Drumming

[Riverratpete]

Whats the word from you folks up north on the drumming this spring? better? worse? no change?, Just thinking 4 mos down the line.

[Maverick41]

Riverratpete,

I'm from up north near the Thief River Falls area, and as far as drumming goes I'm not sure, they usually post their findings on the DNR HSOforum. But one thing I'm sure of is that there are a lot of sharptails around my area. I see them all the time doing their dances on the roads. It's amazing how many I've seen, they seem to be making a good comeback. Hopefully the ruffys will too, last year was a bad year up here for them. Our hunting group shot very few ruffys, even our hot spots were prety dry. How far north do you hunt for grouse?

[Heidi]

I grew up in Warren and I don't remember grouse being around

too much. That was back in the 70's. I am willing to make the trip back if there are birds around now and say hi to some old friends. Keep us posted on the birds

[WAG416]

Heidi- Still not alot for sharptails in the Warren area. Get closer to Radium and about 10 miles north of Warren, and you will start seeing more and more. Alot around the OLD MILL area.

As far as drumming, haven't heard much yet. Me and Maverick were south of the Nelson slough a couple weeks ago calling cotoyes and I don't recall hearing any then.

The woodcocks were very abundant.

WAG

[Riverratpete]

Mostly hunt the Cass cnty area and east, all I could kick up last year were Woodcock and LOTS of them - what a gas! takes alot of work though and killed more trees than birds. Grouse were still pretty spotty and you had to be in the best habitat to possibly see anything.

[Hotspotter]

Down south here we've been hearing quite a bit of drumming......usually accompanied by strutting and spitting.

Joel

[Nova]

At our cabin in the Fergus area 3 weeks ago we had a faily high number of drums. The last few years we have seen very few grouse, but with all the drumming we heard this might be a good year.

[cmoredrakes]

I was turkey hunting on may 8th and it was pourin' a** rain , and a grouse landed on a log behind my blind and started drummin' like there was no tomorrow. I guess he was either lookin' for a mate or just markin' his turf . But, it was still pretty cool to have on fly within at least 5 feet of me.

[charliepete2]

I'll be taking my annual BWCA trip on the 4th of June and I'll report back on the drumming counts. I try to take a semi scientific count in the same areas I fish every year to guess how the hunting will be for the coming fall.

I do the same thing at my Uncles cabin in Northern Wisconsin during the fishing opener every year. This year's counts in Wisconsin were down, but the weather was pretty cold and damp and the grouse don't seem to drum as much in crappy weather.

[WAG416]

Was fishing on Clearwater Lake(Clearwater County) and heard a good number of drumming there this past Monday.

PS, I've fished that lake twice now and have caught zero fish.

WAG