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I left Sept 26th for a month of grouse hunting in Michigan. Birds are definitely up from last year, more in some areas than others. Woodcock were up quite a bit from what I have seen the last 4-5 years. Flush rates varied from 2-10 per hour depending on where we were hunting and the time of day. Fall came late here and the aspen leaves were largely still up in lower Michigan on October 30th. Made for poor opportunities but we had a great time.

Highly recommend the RST 1 oz. in either 7 or 7.5. I use the 2.5" variety. Could be my shooting but the 7/8 oz loads seemed a little light for grouse.

My new 16 (100 yrs old) held its own, but it seems to have a bit too much weight out front. Withholding judgment until after pheasant season.

Pheasant season has opened and I spent Saturday in central Illinois hunting a friends farms. Sure not what it used to be down there, even as recently as 8-10 years ago. Hoping for better pheasant hunting in southern Wisconsin.

Will leave for another week of grouse hunting in northern Michigan in next couple of days, then back for more pheasant. I like this retirement thing just fine - need more 16's though.

Chicago Mike

Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 11

You are truly a lucky person to be able to spend the month of October in the grouse woods of Michigan. That "employment thing" confines my hunting to weekends predominantly, but I also found the numbers of both grouse and woodcock to be encouraging. For the month, my setter pointed 74 grouse and 46 woodcock. Harvest numbers were a bit low due to the late leaf drop you mentioned, but we still managed to bag more than usual. My load of choice is the 2 1/2 inch load from Westley Richards in size 8 shot. I switch to 7's once I turn the calendar page to November. I also switch briley tubes out of the AYA to IC/Mod from SK/IC. Have a great pheasant shoot and maybe we will bump into each other in Northern Michigan later in the season.

I shot my 60th grouse on Sunday w/ the help of my old pointer, Sadie. How many did I flush and miss? Gosh...it has to be a lot based on the # of hulls waiting to be reloaded.

The grouse population is way out of line, and I feel it's my duty to thin the herd a little.

I spent Saturday walking my 15 year old nephew around behind the old pointer. I truly had more fun watching him and that old dog, than I would if I was doing the shooting. He got 2 grouse and had several other great opportunities.

I shot some 1-1/8 ounce loads of #7.5 shot earlier in the season when it was still very thick. But, I've pretty much stuck with 1 ounce of #7 in RGL hulls since the leaves started thinning out.

Now, it's time to head to Iowa for some pheasants and then I'll spend the week around Thanksgiving trying to shoot a deer with my smokepole. Then in early December, I'll have a couple more weeks to shoot grouse before I start beaver trapping.

Life is good fellas...enjoy it!

Hunter & Hound:
No one deserves to shoot 60 grouse except you, AYA and me.......Good luck on the balance of season for all game you covet.

Don't take all the beaver, they make nice ponds for brookies. Very Happy

Joined: 02 Jun 2007 Posts: 107 Location: N.W. Iowa

Anybody willing to walk to miles required to shoot that many, surely deserves to get their grouse.

I needed to get my legs (and the dogs) in shape prior to heading to Iowa. Our friends there will take sick pleasure in marching us up and down the only hill in NW Iowa with the thickest grasses I've ever seen. Shocked

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Oh the drama of it all Laughing

Things will be different this year as it's drier than heck here with no moisture in the forecast Confused

Lot's of birds but finding them after they've been shot is going to be tough.It'll be hard on the dogs as well.

Bring plenty of Point,I develop quite a thirst making all these evil and twisted
surprises Wink

We're bringing out 12 cases of Point...maybe more if we can stuff it in.

We should be there about 9:00-10:00 tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to seeing you and everyone else.