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.