Oct grouse update

Have had a chance to hunt a couple weekends. Never really hit good numbers of woodcock. Maybe a handful of flushes each outing. Been seeing more grouse. No coveys to speak of but double digit flushes per outing (some being multiple flushes from the same bird).

Getting birds, however, has been a bit tougher. Without a dog they’re pretty cagey flushers.

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Had a chance to step out the back door Tuesday night. I love the evening hunt because the birds are usually feeding before the roost. In an hour and a half I had 10 flushes. 2 shots, 1 hit 1 miss. Of course the miss was the easiest of the 2 shots

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it went so well I ended up about three miles back at closing. It was pitch black when I got back home. Had 4 flushes in a small area but none were shooter’s. No woodcock yet but I will be hitting the federal hard this weekend and I know there will be some to be had….

I really like that woodcock photo, Tegg!

I hit it hard in one of my new favorite areas in Wi last weekend and got 6 from Fri afternoon to Sun morning. Birds seemed slightly up from last year. Sure would like to see another mega cycle again in my lifetime.

Awesome! I love the noise woodcock make when you flush them. But man are they quick little birds!

I have always loved that red phase look of grouse. Good job out there!

Youbetcha wrote:

I have always loved that red phase look of grouse. Good job out there!

So far this fall most of the birds I’ve been seeing are brown phase. I do recall flushing a beautiful gray phase, solid banded male early this spring during the drumming season.

suzuki wrote:

I hit it hard in one of my new favorite areas in Wi last weekend and got 6 from Fri afternoon to Sun morning. Birds seemed slightly up from last year. Sure would like to see another mega cycle again in my lifetime.

I have a few spots where I hunt that tend to always hold a few birds but I’m getting a few more scattered flushes in some of the secondary spots. I hope to get a another outing over Halloween weekend. I have a couple areas on the backside of the Salo WMA I want to visit.