Results ruffed grouse opener.

[2thepointsetters]

Started behind the house at 8:30 a.m. and walked until 11:30 a.m. Had 11 solid points but I was only able to shot one ruffed grouse because the woods are so thick. (I missed 3 other shots) I am going back out at 3 o'clock to see if I can do better.

There sure seems to be a LOT of grouse this year. I can't wait for the leaves to fall.

[Shack]

Great to hear!

I have many years I had gone out on opener with same results. I figure at least it gets dog out and gives her a work out.

Good luck later today!

[Jameson]

0 for 2 on the grouse

2 for 2 on tired dogs

[kgpcr4]

Hunted Big Falls area today and it was DISMAL 5 of us hunted all day and put up 7 birds. Got shooting at 3 got 2. Nobody had many if any birds. Last year was great so who knows where the birds were. we covered alot of ground and different cover and just no birds.

[fish4ever1000]

I also had a tough opener. Walked for around seven hours and flushed just 3 birds. No dogs though.

[fishinfey8]

hunted around 4 hours yesterday and was 2 for 2...hunted this morning for an 2 hours and was 0 for 4. Didn't have my dog with so i'm sure we walked past quite a few, especially with the thicker underbrush and leaves.

[2thepointsetters]

Got stuck going to the in-laws today. I brought the dog out there with me just in case I could sneak out for a few minutes. Well I got out for about an hour and had three points, flushed seven, got one. I wish I would have had more time to hunt. Tomorrow I am going hunting all day with the wife. Hopefully my shooting will improve.

[Mudflap]

Bemidji Area....

Went out Saturday around 4:00 pm:

Put up 6 Birds- 4 Shots- 2 Grouse

Went out Sunday morning before the wind and heat:

Put up 3 Birds-1 Shot- 1 Grouse

All three were this years birds. Saw one mature bird that disapeared between me and the dog.

Another week and the brush should be down.

My 8 year old Setter had a bout of Anaplasmosis due to Ticks last Fall and really hurt her endurance. I was only able to get about two hours out her before she was moving so slow that the collar stayed on point mode.

Mentioned new puppy to my wife and she showed me the white hair from the bagless vacuum from the current dog laying at my feet. Plus for some reason, the dog has become fond of her updated couch.

I think I'll hit it again in the morning.

It's bad enough that Deer hunting starts in Nov....now they added an antlerless hunt up here for 10/13-10/16. That's prime time woodcock migration.

Put up quite a few woodcockthis weekend....

[Roosterslayer05]

Me and a buddy went out for 5 hours today. Brought the pup with, still hadent shot a bird over him. Flushed 9 birds and shot two. My buddy shot the first bird in really thick cover and he dident even know he hit it until my 8 month old Lab/beagle/german shepperd mix came too me with a grouse in his mouth. Boy was I proud! He dident hard mouth it and he brought it right to my hand. After he got that first grouse he was no longer on a walk. He hunted hard the rest of the day flushing 4 grouse, 1 that i shot and he also found and retrieved that bird to hand. I was a little worried he wasent going to hunt because he's a mut but he proved me wrong. I cant believe how fast he picked it up. It was a great day too be in the woods!

[Harmonica Bear]

I was only able to get out for maybe an hour and a half Saturday morning due to some stupid prior commitments, I flushed 6, shot at 1.

[jbdragon17]

Hey Mudflap...If the wife doesnt like the white hair from your Setter maybe you should see if she likes the red hair from a Red Setter?

[Johnny_Namakan]

Hunted all day Saturday up near our property in Orr. Saw 7 birds, but only got a shot off on 3, but got all 3. The dog did great. She flushed the first bird right across the trail we were walking on and gave me a clear shot at 15 yards at about eye level. Next bird she flushed and I swung to lead the bird, but the bird never came out from behind the spruce trees that she flew behind. I took a few steps to the left and the bird had landed on the top of one of the Spruce trees. I dropped that one out of the tree. Then the last bird was after we loaded up the wheelers at the shack and were heading down the tote road. It was standing right in the middle of the road. I wasn't going to shoot it, but we only had two birds and a third would have made a meal for me and the girlfriend so I took it. Sure enough though, I only put one round in the gun, and when I shot the bird, two others flushed. I swung on one and pulled the trigger and click......dang, no more shells. Still really thick out there. The dog was working close, within 15-20 yards in front of me, and all I could hear was the flush when she kicked one up and never got a visual. Couple weeks should be really good. Those birds sure tasted good after being in the crock pot alll day on low with some Cream of Chicken soup. MMMMMMMMMMMMM!

[WAG416]

4 of us hunted Saturday and ended up getting one bird, it was the only one we saw all day. Really windy day.

The photo below shows the first 9 Grouse of Sunday.

3 of us hunted Sunday and we ended up with 12 ruffy's, we lost count after about 15 flushes, best opener our party has ever had. Extremely hot for walking all day, we took many breaks and had to give the dog many rests.

[GRAND DAD]

Well am glad some poeple did all right I was hunting the Lutsen area on Sat from sun up to about 2pm no dog and had to stop it felt like my legs were going to pop out of shocket they were so sore any way 1 bird 1 shot never scared anything up it was kind of dumb luck I got him he was in the middle of a trail. First time Grouse hunting

[WAG416]

Congradulations on your first Grouse. May there be more to follow

[uplander]

Hey wags! What area of the state were you in?

[WAG416]

We were near Thief River Falls, MN.

[uplander]

thanks wag, I might be heading to the northwest next weekend...around Red Lake......so thats good news.....good luck the rest of the season......Uplander

[Mudflap]

JBDragon,

Maybe I could convince her the The Red Setter was a skinny Golden Retriever. She would go for that.

Wags,

Nice photos and excellent outing with a great looking dog.

The one Dude took his "Right to Bare Arms" literally.

Tell him to at least invest in a T-shirt that says "These Guns don't have Safeties"....

I went out this morning and got into some young dumb birds.

11 flushes 8 shots- 4 birds...could have shot a couple more out of trees, but will save for another day.

[jbdragon17]

All the sweetness (if not more) than a Golden packaged into a smaller shorter haired grouse pointing machine... Tough to beat that!!

[WAG416]

Quote:

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Wags,

The one Dude took his "Right to Bare Arms" literally.

Tell him to at least invest in a T-shirt that says "These Guns don't have Safeties"....

---

Thats pretty good, I'll have to tell him that. He usually hunts fully clothed, but it was terribly warm.

[houndheaterguy]

Grouse opener was very puzzling. Saturday we went over by Effie. 8 guys, 6 seasoned dogs, 5 birds, 8 flushes. The odd thing, NO COVEYS! All adult birds, with only adult birds shot. Saturday afternoon we went back to Northhome area. No birds 2 flushes?? Talked to other hunters, very few flushes if any....strange. Got a question. Taking my son and my buddy's kid this coming weekend. It is my buddy's kids' first grouse hunt. We are going to the Hackensack area. Any reports? Thanks in advance. Hound Heater Guy

[uplander]

Way to go Mudflap! let those dumb ones go to breed! Kill the runners.....Is it just me or is everyone running in to more grouse that think they're pheasants(running instead of flying)????

[Quickstrike]

I got out for the first time with the dog, only one flush and 2 runners I was unable to get a shot at. Everything was very thick and it was way too hot on sunday for me and the dog! Heard the whole area was pretty slow but should be pretty good in a couple weeks.

[Mudflap]

Only one runner for me so far.

Pointers seem to hold birds tighter. I think the beeper collar plays with their pea size brain. Many times I have points where the grouse sticks around even when it takes me 3-4 minutes to get thru the brush.

Most of the birds have been 30-50 yards off trail. When I do get to the dog,the birds will jump to the closest tree.

I have to hit the range and work on throwing a stick up a tree, then getting the gun back up to my shoulder for a shot. Very low percentage method so far.