Grouse (spruce?) in Lake County

I’m heading up to Lake County for the first time to do some grouse hunting and fishing in a couple weeks. We’ll grouse hunt for sure, but I’d love to get a spruce grouse. Never seen one (or obviously bagged one either). Spare the comments on edibility….I’ve already heard it and would like to find out for myself! They said sage grouse no good either, and those were outstanding. Anyway, I’d target them specifically if I thought I had a decent chance. Anybody have any sightings in Lake Co., especially close to the BWCA? TIA

Sorry I can’t offer advice on this, but its nice to see people wanting to make their own conclusions about eating critters rather than listening to someone who’s uncles second cousin twice removed knows a guy who has a buddy that said it was no good.
Ive eaten a lot of “not good” table fare…

We used to see spruce grouse at our cabin in Voyagers National park but it’s been many years now. We see lots of ruffed grouse now days. I don’t believe their numbers are what they once were.
If I was going to look for one id go up on slighty higher ground and find rock outcroppings surrounded by young pine and spruce vs the lower ground with Aspen and poplar that one would usually hunt for ruffed grouse.

I have hunted that area a bit and you will see more of them the further north you go. Always heard guys talking about them at the local bars say you could hunt them with a bat. Personally I have never shot one but have seen them a handful of times. way more ruffed grouse though. Best of luck!

I shot one not far north of Orr last year.

Roy Heilman wrote:

Spare the comments on edibility….I’ve already heard it and would like to find out for myself!

Nice quote. Many people enjoy the activity of hunting but would rather eat chicken.

I’m curious what you find with respect to spruce grouse. Give a report after your trip. I remember seeing them along gravel roads going to BWCA entry points. That however was 25 yrs ago.

I have not seen one in years and only 2 total in my life. That was near Orr. I would love to bag a big male to mount.

So far I’m encouraged. I’ll be sure to weigh in after the fact…but that will be perilously close to deer season, so hopefully by Thanksgiving!

Might want to call the local CO or some forestry people. I have had good luck getting help from people who have had boots on the ground.

Shot a few back in my Ely days. Never had a problem eating them with a jalapeno and bacon wrapped around it, couldn’t tell the difference mixed in with the ruffs on the plate.

We have hunted that area a lot between Isabella and Grand Maris. We have shot a few over the years. They are there but not for long as you said they are really dumb. My son and I cam across two of them on a trail we were walking the dog ran right up on them pointed and was 15′ away. they never flew, my son shot and missed they never flew just ran a few feet. Needles to say he did not miss again and they are no longer there.

I’ve never seen any that east, hunt over by Baudette or Warroad, north of Waskish.

we hunted up there the weekend before MEA and saw many birds (got our limits). The DNR report is off again!

PS: We cook them like liver and onions…be careful to not over cook them… better if light pink inside as they get dry and leathery if cooked to long