I am excited

[sachem longrifle]

For the grouse hunting this fall!! I have seen many grouse while out on my morning walks and many young ones with mama. My dog flushes them up along the roads. Its been at least 4 years since i have seen this many grouse. I have a son that will be joinging me and he is pumped

[Eric Wettschreck]

I'm with ya brotha. Down here in dixie the phesant population is as good as I've seen it in 10 years.

Goona be fun this fall!!!!!!!!!!

[Blaze]

I've been reading Burton Spiller's "Drummer in the Woods" and actually had dreams of grouse hunting last night. Man, that's pathetic! Every year I have one or two nights of deer hunting dreams before season, but grouse hunting is a new one for me.

sachem - what general area of the state are you in? NE, NC, NW? Just curious. I know NW MN had pretty decent #s last year - they were everywhere during deer season, but disappeared when I put down the rifle and grabbed the shotgun!

[gspman]

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I've been reading Burton Spiller's "Drummer in the Woods"

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I love that book. What great reading. It's in the top 3 for me amongst bird hunting books I own.

[Blaze]

And what are the other 2?

[gspman]

Hunting the Sun - Ted Lundrigan - Awesome book on MN grouse hunting by a MN author. I highly recommend it.

Pheasant's of the Mind - Datus Proper - Good book on pheasant hunting with a pointer from a Montana author. I don't agree with everything Datus says and at times he comes off a bit arrogant and "knowitallish" but it's a very good book that makes you think.

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A few others...

Pheasant Hunter's Harvest - Steve Grooms - A MN hunter and good story teller. Could easily be in my top 3 and displace one of the others.

Grouse Feathers and Grouse Feathers, Again - Burton Spiller - More Burton Spiller. For some reason when I read Burton's writing I'm walking right next to him in the woods and experiencing what he's experiencing. I love his writing.

New England Grouse shooting - William Harnden Foster - Many consider this the ultimate grouse hunting book but it's slightly overrated IMHO. Not as good as Burton's stuff but still worth the read.

Pheasant Hunters Notebook - Larry Brown - Good pragmatic writing on pheasant hunting with a pointer by an Iowa author.

Grouse & Woodcock, A Gunner's Guide - Don Johnson - Good "how to" book by a Wisconsin author.

I have a few more but these are my fav's.

[2thepointsetters]

Quote:

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For the grouse hunting this fall!! I have seen many grouse while out on my morning walks and many young ones with mama. My dog flushes them up along the roads. Its been at least 4 years since i have seen this many grouse. I have a son that will be joinging me and he is pumped

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I was just out scouting for geese and walked up on a covey of 14 ruffed grouse. Thats the most grouse I have ever seen together. It was great being able to watch them from about 15 feet away, after watching for a couple minutes they all flushed. Ruffed grouse numbers look good so far.

I am going to get my dog in North Dakota next weekend and I will be hunting sharptail grouse and huns while I am out there. (North Dakota small game opens on the 9th) After I get back its only 5 more days to wait for the Minnesota small game season.

[woodview]

Guys, seriously.... sssshhhh!!!!

There's no grouse in the woods, anywhere. They've been extinct for generations.

I can't take this much longer. Have a new Benelli and it's only making my itch... itch.

I've already got all my gear hanging in the closet so all I've got to do is slip into the clothes, grab the bag, some dog food and lots of water.

I've already practised and I can be fully ready to hop in the truck in about 3 seconds (if I go through the window) - had to put the vest on a tear away string cause my boys laughed so much that first time when I was 6" off the ground and that hanger just wouldn't bend enough. Probably didn't help that my legs were already running and I was unconsciously singing my own theme music "dun a dun a dun a ... grouse man!"

Think the only reason I'm not standing at the woods with the intention of waiting till the opening bell to sound is getting ready for a week out west. Oh, and the job. The mrs as well, she gets her own theme music going during hunting season.

That's why she's coming with me this year. Enjoy hunting by myself, but not luvin.

maintain your cool all.

(by the way, the dog can be in the truck in under one second from the time she hears me zip the gun up, with it running and a cup of coffee poured for the ride. Didn't even see her move - poof she just wasn't there anymore. Thought I heard a fading "dun a dun a dun a ... grouse dog".)

[sachem longrifle]

yesterday, my son and i had the ATVs out. he moved up ahaead and i came around the bend in the trail and he was stopped. He pointed in the brush and we saw this grouse family running through the brush. They didnt fly but i saw why. A hawk was on the top of this high tree over looking the site. More that likely. at one time he may have gotten on of the family members and so the rest were more wary now. Baptism by fire

[Johnny_Namakan]

Yeah, come on guys.......keep it quiet!!! If you keep talking about all the grouse out there, people are going to start to believe you.

I'm counting the minutes until opener. I've seen alot of birds up North here too. To be honest, last year was a pretty good year up here as well. I got a bunch of birds for the table last year. On opening day, also the first day in the woods for my new puppy, we got three birds. I filled out on several occassions last year. It had been years since that had happened. If this year is better, which it's looking like it is, then we should all be in for a treat. Good luck to all!