Grouse hunting

[cobb]

and you cannot shoot from the right of way.

Sure you can, you can shoot grouse from a road right of way in Minnesota, no law against that.

+1, just not big game.

Other Restrictions
• No person may discharge a firearm or an arrow from a bow on, over,
across, or within the right-of-way of an improved public highway
(including but not limited to federal, state, county, and township
roadways) at a big game animal or a decoy of a big game animal that
has been set out by a licensed peace officer.

You are correct sir, only applies to big game. But one must consider the 500 foot rule if they are going to shoot a grouse, pheasant, rabbit, etc. near a wind break. Even though that small game is within the road right of way, a wind break is most likely near a building that is occupied livestock or humans, so the 500 feet rule does apply when discharging a firearm.

[bensdad]

Fondu your woodcock. Salt and pepper to taste. It tastes livery. And you CAN overcook woodcock and waterfowl, but you never should. It ruins it (or is that what you meant?).

[smurfman]

I did not get out on Monday morning as I had hoped, I got sidetracked buying guns and spent the evening waiting for a bear which did show up, finally. I did get out Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and did OK. Tuesday I made a quick two mile walk along the edge between a woods and an old pasture. The dogs pointed 6 ruffs of which I bagged two. They also pointed two broods and three singles of sharptails which I shot two birds, my self imposed limit for this field. Along the way we found 7 woodcock and three pheasants, one of which was a rooster. I really dislike seeing pheasants in this area, they tend to disrupt the mating dances of the sharptails and the sharpies have a tough enough time without that disturbance. Weather was off and on mist with a fair breeze blowing. It became harder int he afternoon making it worthless to sit in the stand hoping to fill the second bear tag.
Wednesday was a quick hunt on some state forest lands, in an hour we put up 5 grouse of which I shot one and three woodcock. Conditions were tough as it became windy about mid-morning and it began to lightly rain. I'll get out briefly tomorow, I hope, as I head up to replenish the baits for bears. The rain would have not done the pastries any good and I want to replace the old with fresh before the old rots. Then its wait until next Thursday and I'll have 5 mornings at least to hunt birds.

[JJ]

I did not get out on Monday morning as I had hoped, I got sidetracked buying guns and spent the evening waiting for a bear which did show up, finally. I did get out Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and did OK. Tuesday I made a quick two mile walk along the edge between a woods and an old pasture. The dogs pointed 6 ruffs of which I bagged two. They also pointed two broods and three singles of sharptails which I shot two birds, my self imposed limit for this field. Along the way we found 7 woodcock and three pheasants, one of which was a rooster. I really dislike seeing pheasants in this area, they tend to disrupt the mating dances of the sharptails and the sharpies have a tough enough time without that disturbance. Weather was off and on mist with a fair breeze blowing. It became harder int he afternoon making it worthless to sit in the stand hoping to fill the second bear tag.
Wednesday was a quick hunt on some state forest lands, in an hour we put up 5 grouse of which I shot one and three woodcock. Conditions were tough as it became windy about mid-morning and it began to lightly rain. I'll get out briefly tomorow, I hope, as I head up to replenish the baits for bears. The rain would have not done the pastries any good and I want to replace the old with fresh before the old rots. Then its wait until next Thursday and I'll have 5 mornings at least to hunt birds.

I am gonna take a stab and guess you are hunting somewhere around Aitkin? I know the DNR and Sharptail Grouse Society have some observation blinds in that area for the spring mating rituals.

We have some land over East of McGregor, and while we fall into the technical range of the sharps we have never seen one in the almost 20 years I have been grouse hunting over there. I spent some time hitting some public land around Aitkin the last two years trying to connect with the sharps, but have struck out.

[JJ]

I did not get out on Monday morning as I had hoped, I got sidetracked buying guns and spent the evening waiting for a bear which did show up, finally. I did get out Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and did OK. Tuesday I made a quick two mile walk along the edge between a woods and an old pasture. The dogs pointed 6 ruffs of which I bagged two. They also pointed two broods and three singles of sharptails which I shot two birds, my self imposed limit for this field. Along the way we found 7 woodcock and three pheasants, one of which was a rooster. I really dislike seeing pheasants in this area, they tend to disrupt the mating dances of the sharptails and the sharpies have a tough enough time without that disturbance. Weather was off and on mist with a fair breeze blowing. It became harder int he afternoon making it worthless to sit in the stand hoping to fill the second bear tag.
Wednesday was a quick hunt on some state forest lands, in an hour we put up 5 grouse of which I shot one and three woodcock. Conditions were tough as it became windy about mid-morning and it began to lightly rain. I'll get out briefly tomorow, I hope, as I head up to replenish the baits for bears. The rain would have not done the pastries any good and I want to replace the old with fresh before the old rots. Then its wait until next Thursday and I'll have 5 mornings at least to hunt birds.

I am gonna take a stab and guess you are hunting somewhere around Aitkin? I know the DNR and Sharptail Grouse Society have some observation blinds in that area for the spring mating rituals.

We have some land over East of McGregor, and while we fall into the technical range of the sharps we have never seen one in the almost 20 years I have been grouse hunting over there. I spent some time hitting some public land around Aitkin the last two years trying to connect with the sharps, but have struck out.

[cobb]

So you guys are hunting a fairly open wooded area?

I hunt just southwest of Bemidji and we may get several flushes without even seeing the bird because of the thick brush. Trying to hunt before the leaves are down is almost useless, a lot of sound but no visual.

[JJ]

Not me. we have a couple very small clearings (1/2 acre), other than those and our one 3acre food plot its THICK. I know there is a good mix of woods and old pasture land around Aitkin that holds some Sharps, but not any on public land that I have found....yet. I know SGS has spent some money on WMA aquisition in the Cambridge/Mora/Hinckley area to ensure there are leks for the sharp to dance in the spring. Hopefully we will see more of them long term. In the 1940's the annual harvest was around 100k. Most recently the harvest have been estimated at about 10k a year.

[smurfman]

I am gonna take a stab and guess you are hunting somewhere around Aitkin? I know the DNR and Sharptail Grouse Society have some observation blinds in that area for the spring mating rituals.

We have some land over East of McGregor, and while we fall into the technical range of the sharps we have never seen one in the almost 20 years I have been grouse hunting over there. I spent some time hitting some public land around Aitkin the last two years trying to connect with the sharps, but have struck out.

Not this week but I do have some areas I hunt over that way. Public land over there is very much a hit or more often miss proposition but there are some spots one can be somewhat successful. I do more private land hunting for sharptails and my very low quota is what gets me on the land year after year. I generally only shoot a single bird from each property and then only if pointed by a young or inexperienced dog. I have years I never shoot a bird from any of my private lands. I jealously guard my sharptail spots as they can be shot out very easily these days. I brought a person to a public land spot once about 14 years ago and I have just recently begun seeing birds there as he has not hunted it in the last 6 years. If all goes well the birds will come back and my "buddy" will have forgotten about the place.

[smurfman]

So you guys are hunting a fairly open wooded area?

I hunt just southwest of Bemidji and we may get several flushes without even seeing the bird because of the thick brush. Trying to hunt before the leaves are down is almost useless, a lot of sound but no visual.

If you are talking about ruffed grouse, I am hunting the typical 6-20 year old clear cuts covered in aspen. I hunt over some decent pointing dogs so am able to pick my approach with a small degree of shooting opportunity in mind. The weather cooperated this week with it being fairly damp which made the birds hold better than normal. When one can get close before the bird flushes, odds to connect with a shot goes up. In a normal early season I count myself fortunate to be close enough to hear the bird flush let alone get off a shot.

[smurfman]

Not me. we have a couple very small clearings (1/2 acre), other than those and our one 3acre food plot its THICK. I know there is a good mix of woods and old pasture land around Aitkin that holds some Sharps, but not any on public land that I have found....yet. I know SGS has spent some money on WMA aquisition in the Cambridge/Mora/Hinckley area to ensure there are leks for the sharp to dance in the spring. Hopefully we will see more of them long term. In the 1940's the annual harvest was around 100k. Most recently the harvest have been estimated at about 10k a year.

I grew up around Pine City and shot sharptails there as a kid. It was not long after that one had to go to Sandstone to find sharpies and it has been about 20 years since I last saw/shot one in the Sandstone Unit of Rice Lake NWR. If there are any sharptails in Pine County east of the freeway, I would be surprised. My closest sharptail spot would be near the Pine/Aitkin line but it is not a good one. SGS had some blinds north of Sandstone but they have been gone since 2000 at least and I have yet to see any sharpies flying or getting grit from the road nor have I heard of anyone seeing any in that area. It was around then I flushed what I believe to have been a sharptail from a pine tree east of Cloverdale but I did not get a good nor long look at it and it could have been a hen pheasant. I just saw it was grouse like and it flew across an open field which I doubt a ruffed would have done.

[mjbreuer]

Ruffies will fly across anything, clearing, pasture, farm field... We watch them fly back and forth over our rape fields all year while deer hunting. They are not afraid to move for food or good roosting. However, I have also seen a lot of sharpies in trees over the years. I've watched coveys of 30+ fly up into the aspens to pick buds while deer hunting late season, and I've flushed them from groves.

Lots of birds around the Aitkin area as far as sharps go. Mostly on private lands, or lands we protect. The population is surely huntable, but who wants to chase flying liver and work their butt off for a couple of birds these days?

Sandstone area does still hold birds. Not many, but I believe there is at least 1 good lek still in existance.

I have only hunted 1 day, which was opener. We put up 29 birds between ruffs and sharps, and took 5. 1 road birds that wouldn't flush or run, just strutting like mad waiting to get shot. We also watched 2-3 easy birds fly away laughing... Can't wait to get back out on Sunday. The dogs are just finally in full recovery after Saturday's excursion....

[JJ]

Matt your dogs are out of shape! Mine were ready on after 24 hours!

[mjbreuer]

As for woodcock... I love 'em! Wrap 'em in bacon and dust them with Lawry's, toss them on a hot grill and flash 'em. Wonderful creature that adds a ton of fun to each hunt. I have also added them in when making sharptail fajitas and they do the job.

The two main things about woodcock hunting... you have to know how to shoot, and you have to know how to actually cook!

We had 4 solid points on timberdoodle on Sat., and saw 30+ headed for roost while sitting on the deck at the cabin. Should be another good year!

For those of you that DO woodcock hunt, be sure to get in touch with the Dept. of the Interior to help out with wing samples so that we don't experience the giant decline that we once saw. Also, anyone who shoots sharps, feel free to PM me about sending in samples for the current studies going on with them... Thanks!

[mjbreuer]

Matt your dogs are out of shape! Mine were ready on after 24 hours!

No doubt! Nelly was ready right away, but Gauge was literally sore until this morning. He's also 10, and fat...

[cobb]

As for woodcock... I love 'em! Wrap 'em in bacon and dust them with Lawry's, toss them on a hot grill and flash 'em.

I guess we will have to try them again. We did exactly that, wrapped them in bacon, seasoned and grilled. We maybe grilled them too long, the only thing we all agreed on was that the woodcock ruined the bacon.