Grouse Drumming Survey
 

Minnesota's grouse drumming survey data has been released and is up over last Spring. The biologists are quick to point out that the conditions (weather) during the survey period were excellent and may have impacted the numbers. They also caution reading too much into the numbers as there were heavy rains and flooding in the grouse core area during the brooding period.

In any event, it's nice to start to see some numbers as we look to the coming season. Iowa and Missouri start their roadside bird counts in August. The anticipation is building at our house.

Here's a link to the MN survey: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/wildli...urvey_2022.pdf

Garry I hope the upcoming season is the best one in a number of years! I also read that Mallard counts are up this year as well.

The heat here in the Southland this Summer has been extreme, but I can feel the Autumn winds stirring and I get glimpses of golden maple and cherry leaves already.

Reggie, I have my early signs of Fall, too. A Virginia Creeper that is prone to turn red earlier than any of its neighbors, the first sign of goldenrod, the gathering of gold finches seeking seeds, are all signs that hunting season is drawing close.

I hope your Fall begins well and that you get out and enjoy the hunt.

I've been thinking about going to Southwestern Wisconsin for grouse and trout. It's not a grouse destination, but like Southeastern Minnesota, does not get many grouse hunters.

Here's the Wisconsin grouse drumming survey data for this year: https://widnr.widen.net/s/rvhq6xvltv/ruffed_grouse_2022

It appears the cycle, as predicted, is headed on a downward trajectory. I hope I'm still going when the cycle peaks again.

I just heard today that the puppy we had reserved was born yesterday. How's that for optimism for the future?!:whistle: Another Gordon Setter to add to the long list of hunting partners.

I have heard a lot of quail this summer. Hopefully a good sign of things to come.

John, what a wonderful sound -- quail calling in summer. One reason for dark-thirty rising for dove here is to be able to locate coveys by their pre-dawn assembly calls. Log those covey locations and "look them up" come November. We have an October turkey season which is an even better time to locate coveys in the pre-dawn hours.

And then...you need to start planning which gun to use. Get the pups in some sort of shape (and yourself) so that you can walk those miles between coveys.

The images throughout this thread are part of a couple of projects I've been working on this summer while working to rehab my hand (old injuries turned arthritic). The theme, of course, is hunting -- dogs, guns and birds. It helps make the in-between time more tolerable. Thanks for indulging me...

Great works of art! My daughter has that gift as well.

great art...charlie

You have captured the essence of the twist barrels perfectly, but what Id really like to know if if the dog is after the sandwich or the wine.