MN Grouse Opener

Munster927

Well-known member
Anyone make it out this weekend for the grouse and small game opener? I skipped this weekend but am eagerly waiting next weekend.
 
Havn't done a grouse opener in decades. Usually wait until 2nd week of Oct. when some of the leaves have fallen off the trees. And, why blast away at shadows through the foliage, when ammo is so hard to come by?
 
I'm usually up north on the opener but I have some land up there so always a project to be done and a chance to get out for a few walks. This is probably the first opening weekend I've skipped in a long time. But I agree, the hunting is usually poor until we get into mid October.
 
I had a fishing tournament so didn't go. There was an article in the paper by Dennis Anderson about MN grouse hunting. Participation has fallen off, but unlike duck and pheasant, the grouse population in MN is doing good compared to the long term average. He did also mention a lot of people ride trails on an atv and blast grouse that way. But the jist of his writing was a respect for the old time grouser, who walks the covers with a dog in search of ruffs.
 
I only usually hunt grouse once a season around the middle of October. I have a hell of a time harvesting grouse compared to roosters. Most of the time they flush with a whirrrr of wings, scare the crap out of me, and then I wheel around to try and spot it and never even see it flush. When I do get a shot off, its usually a bad one. I can count the number of grouse I've bagged the past 10 years on one hand.

I have to imagine that better conditions might result in more flushes and better success if you waited until some or most of the leaves fell. Cooler temps would be a lot more enjoyable too. It would have been sweltering out there last weekend.

I'm seriously impressed by anyone who consistently puts ruffed grouse in the bag. Those forest chickens are on a whole different level of hunting than pheasants are. A well trained pointing dog would be an invaluable asset in the grouse woods. It would allow the hunter to get into a good shooting position before the bird flushed.
 
I find if you can time a hunt with the first weekend that leaves are down, it usually provides good results. They haven't wised up yet that when they fly up into a tree they can be seen. Kind of like roosters in the first snow.
 
As dry as it has been, look for water, creeks and small streams. All critters have to have water, will concentrate them a bit.
 
I only usually hunt grouse once a season around the middle of October. I have a hell of a time harvesting grouse compared to roosters. Most of the time they flush with a whirrrr of wings, scare the crap out of me, and then I wheel around to try and spot it and never even see it flush. When I do get a shot off, its usually a bad one. I can count the number of grouse I've bagged the past 10 years on one hand.

I have to imagine that better conditions might result in more flushes and better success if you waited until some or most of the leaves fell. Cooler temps would be a lot more enjoyable too. It would have been sweltering out there last weekend.

I'm seriously impressed by anyone who consistently puts ruffed grouse in the bag. Those forest chickens are on a whole different level of hunting than pheasants are. A well trained pointing dog would be an invaluable asset in the grouse woods. It would allow the hunter to get into a good shooting position before the bird flushed.
If there's one secret to shooting grouse it is...start mounting the gun at the SOUND of the flush, if you wait until you sight the bird, it's game over.
 
If there's one secret to shooting grouse it is...start mounting the gun at the SOUND of the flush, if you wait until you sight the bird, it's game over.
Chyeah but 9 out of 10 flushes I don't even get a visual on the bird anyways so its kind of a moot point. lol
 
Chyeah but 9 out of 10 flushes I don't even get a visual on the bird anyways so its kind of a moot point. lol
Well, yes, but you're not shooting the bird, you're shooting at the space the bird occupies. It's a Zen thing. Sorry, couldn't help it. LOL

Actually, I should have said, "the space the bird WILL occupy".
 
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Can't believe I missed this post. Opener was warm and wet. I hunted very little and got nothing. However I have gotten 8 since then. With pheasant season coming on I'll be lucky to get out after them again this year but might get in a late season hunt.
 
Got out last weekend instead of the pheasant opener. Only took one walk as cabin projects took more time than planned but ended up getting into a few birds. Should have had a 3rd ruffey if I could hit a bird standing in a tree 😂
 

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