Woodcock/grouse
- Thread starter Agall84
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Wind River
Well-known member
Northern WI has a lot of public forest land. County, state and federal lands are available. You might look at where RGS has their habitat projects. It’s a start for you. Go where the birds are.
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
Not going to find many, if any grouse in Southern WI. Timberdoodle are a different story. Have to catch them where they are. Southern or Northern Kettle Moraine would be good spots. Some of the other swampy public lands.
apps.dnr.wi.gov
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Makintrax73
Member
I have seen a reasonable number while driving on the atv trails around Black River Falls. I believe some of those trails run through state forest. Never hunted it as I stick pretty far north, and I think even for a 2 day trip I'd make the extra drive. But I do think you'd find some in that area.
Not exactly Southern, but a couple hours South of what might be considered prime grouse range.
Not exactly Southern, but a couple hours South of what might be considered prime grouse range.
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
There used to be some in the Driftless area but not sure any longer. There were also some in the Northern Kettle but I haven't seen one there in 40 years.
As south as possible? Barron/Ladysmith etc. We had a family property in Birchwood for my first 25 years and I cut my teeth on paper company land in Sawyer and Rusk Co. With the Weyerhauser owning so much land up there they allow public to hunt on, there are always new growth aspens to be found. Can you find them further south? Sure. Do you want a trip filled with opportunities instead of saving 2 hours of driving? Up to you.
I just had a guy at church a couple weeks ago tell me that he saw a grouse in Grant county. Kind of a shocker for me, it’s probably been close over 30 years since I kicked one up( I wasn’t a bird hunter then)
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
There were pretty good numbers years ago. But they stopped cutting trees and the grouse went into decline.
I moved to Indiana in 1990. Were grouse here and I shot some. But they only want big tree people parks any longer and the grouse are maybe extirpated.
I moved to Indiana in 1990. Were grouse here and I shot some. But they only want big tree people parks any longer and the grouse are maybe extirpated.
birddude
Well-known member
Not maybe extirpated. They are history. I haven't heard or seen a grouse in Indiana since 2000!
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
I'm guessing the last ones I saw were in 2005. Walked a full day and flushed 2. Too bad because there could be some decent places for them if the state wanted them and allowed more logging. The enviros think that all trees should be 100 feet high and have no undergrowth so they can walk around arm in arm singing kumbaya. They are such fools.
birddude
Well-known member
Exactly, I ran into two foresters while grouse hunting once a few years after they stopped clearcutting. I explained that if only I could walk the administration through the forest in the snow. If only they could see the difference between the amount of wildlife tracks in those clearcuts vs the old growth timber, they might change their mind. They told me it wouldn't matter because they don't care about the wildlife, just the trees. I think it might have been different if they would have come up with a grouse stamp. Money talks. Because if you flash forward, after the turkey tag money rolled in, low and behold, I started seeing (wildlife openings). Basically, turkey nesting habitat. I don't know where those grouse bloodlines came from, but they were the wildest, fastest grouse I've ever hunted (I've hunted Minnesota and Michigan several times). Hardley ever got a productive point. I averaged a snapshot every 10 flushes, and around 1 bird every 6 shots. The terrain was steep, rocky and rugged. The habitat was sometimes impenetrable with everything from grapevines to trip you to devils glub, that you didn't want to grab hold of. Me and my dogs both always came out beat down tired and bleeding. It was glorious! Ok I'm done griping.
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
Basically my experience as well. Talked with a Co in Morgan-Monroe. he gave me the same spiel. nobody at the state cared at all about grouse or any other wildlife in the forests. As long as the big trees were there, that's what they wanted.
He put me on the last two grouse I ever saw in IN. there had been a tornado go through that area a couple of years ago. He told us to go there and we might find some. Tough ass hunting! And the IN birds always seemed more skittish and faster to me coming from WI. But it might have been because I was more tired!
He put me on the last two grouse I ever saw in IN. there had been a tornado go through that area a couple of years ago. He told us to go there and we might find some. Tough ass hunting! And the IN birds always seemed more skittish and faster to me coming from WI. But it might have been because I was more tired!