Well I brought my daughter to college up in Bemidji this weekend. Happy and sad day because she was such a joy to be around. I thought to myself I might have to get into grouse hunting so I have an excuse to go see her. Anyone ever hunt the area? I have no clue what how to hunt them.
Grouse?
- Thread starter Byrdoglvr
- Start date
small munsterlander owner
Banned
never hunted the area its kinda popular area for grouse hunters and fishermen i try to get off the beaten path if i can... pretty much any direction from there u should find birds ruffed grouse is the grouse u find there... spruce farther north all the way to canada border...
basicly go to mndnr web site pick a area to hunt then look for wmas or trails to hunt early season its mostly trail walking till the leaf cover falls after a few frost... then u can hit the woods... like any game birds grouse are creatures of edges so hunt edge cover wear 2-3 cover types butt up together... food sources are key to locate be it young aspen/pople stands high bush cranberrys crab apples clover etc. near edges are prime...
i can go on and on but thats ur basics its not a bad area to hunt grouse u should have fun if u have a dog that holds point grouse are not runners like pheasants they freeze in place and if a dog get to close the flush most times in a tree if they dont see u ill blast em in a tree sometimes but more challenge trying to take em on the wing there quick agile flyers...
if there after the woodcock season open get h.i.p. certified and u can pop them also they will hang in same areas sometimes if soil is write... hard to hit them ugly little birds lol also need a plug in ur gun if ur blasting at woodcock they migrate so thats why considered a migratory game bird???
basicly go to mndnr web site pick a area to hunt then look for wmas or trails to hunt early season its mostly trail walking till the leaf cover falls after a few frost... then u can hit the woods... like any game birds grouse are creatures of edges so hunt edge cover wear 2-3 cover types butt up together... food sources are key to locate be it young aspen/pople stands high bush cranberrys crab apples clover etc. near edges are prime...
i can go on and on but thats ur basics its not a bad area to hunt grouse u should have fun if u have a dog that holds point grouse are not runners like pheasants they freeze in place and if a dog get to close the flush most times in a tree if they dont see u ill blast em in a tree sometimes but more challenge trying to take em on the wing there quick agile flyers...
if there after the woodcock season open get h.i.p. certified and u can pop them also they will hang in same areas sometimes if soil is write... hard to hit them ugly little birds lol also need a plug in ur gun if ur blasting at woodcock they migrate so thats why considered a migratory game bird???
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Kismet
UPH Guru
Can't speak to the bird hunting, but lodged in my memory is a trip I took up to Bemiji over 50 years ago and thought I'd ended up in an Alfred Hitchcock movie entitled "THE BLACK FLIES."
I was truly surprised I did not see skeletons of humans who couldn't escape fast enough from the flesh-eating flies. I ran to the water and was held captive there by them.
I'm sure it's much better now.
I was truly surprised I did not see skeletons of humans who couldn't escape fast enough from the flesh-eating flies. I ran to the water and was held captive there by them.
I'm sure it's much better now.
mnmthunting
Banned
Byrdogluv, no BS here. Look on your map, find Nevis MN. (Right on your way)
Then go North of town into the "Paul Bunyan Forest" ALL public land and a LOT of walk in only type stuff.
So much land and You will NEVER cover it all.
And there are Ruffs to, trust me, for sure. :cheers:
You maybe hit the jackpot, thank your daughter.
OH YEAH! side note about lodging. Little Falls and Bemidji. If you come up US 71 Park Rapids has lodging.
Nice places to camp in the forest though anywhere!, recommended.
Then go North of town into the "Paul Bunyan Forest" ALL public land and a LOT of walk in only type stuff.
So much land and You will NEVER cover it all.
And there are Ruffs to, trust me, for sure. :cheers:
You maybe hit the jackpot, thank your daughter.
OH YEAH! side note about lodging. Little Falls and Bemidji. If you come up US 71 Park Rapids has lodging.
Nice places to camp in the forest though anywhere!, recommended.
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small munsterlander owner
Banned
yes mnmt has a great point look for WALK IN TYPE STUFF lot and lots of lazy road or atv hunters go after ruffed grouse up north and just putt up and down trails all day with guns and call it hunting lol not at all my thing!!! there are trails no atv can drive on stick to them...
no black flies have not gotten any better was by cass lake 1 time never again in summer lol anywear up north mn is black fly central and state bird is a masquetoe i dont fish much any more but it is good fish n country also have fun cleaning ur fish with black fly gloves on lol
u have tons of state forest in that neck of the wood really need to just get a map and pick a spot its that ez... if u go during duck season u can limit on them also b4 u even hit the grouse woods its wild rice lake country... i have a few friends by park rapids them boys up there like to hunt so look for off the beaten path areas theres lots...
no black flies have not gotten any better was by cass lake 1 time never again in summer lol anywear up north mn is black fly central and state bird is a masquetoe i dont fish much any more but it is good fish n country also have fun cleaning ur fish with black fly gloves on lol
u have tons of state forest in that neck of the wood really need to just get a map and pick a spot its that ez... if u go during duck season u can limit on them also b4 u even hit the grouse woods its wild rice lake country... i have a few friends by park rapids them boys up there like to hunt so look for off the beaten path areas theres lots...