Downtown Bang!
Member
Thanks Natty. Feeling a little upswing coming in '16 but we will see.
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MN grouse hunters...
- Thread starter mutthunt
- Start date
Thanks Natty. Feeling a little upswing coming in '16 but we will see.
mnaj_springer
New member
Ruffies are out there. I found a fair amount in my 2 hour morning hunt Saturday (20 grouse), but the cover is thick so scent conditions are tough, and shooting is tougher!
David0311
Brittany--
Remember those were historic highs--may be in more normal range now? And the truth be known from my many years experience working with the wildlife division they do not always have the answers--
Also at historic highs means many may have be taken out as problem bears by D.N.R. Officers--just a thought
Like what happened to the Moose population--through out the state?
They have tried many theories on that one up to I even heard the global warming BRAVO SIERRA--
Back to Grouse though have any tried the area basically between Bemidji and Baudette?
Thousands and thousands of acres open to hunting in prime grouse habitat and walley fishing on Red Lake and Lake of the Woods as a side benefit if so inclined-
Would like to receive some info from some of you EBCS OUNERS--thinking of adding on for guiding--PM PLEASE --IF SO INCLINED:cheers:
DNR still can't figure out why the bear population in the GR and IR areas are way down from historic highs 20 - 25 years ago.
Wolves probably do not kill bears ... but they do not tolerate other predators in their home range either.
Brittany--
Remember those were historic highs--may be in more normal range now? And the truth be known from my many years experience working with the wildlife division they do not always have the answers--
Also at historic highs means many may have be taken out as problem bears by D.N.R. Officers--just a thought
Like what happened to the Moose population--through out the state?
They have tried many theories on that one up to I even heard the global warming BRAVO SIERRA--
Back to Grouse though have any tried the area basically between Bemidji and Baudette?
Thousands and thousands of acres open to hunting in prime grouse habitat and walley fishing on Red Lake and Lake of the Woods as a side benefit if so inclined-
Would like to receive some info from some of you EBCS OUNERS--thinking of adding on for guiding--PM PLEASE --IF SO INCLINED:cheers:
mnaj_springer
New member
DNR still can't figure out why the bear population in the GR and IR areas are way down from historic highs 20 - 25 years ago.
Wolves probably do not kill bears ... but they do not tolerate other predators in their home range either.
I've seen a few wolves while out grouse hunting the past couple years. They've all run away with little fanfare. I've never had an issue. I think the recent wolf hunts have educated them.
NW
Was up in the Crookston/Thief River Falls area yesterday. Hunted hard all day. Started at 0800, ended at 1800. Switched out two dogs throughout the day.
My hope was to find some sharpies. I failed miserably. I hit a few spots early in the day that I thought might hold some. It was cool enough then that the pup could really run. No luck though. She's never seen/smelled a grouse of any flavor, but I still don't think she would have blinked them.
As the day got warmer, we hit a few timber spots. Still a whole lotta leaves on the trees. Had 12 ruffs flush over the course of 2 hours. Only actually saw 3-4. No points unfortunately, but that is just the pup learning. She was definitely putting too much pressure on them. I could have poked at one, but I'm trying to only shoot birds that she points.
She did have two real nice points on woodcock. We flushed at least 15 total.
And in case anyone is wondering, the skeeters are as bad as ever.
Still a great day to be out. According to the Astro, I walked 8 miles. The pup covered 18, and the mutt did 12 (she's my duck dog, upland is not her forte).
Lena is only 8 months old, but her drive to hunt is incredible. No quit in her. This was her first real foray in the grouse woods, and she really ate that cover up. Might have to switch my form of miserable to getting bushwacked instead of drowning in cattails :cheers:
or maybe not.
Was up in the Crookston/Thief River Falls area yesterday. Hunted hard all day. Started at 0800, ended at 1800. Switched out two dogs throughout the day.
My hope was to find some sharpies. I failed miserably. I hit a few spots early in the day that I thought might hold some. It was cool enough then that the pup could really run. No luck though. She's never seen/smelled a grouse of any flavor, but I still don't think she would have blinked them.
As the day got warmer, we hit a few timber spots. Still a whole lotta leaves on the trees. Had 12 ruffs flush over the course of 2 hours. Only actually saw 3-4. No points unfortunately, but that is just the pup learning. She was definitely putting too much pressure on them. I could have poked at one, but I'm trying to only shoot birds that she points.
She did have two real nice points on woodcock. We flushed at least 15 total.
And in case anyone is wondering, the skeeters are as bad as ever.
Still a great day to be out. According to the Astro, I walked 8 miles. The pup covered 18, and the mutt did 12 (she's my duck dog, upland is not her forte).
Lena is only 8 months old, but her drive to hunt is incredible. No quit in her. This was her first real foray in the grouse woods, and she really ate that cover up. Might have to switch my form of miserable to getting bushwacked instead of drowning in cattails :cheers:
or maybe not.
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mnaj_springer
New member
Woodcock season isn't until Saturday the 24th.
Have you thought about the Kittson county area for sharpies? Or even closer to LOTW. I've always looked for places with sandy soil because the grass tends to be shorter and thinner there. To me it seems like they like that best.
Have you thought about the Kittson county area for sharpies? Or even closer to LOTW. I've always looked for places with sandy soil because the grass tends to be shorter and thinner there. To me it seems like they like that best.
small munsterlander owner
Banned
Most guys tend to not want to drive all the way to MN Canada border for sharptails Ive thought about it but always stopped short... Herd baudette & LOTW area held some birds...
If u only hunt that short grass stuff it eliminates the hole east central sharptail range its all bog old rice patty thick willow schrub crap lands there is birds there...
The MN sharptails are more adaptable then most other sharptail species they live in schrub willow aspen parklands & hevi agricultural areas with soy beans sunflowers & corn early on you find em in that wet schrub s*** vs prairie grass I've hunted most every short grass prairie type cover up by wear muthunt was never seen a bird in 2 years last year after research & reading other post on MN sharptails I tried the more crappy harsh wet habitat the buggy stuff & found birds it only took 3-4 trips over 3 seasons lol.
Don't feel bad muthunt the MN sharptails royally kicked my a** b4 I figured anything out MN prairie chickens & spruce grouse were way way way easier to locate hunt & kill for me... hell sage grouse were way easier to kill the MN sharptails for me... Hardest by far for me to locate...
Yes woodcock not open & u gotta have plug in gun who really care if u shot at em nobody really hunt em I'm sure a few guys get tickets yearly pop n. Woodcock early... Waste to shoot except for dog rewards aka retrieves
mnaj_springer
New member
SMO, you're probably right about sharpies. I based my response on where I've had success. I would like to find them in the east central area. I know they are in and around the Aitkin area but I haven't chased them around here.
small munsterlander owner
Banned
small munsterlander owner
Banned
Way to close to town always hunters & lots of ATV b/s. I'd avoid better off another hour north not many birds in that southern part if the north woods ruffed grouse population. Gotta get around moose lake at least if possible lots of land by st Croix but not nearly enuff grouse to keep a guy going back after 1 trip... My bro went last year skunks ,& pheasant was all he seen & deer
mnaj_springer
New member
Got out to some logging land on Saturday morning for a short walk with the pointy dog. We didn't find any grouse but lots of woodcock. I was able to bag 2 of those little guys before heading home, and she made some nice retrieves (a big area of weakness she had until this summer.
Early to mid 70s hunted sharptail and ruffed grouse near Baudette. Old, old farmland that had brushed in. We had some success, but then the ag boom took off and every year we had to find a new place to hunt. If I were to hunt sharptails in MN I would start in Grygla area, or W of Baudette. Scout them early am to find them, then get permission if private land. I don't know if I'd waste my time in Aitkin or Pine counties, seems like a long shot and Aitkin county a lot of bog and swamp. I was a forester and the last place I wanted to spend on weekends was in the bog/swamps. You can have success but better be prepared for a death march.
Dan
Dan
BRITTMAN
Well-known member
Two solid days (well mornings) of grouse and woodcock hunting. I suppose I could have shot a few more, but the very windy afternoons and some family commitments made me take a rain check on the two afternoon and early evening hunts.
3 grouse and 2 woodcock yesterday. 3 grouse and 3 woodcock this morning ... breezy, cloudy, and an occasional flake today. All birds shot under rock solid points - plus all the points on no shots or my misses.
My six year old Britt had her two best days in the woods ... in her lifetime/career. Too windy to hunt my 11 year old too long ... did not want her to get mixed up and lose me.
Have to love Minnesota !
3 grouse and 2 woodcock yesterday. 3 grouse and 3 woodcock this morning ... breezy, cloudy, and an occasional flake today. All birds shot under rock solid points - plus all the points on no shots or my misses
. My six year old Britt had her two best days in the woods ... in her lifetime/career. Too windy to hunt my 11 year old too long ... did not want her to get mixed up and lose me.
Have to love Minnesota !