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.

Aaron, if you had known Peat, you would know the answer is “both!” Peat always thought he was a human. :)

On the subject of the upcoming hunting season, I see that there are some positive things included in the about-to-be passed big federal bill that has been in the works for some time. While the media only concentrates on politically sensitive aspects of the bill, it appears that there are some "angels in the details" for hunters to look forward to. Here's a recap from the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership that might be of interest to many of us who hunt, especially on public lands.

https://www.trcp.org/2022/08/03/five...a&ceid=1685894

I haven’t heard grouse drum on my property in almost two decades. I went on an egg eater smear campaign two years ago and removed over a 100 raccoons, almost 50 possum, a grey Fox, and a bobcat with permit on my property. For the last 2 spring turkey seasons I have multiple grouse drumming every morning now. I have had them walk by me several times as well. I also have woodcock all over now. Previous to two years ago I’ve only seen a total of 2 wood cock since the early 70’s.

Great art and great news on the wildlife front! Particularly good since the news is usually bad.

In this age of predator protection by governmental agencies many have no idea what an impact they have on game birds. Yours is a great example of how much can be done to help reverse it. Sixty years ago there were counties in Georgia that actually paid a bounty on hawks. AIR my cousins in Camden Co. were paid $2 each for them. But .......... we are sooooo much wiser, now.

And the result is that, here, the really efficient woods dwelling hawks, such as the Cooper's and Sharp-shinned, have exploded in numbers, and wreak havoc on small game, songbirds, and small gamebird populations.

I have had red tail hawks swoop and hit my turkey decoys three times in the last two spring seasons. If I could legally remove them they would be gone as well.

I often have hawks of all flavors try to attack my Mojo dove decoys, on a dove field.

A couple years ago I was shooting a field and had a Mojo on a 10' tall piece of conduit stuck in the ground. I was in a camo blind. I saw a mature eagle coming my way and realized it was interested in my decoy. It turned away at a close distance after seeing me in the blind.

Although I'm not in favor of returning to the old days of "shoot every hawk you see," I do think that some killing of hawks might be in order. I know that predator populations are dependent upon prey levels, but I think we have come too far to assume that humans don't factor into the equation. Why not harvest some avian predators? I know the reason...we have created a mindset among the non-hunting public to not kill any apex prey species. It makes no biological sense to me. That's my opinion...probably not humble enough.

You nailed it, Garry. I could not have expressed it that well. :bowdown:

Any good hawk recipes? They hammer our quail in South Texas.

Use a barred owl recipe, they taste very similar. :rotf::shock: Just sayin', for a friend.

I hunted with a dog handler a few years ago that carried a boomerang. When the Blue Quail want to run in front of a point, he'd whip the boomerang over them and, not always, but frequently they would freeze in cover.

I knew of a guy who cleaned and cooked a hawk once. When asked how he tasted he paused and replied, "Most like an owl".

:rotf:probably taste better than woodcock

COME ON, MAN!!!! :shock::shock::shock:

The best wild game I have had is woodcock. Then again, it was once and it was done by professionals. It was pretty dang good though and both my sons can back me up

Well done Quail Diablo is to die for as is quail marinated and grilled, Pheasant casserole with wild rice high up there. On 4 feet, Caribou hands down.

That is really awesome work you done here.




sportsman

Maybe hawks will keep the decoy population in check. :rotf::rotf::rotf:

Well I got all fired up and mowed my paths for the 3rd time this year. I set a half dozen nuisance animal traps since there’s raccoon poop all over my hunting shack floor. I’m sure there will be full traps in the morning. I saw a huge mink today running down by my creek as well. Won’t hurt my feelings if he accidentally gets caught.