Ruffed Grouse Early Season

[Bruce Day]

Just finished the first ruffed grouse hunt of the season, northern Minnesota, and will share a few photos. I’ll go back in early November if the weather is decent.

Several of us made the circuit from Nebraska through NoDak then MN. Grouse are more plentiful this year but still lower numbers than desired. We raised 20-30 per day and another 20-30 woodcock. The woodcock are local birds and the migration has not yet begun.

Besides myself there were PGCA members Dick Dow, Joe Weigle, Seth Irvin and Pete Kappes. Pete loves to make poppers of woodcock breast, bacon, cream cheese and jalapeño peppers.

Pictures of the cafe at Fish Tales and the Turtle Lake store where I stop for blueberry ice cream.

Dick drives his Mercedes camper van all the way from SoCal and Joe from PA, both a long way. Joe tells me that hunting in PA he may see one or two grouse a day.

[mobirdhunter]

Thanks for the report. Leave a few birds for us! We'll be there on the 16th after Cedar gets her last cancer vaccine. She and Peat, our cancer patients, will not be hunting, so Alder and Aspen will be given lots of time in the woods.

I hope your trip continues to be a good (and safe) one.

[Mills]

Looks like a lot of fun. Something I want to do one of these days.

[James L. Martin]

Well so far in the New York Catskills 4 days of hunting, about 20hrs, we have 9 flushes with no shots for me and one for my partner with no birds taken. Most flushes you only hear,seems like mature birds only. Leaving for Maine Sunday sure hope it's better.

[Jeff Christie]

The bar looks familiar. The territory is beautiful. I am very fond of the Minnesota Northwoods. Great to read the numbers are increasing.

[edgarspencer]

Waked 5+ miles in formerly productive areas of Piscataquis County, Maine, without a single flush. I have heard one bad report after another.
Reports of daily limits above the Golden Rd to Millinocket.