Grouse Reports

I know pheasant season is open but I can't be the only one in MN who believes November is for pheasants and October is for grouse.

Hard freeze, the leaves are coming down and the bugs are hardly a concern. Have to feel like it is primetime for the next couple of weeks.

My report. Had a family vacation up on the North Shore this weekend which means hunting in the later afternoon for me while everyone else takes it easy at the cabin. The dogs and I got into birds early but not always often. After three afternoon hunts we averaged 1.5 - 2.0 grouse contacts per hour and harvested 1 bird each day (all young birds). Better action than the last 2-years but obviously nowhere near peak years. Had to hunt the better cover for sure and found the majority of the birds in young aspen & in or around alder swamps. Did run into one brood over the 3-days but the rest of the birds were singles which leads me to believe the dispersion (in that area at least) is well underway.
 
I live on the north shore and have hunted a 3/4 mile of wheeler trail 4times. I figure there are 9 different birds there. hunting with a black flusher in this cover is hard, 3 shots no birds yet.
 
I live on the north shore and have hunted a 3/4 mile of wheeler trail 4times. I figure there are 9 different birds there. hunting with a black flusher in this cover is hard, 3 shots no birds yet.

I hunt grouse with a flusher as well and my current one (Cocker) is even harder to keep track of in the woods than my old lab. Probably not as ideal as chasing them with pointy dogs but it can definitely produce.

Do you follow-up flushes? The young birds won't fly far and can often be put up 2 or 3 times which helps the odds of getting a doable shot. I also hunt trails a lot (also some opportunity for a quick shooting lane) and then along the way pick out small pieces of really good cover to bushwhack in.

Relatively dry alder swamps can be a great option as the ground can be pretty bare and it is easier to get a handle on what is happening with the dog and then get yourself to spot where good things can happen. In good years older more mature aspen can produce birds and clearer shots as well but at the current stage of the cycle I wasn't seeing many birds here.
 
Yes I do follow ups but this trail has to much wheeler traffic. Birds are really spookie. I have been out seven times and saw 16 birds got 3. So that's 2plus per trip.. 2 weeks of grouse before we head to Dakotas for roosters.
 
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