Last Regular Grouse Hunt of the Year?

[brittman]

With the doom and gloomers predicting so much snow across Minnesota, I headed out yesterday with my 10 yr old Britt.

I will occasionally hunt ruffs in the snow, but they do start acting different once the snow falls.

We hit an area north of town. It is pressured hard on weekends. Have not seen many grouse there this fall. Assumed this area to be down?

Except for 15 degrees F, it could have been Oct 29th.

Little more orange on me and an orange vest on the dog, but no muzzleloaders out ...

The birds must have spent Ocotber somewhere else. In 2.5 hours of hunting we moved 15 ruffs in two walks. Took home two and could have shot a couple more, but I limit my take in "winter" to two birds per area per day. Missed a few on the second walk.

Move slow. Birds were holding very tight - even with other birds flush. Dogs pointing ... shooting.

[Shack]

I have been waiting for the snow. 2 feet is not what I won’t, but 6" is a good number. My oldest lab has a nose on her like the dickens, couple that with a snow cover ground, if feel birds are easier seen. Also I have had some good hunts in the years past after snow fall. Right after it falls, they seem a little distracted and I feel the flush, more so than run. As far as seeing them on the ground, it’s a day and night situation. When they are moving around on a log and twitching up snow, they become like a beacon.