports iv been hearing. I was hunting around Mille Lacs.

Half2Fish- What side of the lake were you hunting on?? The birds I saw were west of Mille Lacs.

[Riverratpete]

Dateline.. NC Minnesota, don't go believing the DNR Grouse reports of gloom and doom, need to be in the right habitat, kicked up at least a dozen Woodcock and a dozen Grouse this weekend, now just have to be able to hit them or get a decent shot off rather than a quick point and click. Can't wait till the foliage comes down a little more all though they have lost a bunch from the rain last week. Birds are definatly hanging in the low lying swampier areas. Stay out of the Hardwoods unless you just want to go for a nice walk, gotta be in the &*$%#%. It is truly a wonderful thing to see and hear birds again, makes life worth living.

[metrojoe]

I've been seeing plenty of birds, the dogs doing his job, but it's tough to get a bead on them with all the leaves still on the trees. Finally got my first one of the season on Saturday. I'm looking forward to cooler temps and no bugs.

[woodman]

0 for 4 this weekend. Way too much cover out there. It was a great weekend to spend some quality time in the woods with the wife.

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Keep the lines wet!

Woodman

Today's Tackle
Air Plugs

[MikeYager - Suzuki]

You guys seeing lots of birds should consider yourselves lucky. It's just not that way over much of the prime habitat.

[Treble Hook]

I saw one grouse on opening weekend and also shot one grouse. Saw a lot of woodcock where I was hunting. I should also mention I only hunted for a few hours so I was happy with the result.

[knoppers]

after hearing all the drumming this spring, I thought this year would be better than last year, not yet!
I only have seen two grouse so far, but limited time afeild, still I thought I would have done better, hitting some of my cant miss locations. still haven't seen the young and stupid birds, that you almost have to throw rocks at to get to fly.

[Riverratpete]

Knoppers, don't feel bad from all the birds I saw last weeknd there weren't any of the dumb young ones, seemed only smart brown phase and man are they quick and they have an uncanny abilities to flush when your unable to do much..just have to stay at it and keep moving spots.

[half2fish]

We were on the south end. just south of Onamia.

[kingkidfisher4431]

Saw my first one of the season last night, just a small one and did'nt get him. Its a bird either way. Ought to be getting good soon any way. Godd luck to all.

[Ely Lake Expert]

I am just curious if anyone has seen any birds in the boundry waters around Ely? One of my buddies is going up there this weekend and I said I would ask.

Thanks,

Ryan

[89Bronco]

My brother saw two last Saturday north of Buhl. He hunted all day and saw both together around 4:30. He said the woods were pretty wet and the leaves are still thick. Saturday I'll be on the Echo Trail trying to help some buddies find some moose, and Sunday I'll be on 25 north of Buhl looking for those 2 birds... ...That is if nobody gets there first!

[tcumd]

I have been hunting in duluth with not much luck... Ive only got one this year so far and put in plenty enough hours. With the numbers down, why is it that all i see are young birds? I would think most of the populations would consist of older grouse because they can withstand whatever is keeping the numbers from rising to what they were. Last year young birds was all i shot in the area also.

[metrojoe]

Suzuki,

I don't know if your using a dog or not, but I probably wouldn’t have seen any of those birds if it wasn’t for him. He’s been flushing them out of the thickest nastiest stuff along the trail. The grouse also seem to be very concentrated, so if your usual haunts aren’t producing, try other areas close by. I see a lot of these birds in the same square mile area.

I’m no expert, but walk a little slower and stop often. Let the dog really work the area. I’ve had birds just a few yards off the trail hold when I walk by, then flush behind me when the dog circles around. During the early season if I hear the flush before I see it, it’s probably to late.

I think most grouse hunters will tell you it’s a real “feast” or “famine” type hunting.
Don’t get discouraged and keep putting in the time. You’ll see some birds.

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RAGNAR!!??....BAH!!! BRING BACK HUB!!

[bieganekbaitco]

Lots of cover yet in the upper red lake area. Hunter numbers seem to be down compared to recent years also. Many reports I've gotten seem to be all the same, few birds flushed and seen. Its 8:30pm & 35 degrees right know in Kelliher and predicted to get to the low 20's so after tonight, no more leaves and bugs.

[fishlakeman]

Went hunting today in a central state forrest. Walked with a friend for 4 hours without a dog and jumped 3 woodcock and heard 2 grouse get up. Got one of the woodcock and couldn't find another one that was hit. My usual honey holes showed no signs of life. I hunted lots of thick cover with young popel trees to no prevail. Suprizingly the birds I jumped were in little pines below mature pines. Felt like i was quail hunting.

[Koda]

What a great weekend to be out walking in N. Central MN, cool weather and boy did the leaves have some color!! 2 woodcock and 9 grouse after 2 afternoons of walking. Now maybe when the leaves come down I'll actually be able to hit one! Lots of hunters out on Sat. but Sunday was a different story.

[ironranger420]

Well, I actually saw some birds this weekend. We were hunting East of Orr, and West of Buyck. We saw 8 total, and got 3. Yeah yeah yeah, I'm a little rusty. I think I was leading my shot too much. Anyway, the temps were much better for grouse this weekend. Cold and clear, I love it. I guess there actually are some birds out there. I let 5 of them go this weekend, yeah right, Let Go! I felt it was up to me to leave some for next year

[Harmonica Bear]

We were out for a 1/2 a day Saturday and got into a bunch of birds up around Mille Lacs. We probably had 12 - 15 flushes of grouse and just as many woodcock. The dog flat out kicked butt on Saturday, she has never hunted better and this being her first time out this season. It was unbelievable actually. Unfortunately, we were only able to bag one woodcock. The woods were still pretty thick and my shooting was suspect as well.

With the cool morning it was absolutely a perfect day for man and dog to be afield. I can't wait for next weekend.

[This message has been edited by Harmonica Bear (edited 10-04-2004).]