Newbie Grouse Hunter Looking for some help

[sydschramm]

Never been grouse hunting, but it sounds like something I would really enjoy. To me trouncing through the woods in the fall with my dog sounds great. I'm thinking about making a trip to do some grouse hunting in the next couple of weeks. If there is an experienced grouse hunter who'd like to give me a hands on lesson by allowing me and my 3 yr old ESS to tag along let me know. I'd greatly appreciate the opportunity.

Thanks!

Syd

[101winchester]

Find a nice logging road any one, drive down it, find a spur, side track, that doesn't have fresh tracks, park your vehicle and walk, I hate 4 whlrs, Trust your dog and its nose, & pay attention. When you do bust a bird, remember where and when it was busted and why for future reference.I try and keep a log, with time, date, anything special weather stuff...

Always remember to shoot where they are going to be, not where the were... good luck, hope this helps

Oh yeah, welcome to FM, its a great site and post often..

[sydschramm]

Sounds good. However, I'm not very familiar with the areas I'd be hunting so knowing what is open for hunting and where I am is my main worry. I don't have a GPS, would one be essential equipment since I'm assuming I'll be in deep cover? If anyone is interested a day or two hunt sometime say 10/13 and 10/14 or 10/16 and 10/17 let me know.

[Heidi]

Getting lost in the woods is not an option when

grouse hunting. I usually hunt around the Leech Lake

area. Plenty of roads running thru the woods. Find

a spur trail off of them and walk in, hunt and turn

around back towards your vehicle. Hard to get lost.

I did the same thing last Friday. Too warm for my

brittany. Found some mud holes for her to rest in.

Good luck. I heard many in the woods, but too much

foliage to get a decent shot at them when the dog

kicked them up. Should be a good year again.

[AngelicFatum]

Where are you gonna be hunting Syd?

[Matt Breuer]

Getting lost in the woods is not an option when

grouse hunting. Plenty of roads running thru the woods. Find

a spur trail off of them and walk in, hunt and turn

around back towards your vehicle. Hard to get lost.

Tell that to the families of the people who die every year getting lost in the woods!

It can happen, so being prepared is always #1!

[sydschramm]

I'm looking at the Chippewa National Forest area, but I'm also open to suggestions.

[Lund4ver]

If you are worried about getting lost in the woods, take some trailer marker "tape" and hang in the trees if you get off the trail, and fear you aren't going to find it agian. I have in the past taken my blaze orange hat and hung it in a tree as a reference point for where I went in after a downed bird, just in case I would get turned around.

Just some things that I have done in the past.

[BobT]

A few things to look for.

• Young aspen (10 year old stand is ideal)

• Hawthorne apples

• Cranberries

• Clusters of young balsam or spruce in an aspen stand

• Ant hills in same

• Edges along low swamp land

• Logging roads especially with sand

Bob

[BeastLight]

Make sure you take that tape down when your leaving the forest. I am so sick of seeing that [PoorWordUsage] everywhere, especially the deteriorated stuff that has been hanging for awhile. (That could be considered littering "right")

[grousehunter]

Get a nice compass...I have been turned around a lot grouse hunting. Without my compass I would probably still be out wandering the woods.

[brittman]

Two thirds of grouse hunters probably never leave the trail or venture more than 10 yards off.

Agree on the compass. Careful with relying solely on the sun or even on wind. Wind can change directions quickly and the sun can disappear behind a bank of thick fall clouds.

Realize when hunting through the woods you are NOT walking a straight line no matter how hard you try.

I like the idea of venturing a little further out each time you revisit a place.

First become familiar with the trail or road itself. Rarely are they straight. Know which direction you are heading (compass) when leaving the trail and make sure when trying to return if the trail intersects where you plan to return.

Become familiar with "hidden" ridges, edges, landmarks, etc... As you become more comfortable with the area reach out in loops from areas you know well.

I have found areas in MN where the compass "spins" because of magnetic rock and areas where GPS units cannot pull signals.

[Lund4ver]

The trail marker tape that you might be seeing is possibly used by hunters to mark trails, but it is/was widely used by the timber/lumber industry to mark stand of trees that they are logging....Or atleast that is what it used to be used for. I don't know about with the new technology (GPS), but I have seen recent trail tape in the woods last year.

Yes, I agree, that once you are done with a trail, it should be removed.