PLEASE... I'm dying here!

Just returned from a wedding in my hunting area, saw 8-12 farmers I know pretty well…they all comment emphatically that they haven’t seen this many birds, particularly chicks, in many, many years…decades, many say. This was my 4th trip out there since April, I knew bird #’s were good, now I know they’re good 10-20 miles away in most directions, too. So far, no extreme weather…pretty Goldilocks…not too hot, not too cool…not too wet, not too dry…6/1-6-20 was pretty ideal. Should be fun regardless! Sharpie and Huns first…can’t actually say what I prefer…actually, I can…but I won’t! Ruffed grouse #’s good as well here in NE MN…it’ll be here before we know it!
 
BB- I'm also counting down the days to MN grouse opener - less than a month! I've heard mixed reviews about drumming counts, etc. You have a good feeling about grouse #s this year?
 
A5 Sweet 16 said:
Hmmm. I understand your plight & will see what I can do. I did have at least 5 or 6 videos from last season that never got made. I'll try to get a couple of them put together before the season starts. For us SD residents, it's only 53 days away!!😃
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Please do. I miss watching Ace work and hearing you say ACE Fetch!
 
wapete said:
BB- I'm also counting down the days to MN grouse opener - less than a month! I've heard mixed reviews about drumming counts, etc. You have a good feeling about grouse #s this year?
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Yes, June was dryer and warmer than the past several years here in NE MN…drumming count issued by DNR as of 3+ weeks ago suggest good #’s…not like ‘24, but good. Last year was super crazy good, despite wet, cool June. Last year was an anomaly, for sure. Nobody paid any attention to limits..very common.
 
benelli-banger said:
Just returned from a wedding in my hunting area, saw 8-12 farmers I know pretty well…they all comment emphatically that they haven’t seen this many birds, particularly chicks, in many, many years…decades, many say. This was my 4th trip out there since April, I knew bird #’s were good, now I know they’re good 10-20 miles away in most directions, too. So far, no extreme weather…pretty Goldilocks…not too hot, not too cool…not too wet, not too dry…6/1-6-20 was pretty ideal. Should be fun regardless! Sharpie and Huns first…can’t actually say what I prefer…actually, I can…but I won’t! Ruffed grouse #’s good as well here in NE MN…it’ll be here before we know it!
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Good to have you back along with your views. Wondered if retirement was messing with you.
 
Back in SD, got here in time to drive around between 7:15 and 8:00 or thereabouts…drove about 15-20 miles…sunny, 83, slight breeze…saw lots of birds, including 7, maybe 8 broods…several of them were pretty small sized chicks, but they could fly…most broods were 7-10 chicks, but that’s what I saw…cover is lush and thick, sure I missed many. Saw farmer buddy mowing some grass in the little town, his wife and son returned from 100 miles away trailering a ‘68 Ford Galaxy 2 door with a 390 v8, all original…cool car!! Needs some work, but mostly cosmetic. 5:30 am as I type..dark out still, lightning in the distance, but heading my way. My corn food plots have tasseled a lot in 5 days…were planted 6/21…some areas not growing too well, but overall will be decent, especially when nearby corn is harvested. Season will be here soon….
 
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remy3424 said:
What?! Very common?!
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Oh, grouse hunting last fall? I was careless with
my words…when people got their limit of 5, it was so common nobody made a big deal about it…usually it’s celebrated, kind of a big deal! I’ve never gotten a limit of ruffs, I don’t hunt them that much, I’m usually out on the prairie, but I’ll get a 90 minute walk now and again in the late afternoon on non-motorized snowmobile trails…I don’t bushwhack. The guys I know who hunt ruffs fairly seriously limited more often than not last fall…#’s were spectacular. This year is gonna be pretty good, probably not like last year, but we had a warmer, dryer June, not the case in ‘24. Over the past 50 years, our peaks for ruffs generally ended with a 9 or a 0…’79, ‘89, ‘99, ‘09…the year after those years generally were real good, too…for ‘24 to be a peak is interesting. I have a friend who keeps detailed diaries, as did his dad…going back to the ‘50’s…’79 is talked about like a super-cycle peak for ruffs…I remember ‘89 in NE MN…big #’s, but again, any of those decades ending in 9 or 0 were great…’11 was still quite good, too. ‘19 and ‘20 weren’t so much…I think ‘17 was looking like an early peak, but last year was off the charts. In the ‘09-‘10 timeframe, the norm for me was to flush a grouse about every 10 minutes, hunting trails in the afternoon, and that means I’m walking back out on the same trail….many you only hear, and can’t see, despite being 10’ away…or closer. And these are trails 15 miles from Duluth, they get hunted a lot.
 
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remy3424 said:
Sure...until a rooster flushes!
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I watch my fellow hunters when we’re in close proximity…I realize how vital hearing is to killing birds. I am shocked how many birds fly away never being noticed by hunters. I’m blessed with pretty good hearing…it puts lots of birds in my bag! And reading the cover, and reading my dogs…duh, I get it…but connecting the dots before the flush helps so much, then hearing the earliest stages of the flush makes it all come together. I wear those $25 orvis hearing protectors…I can still hear grass moving..after the ‘21 or ‘22 season, my ears rang for 6 months! Having a light gun really helps me get on birds…I’ll use my Parker Repro 28 gauge more this year…5.5 lbs at most…M/F…5 lead…worked well! Again, I have noticed the major liability that poor hearing is when bird hunting…I never worked in a loud plant, or did lots of shooting on ranges without hearing protection as a younger guy…but I never used hearing protection while hunting til I was 56 or 57…I’m lucky I can hear fairly well. I’d probably take good hearing and moderate eyesight over the reverse…
 
Great to "hear"....my hearing is fading. I have never worn the earing protection while hunting, that could have something to do with it. Growing up on a farm with loud tractors, running a grinder/mixer, loud stereos as a youngster and inadvertent gun fire exposed has played a big role in this I am sure. My father is deaf as a hammer, so it could be environment or hereditary, maybe a bit of both.
I think that the biggest thing that putting birds in the bag is to always be ready. Carry the gun like you are ready, watch the dog and be ready, if you are in cover...be ready. Being ready makes it look like you are a "quick draw", and you are shooting at birds closer, closer shots are easier shots...I like that!
 
For sure! And not looking at your phone while walking afield helps, too! I have to admit I see this a fair amount!!!!!!! AYFKM? “Are you F’ng Kidding Me?” Crazy….
 
Yep, the 2 most important pieces of advice for hunting with a flusher. Pay at least 246% attention to said flusher, & carry your shotgun "ready". Many youtube hunting videos can teach bad habits. Depending on the situation, abiding by this advice can easily shorten your shot by 5-10 yds, or even more.
 
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