Grouse Reports ! ! !

Let us know where youre finding the birds, what were the conditions, what type of terrain.

Lets here some good dog stories as well.

Can we attach pictures in this forum now?

Couple buddies and I hunted this past weekend at my buddies cabin. Flushed 52 grouse and 5 woodcock. Numbers were unbelievable with how warm it was. Not many shots given. Missed on 3 fairly easy birds but connected on a total of 4. Those numbers came in about 4 hrs of hunting Saturday and 2.5 hrs on Sunday. Temperature was a little to warm to really hunt all day. Numbers so far seem to be really good. Be at it again in a couple of weeks. 

Axel22:

That is one handsome dog!!!!

I get it on the retrieve. My last Weimaraner Lucy fetched to hand with no training. She was bringing me training quail at 11 weeks. Hunted with her for twelve seasons and I don’t recall her missing more than a couple of cripples. My setter had to figure it out. I got her at 1yr and elected not to force fetch her. The first year she would just run in and point dead or crippled birds. All well and good unless you have one winged and running. Then last year, my buddy’s Weimaraner tried to creep in and pick up a dead bird I shot. Abigail was having none of it. She dove and picked up the bird and brought it right to me. She was reliable all season after that. 

She is three now so this season will be interesting as she continues to develop. 

Birdyboy,

They are excellent retrievers.  As a breed  some more natural then others.   With mine, I do test them in NAVHDA and the Utility Test requires a retrieve to hand.  So I put a trained retrieve into them, usually after their second hunting season.    I also waterfowl hunt.  

Duffin;

Nice pics. My brother in law hunts over WPGs. Had an awesome girl who passed away last year. Has another that is 9 and is putting a one year old male on the ground this season. Beautiful dogs. Amazing noses and mellow around the house. Do your’s retrieve?  

Lots of miles on the boots and finding decent numbers.  Rotating dogs depending on cover and conditions.    Still a jungle.  Largest covey flush so far 4.   Haven’t heard any fall drummers yet which tells me the family groups haven’t dispersed yet.  

WWYH;

Congratulations to you and your son!  My son also shot his first grouse on the wing at 12 years old. He previously hunted doves and pheasant but that first grouse cemented his love of the sport. The icing on the cake was a limit of Woodcock the following day. Nothing like it. 

Hunted Friday for about an hour with 12 year old son. First time carrying gun in grouse woods for him. Only took him into the brush for a little bit. 3 woodcock flushed, obviously no shooting. 

Hunted for about 1.5 hrs Saturday morning and walked a little more in the woods with our new dog. Flushed 7 grouse and 1 woodcock. My son got his first grouse and I think he is hooked. Numbers for me so far look to be pretty good. Dog was very birdy around all birds flushed which was a good sign. 

Loooking forward to a week long hunt with buddies in middle of October. Will be hunting out of cabins in NC and NE Wisconsin for the week. 

Looks like the DNR updated the depredation map to include caution zones around Milliston in the Black River forest. I’ll attach the pic. 

I don’t worry much about wolves since they don’t usually get close enough to bird dogs. I do pay attention to the caution zones and try to steer clear. 

Birdy,

That was going to be my 2nd stop heading south. I was planning on taking my friends dog. I might as well leave him at home.

Gents. 

Just got an email from the DNR. A Small Munsterlander pointing dog was injured by wolves in Milliston, Jackson county today. They haven’t updated the caution zone on the map yet but if you are hunting that area, be aware.  I’m sure they will update the website in the next day or so. 

Hey Fellas, 

The boss gave me off Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. My plan is to hunt Wednesday and Thursday along hwy 70 and travel back south to hunt on Friday. If anyone wants to meet up and tag along they are more then welcome to. I will be alone since most of my friends are deer hunters.

I don't have a specific place to hunt so the roster is open. I'm just going by some investigative work I've done online.

Camped and hunted mid week.  22 flushes one day and 4 the next.  We managed 3 young birds.  The cool temps were great.  Two broods (4 and 5) was nice to see.  A definite uptick for my area from l last year.  

Hunter:

I don’t share “my” spots specifically.  I’ve scouted extensively and burned a lot of boot leather to find my coverts.  They are far enough off the beaten path I never run into another hunter.  Every year I discover new spots right outside the back door I never knew were there.  Plenty of land and cover for everyone. 

Nartner:

The coverts I hunt don’t get a lot of pressure. So the birds aren’t unusually jumpy. I try to time my first trip around the weather to hit the leaf drop. That seems to be the third week in October.  Birds are often still grouped up in the areas I hunt.  Having a good dog helps. 

I have family up north right now and they said they are hearing birds but not really getting shots because the cover is still too thick. 

I'm not sure why you'd want to advertise your spots...especially if you can't hunt for a few a weeks.

Nartner,

I sent you a friend request.