Any ruffed grouse or prairie grouse reports?

still_steamn

still_steamn

New member
I will provide a MN ruffed grouse report in a couple weeks. Meanwhile, does anyone else have reports they would like to give? We would all like to hear them.
 
I've been out a few times in NW Wisconsin since it opened last week. It's been kind of hit or miss for me. I've heard mixed reports from people in the area. Very tough hunting conditions with all the foliage, warmer temps and poor scenting. I've gone out early AM. and hunt for a few hours before it gets too warm for me and the dog. Six flushes yesterday in about 2 hrs. with only one shot. Birds seem to be grouped up and I think hunting will improve once the leaves drop and weather improves.
 
Ruffed Grouse Northern Lower Peninsula Michigan

This year has been fair for RG. Flushing 2-4 birds per hour. I am noticing very young birds. Probably a second hatch as we had a wet cold spring. Same thing with the turkeys by the way.

Walt MI/USA
 
I'm heading up to the Northern lower peninsula this Saturday. I'll give you a report when I get back. I've been hearing it's spotty. Seems like it's been spotty for the last 7-8 yrs :rolleyes: Get into a couple broods early in the season and it seems like a great year. Kick up a couple singles over 3-4 hrs without even seeing 'em and it seems like a down year. That's the spotty I'm used to. Pretty fun to have the woodcock mixed in to add to the excitement. Usually end up 1/1 or 2/1 woodcock per grouse flush.

Brett
 
Eight flushes this morning in about 3 hrs. Two were woodcock. Didn't even see 6 of them because of the leaves. Missed 1 grouse and got 1 woodcock. I haven't been "bustin the brush" yet since it's so thick and have mainly stayed on trails hoping for open shots. Once the leaves drop I will push a little harder and hope to at least have more opportunities. Even with a few rock-solid points I'm having a hard time getting a shot. Colors are changing fast and cooler weather is on the way.
 
Rhinelander WI is about 400 mi from me (northern lower peninsula of MI). My friend and I are thinking about going for a weekend of ruffed grouse. I hear it's pretty nice there. I've driven through the area a few times.

Walt MI/USA
 
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The grouse seem to be spotty up here. [North Central MN] So far I think their down from last year. Got a few more spots to check out.

I've been out Sharptail hunting, got into good morning hunting.
 
Tough in September

It's tough hunting out there right now. But still the dog needs work, the season's open and so I go. The weekend of 9/19 I went Saturday with about 6 flushes, 1 miss and none in the bag. Very, very warm and lots of leaf cover. Sunday morning I shot 3 grouse and had a warm, but nice hunt. This past weekend on Saturday I shot 1, missed 1 and flushed a dozen in a little over two hours. Very tough going, but it was worth it. We've had a lot of wind the past two days and it's knocking some leaves off, even though they aren't turning much. Can't wait for the workweek to end and more time in the woods! Happy hunting to you all!
 
Went out for about 3 hrs in the rain this afternoon and had 10 flushes (moslty grouse and a few woodcock). Thurs had about 18-20 with about 1/2 grouse and 1/2 woodcock in about 4 hrs. Grouse I shot today were very young. Looks like we had a late hatch or a second hatch. Colors are changing fast and hunting will start to improve. Any other reports?
 
I'm having a good time, with a lot of flushes, but the cover is so dense. Hardly any leaves coming down and that makes for tough shooting. A lot of shap shots, if any. Shot 3 grouse on Saturday, missed a few more and missed several woodcock over close points. The timber doodles were getting up dead silent. I think they've evolved into stealth woodcock, without their normal tweeter as the take flight. The grouse I'm shooting are young birds. Three weeks until I leave for SD and wonder if the pheasants out there will be young, too. It was such a cool spring and summer.
 
N Central MN

I hunted north central MN in the Chippewa Nat'l Forest Oct 3-6 with my shorthair. We flushed only about 8-10 birds per day, I was hoping for much better. The leaves were only about 25% down. And it was light rain 3 out of the 4 days. Maybe the flush rates will improve some when the leaves go down. The first real bird taken with the new Benelli Ultralight 12ga was a woodcock. Maybe I will get back up there and try some of the best spots I hit earlier and see what difference I can tell. I used the old Winchester 870 most of the time since it was raining and it still works just fine of course. For one of the grouse I had just the smallest fraction of a second to see and shoot, blew away half a pine tree and was shocked when Jazz came back with a dead grouse! Made me smile. And got to the watch the Vikings/Packers Monday night game in a small town bar. :cheers:
 
Still lots of leaves in the trees in North central wis. We are seeing some birds...and even shooting a couple, but it is difficult with the leaves. It is supposed to be cold over the next week including days with highs in the low 40s. That will help remove some of the leave.

Looking forward to the youth deer hunt this weekend.
 
Flushing good numbers and killing decent amount in west central Wisconsin but its tough with the leaves. Pheasant hunt for a couple weeks then try for em again when alot more leaves should be gone.
 
Woodcock are good Ruff Grouse are few

I spent this past Saturday morning hunting with my dad and uncle. We flushed 20 woodcock and 5 grouse. We were able to get one grouse and 9 woodcock. We hunted in Crawford county in Michigan. The flush counts say that the grouse are fewer than last year in our area. Not bad just not great.
It was great to get my young dog out and get him into birds. He did vey well. Only three weeks till South Dakota.
 
Went out in northern WI for the first time grouse hunting. Had 5 flushes and flushed 4 woodcock over three days. Only was able to bring down one woodcock. I think I am addicted. Need to get back out this weekend.
Being I am new to this and not to hijack the thread what is the best kind of cover to work? I need all the help I can get.
 
Wisconsin Ruffed Grouse - Phillips area

I hunted with some friends around the Phillips area from 10/03 thru 10/08.

We had lots of flushes despite cold rainy weather.

Lots of leaves still on the trees, lots and lots of ticks too.

It was my first Ruffed Grouse hunt, tough cover, tough walking, tough targets.

Lots of fun too.

I'll be back!
 
we have been picking up a few

Here's a pic of my son, me and Wrecken a(shorthair) & Wigeon a(Chesapeake). Shot these in the woods bordering the yard last night, kicked up about a half Doz. We desided to take the old 16s after them. It was just a fast walk before supper. Used the 16s, my son a A5 Browning and me a model 12 Winchester

From Northern Minnesota
 
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With the pheasant hunting being sort of on hold in most places, my good GSP and I went back to northern MN Oct 31-Nov1 after ruffed grouse in a region where the resorts brag about great grouse hunting. The leaves are now all down. Went back to some of the areas I hunted first weekend of October, expecting a lot more action than the first trip. Boy was I wrong, the grouse hunting sucked! A fresh 3" snow Saturday morning probably did not help. Saturday I saw not one bird all day. I talked to a guy Sunday morning who said the fresh snow might make them covey up and sit in pine tree woods, which normally I would never hunt for grouse. Could be. But by that time on Sunday the sun was out about half the time and snow was mostly melted so I hunted the usual birch/aspen forests walking forest trails, ATV trails, and some off trail. Grand total for 2 days and 15+ miles of walking was 5 wild flushes and one shot fired. Maybe I need to go with a real ruffie expert sometime, don't know if I am doing something wrong. Anyone have ruffie hunting wisdom to share?
 
Took a little walk late this afternoon

Shot a couple, and cooked up 5 with a mushroom soup, taters and green bean I raised in the garden this summer
 
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