doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Late season Grouse hunting tips

Guy's
I don't want anybody to give away their best-kept secrets, but I was wondering if I could get some late season grouse hunting tips from you guys.

I used to hunt grouse a lot in Bemidji Minnesota where I went to college, but all I did was walk-logging roads, and really didn't look at any specific habitat.

I am going to be hunting around Two Harbors, MN, in early December. I was wondering if there is some certain habitat I should concentrate on, should I just walk through the woods and avoid logging roads?

I would just like some general help on hunting these guys in early December.

Thanks
Steve Mealman

Early to late season (late afternoon).....4-wheeler at 3-4 mph down logging roads. When you see the head pop-up on road in front of you, stop/turn-off motor, extract gun from boot/carrier, load shell(s), walk-up for the flush and shoot from the hip. Before the frost, birds will often be feeding on Clover on logging road.
John

Steve:
I don't know what the cover is like north of Duluth, but I gather it is similar to the western Upper Peninsula. I use dogs so I can't speak to the success of four wheel hunting, or trying to walk them up.

If I was going to hunt without dogs I would find two tracks, swamp edges or trails to hike. If moving through the cover I would also change directions and stop frequently. Grouse move away from danger on a 45 degree angle, so you need to outflank them so to speak. Stopping will frequently make them nervous, because they no longer know where the danger is.

As the food sources change so do the prime locations for late season grouse. In the U.P. that means the buds of Ironwood trees, aspen buds and what wild strawberry leaves, clover or other ground cover they nibble on. They are an edge bird so hunt edges i.e. two tracks, where young aspen runs up against mature aspen, the swamp edges of aspen stands, aspen stands with fields mixed in. My experience suggests they like mixed cover and by that I mean aspen with lots of balsam mixed in and a thick under story such as hazel. Prime aspen cover is about 12 years of age and many of the trees will be the size of your wrist.

When all is said and done grouse are where you find them. Every time I think I have the game figured out they surface in the most unlikely of spots. When you see a spot that is thicker than the surrounding area that is a likely location for them to seek refuge.

Enjoy your hunt.

First of all, you need two barrels. Since you're on this forum, I assume that's taken care of.

Second, you need a Lefever 16 ga. If that's not possible, then a Lefever in another gaure. If even that's not possible, then a 16 gauge of another make. If you can't do that, then it's best to stay inside where it's warm!!

Roy, What shells do you shoot in that 16? Jake

RST #6 - 2.5". Actually, I haven't anything but RST's in any of my doubles for quite a few years!

Roy

Steve,

What Chicago said is correct. I look for transition. That can be a hardwood line, meadow, firebreak, stream, etc. About a month ago in northern Wisconsin, the birds for some reason preferred to be under low hanging spruce. I was getting singles with a few rabbit for fun. A friend went 2 weeks later, the story had changed. He talked about shooting covey's of grouse. Go figure.

Where I hunt, north of Park Falls, there are a lot of maintained walking trails. During low cycle years, I would be busting a lot brush. This year, no need to leave the trails.

I did not see any woodcock this year. My friend only saw 1. I would use the logging roads. I would also mark them on a map or GPS, as they will make productive habitat in a few years if they are not maintained. When you do take a bird, be sure to open the crop. It will be easy to tell from the contents what they are feeding on.

Pete

I agree wholeheartedly with Roy, unless you have Lefever's automatic hammerless in a 16 or 20 gauge........ I wouldn't even bother no use stay in were its warm!!!!!
All the best