The King in N. WI

[TheGreek]

A few older buddies and I are in the Northwoods of WI for the next week chasing the King and timberdoodles. We did this hunt last year and had a blast. Lots of good food and good friends. We are hunting over a Brittany and an English Cocker with a Visla to arrive later in the week with another guy. I got lucky and bagged my first ruffed grouse of the trip on the first morning. Yesterday was the first day of the hunt and we flushed 8 grouse, shot at 4 and killed one, and flushed 3 woodcock, shot at 2 and killed one as well. I’m shooting an A.H. Fox Sterlingworth in 20 gauge, a Philadelphia gun. I’ll try to post a few pics as well as flush counts throughout the week in case anyone is interested.

 

[Cheesehead]

Love it. Beautiful country up there

 

[TheGreek]

10-17-21
Grouse flushed: 5
Grouse shot at: 2
Grouse killed: 0

Woodcock flushed: 11
Woodcock shot at: 6
woodcock killed: 4

Here’s the grouse mobile:

 

[TheGreek]

10-18-21
Grouse Flushed: 6
Grouse shot at: 3
Grouse killed: 3

Woodcock flushed: 12
Woodcock shot at: 9
woodcock killed: 6

 

[TheGreek]

10-19-21
Grouse Flushed: 21
Grouse Shot at: 12
Grouse Killed: 5

Woodcock flushed: 1
woodcock shot at: 1
woodcock killed: 0

It has been hot here the past two afternoons. Highs about 70 by about 2pm. We skipped yesterday afternoon to give the dogs a break and figured we would have to do the same again today. We found ourselves at a gated road on MFL land this afternoon and figured we'd give it a shot. I'm glad we did. We flushed over 10 birds in there and managed to kill a few. I managed to kill another beautiful red phase bird over a good point. And a guy in our group killed his first grouse today. One of those great days in the Northwoods.

 

[Nick87]

Read the title, thought maybe you spotted Elvis at the casino.

 

[TheGreek]

We tried to do a little citizen science today by completing a West Nile Virus kit on a grouse my buddy killed. Hopefully I followed all of the instructions correctly.

 

[ktn1969]

Did alot of bird hunting when I was in my teens. Grouse really do taste good!

 

[NEWHunter]

Sounds like you’re doing well. What county are you guys in? I’ll be near Eagle River on Sunday giving it a shot.

 

[NoWiser]

Looks like a blast. I haven't grouse hunted since my brittany died. Your post has me itching to get another dog and get back at it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

It's a banner year for the birds. Nice work!

 

[TheGreek]

Sounds like you’re doing well. What county are you guys in? I’ll be near Eagle River on Sunday giving it a shot.

We’ve been hunting in Sawyer and Ashland Counties on a combination of national forest, county and MFL land.

 

[TheGreek]

Today had a few pucker moments. About 20 minutes into the morning hunt we stumbled into a porcupine with the dogs and they went after it. We were able to get them back from the porcupine before too much damage was done and each dog only got one or two quills in the face. It was really close to be a trip ending encounter. Shortly after that, we ran into a bunch of really fresh wolf scat and a few minutes after that the dogs started walking at our heels and refusing to range away from us at all. We knew something must be up, we figured they got the scent of a wolf or wolves nearby, so we turned around and hightailed it out of there. I ended up flushing and taking a snowshoe hare in the afternoon. It was just starting to turn color in the feet. Overall, a mixed bag type of day, porcupine, snowshoe hare, a few grouse and a woodcock to boot. We even saw a spike elk on the drive back.

Flush count for today:

Grouse flushed: 18
Shot at: 5
Killed: 2

Woodcock flushed:4
Shot at: 2
Killed: 1

We aren’t seeing the woodcock numbers we did last year.

 

[Gellar]

Today had a few pucker moments. About 20 minutes into the morning hunt we stumbled into a porcupine with the dogs and they went after it. We were able to get them back from the porcupine before too much damage was done and each dog only got one or two quills in the face. It was really close to be a trip ending encounter. Shortly after that, we ran into a bunch of really fresh wolf scat and a few minutes after that the dogs started walking at our heels and refusing to range away from us at all. We knew something must be up, we figured they got the scent of a wolf or wolves nearby, so we turned around and hightailed it out of there. I ended up flushing and taking a snowshoe hare in the afternoon. It was just starting to turn color in the feet. Overall, a mixed bag type of day, porcupine, snowshoe hare, a few grouse and a woodcock to boot. We even saw a spike elk on the drive back.

Flush count for today:

Grouse flushed: 18
Shot at: 5
Killed: 2

Woodcock flushed:4
Shot at: 2
Killed: 1

We aren’t seeing the woodcock numbers we did last year.


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What an eventful day!!

 

[maxracx]

Those wolves up there are no joke. Be very careful, hate to have those bastard ruin your trip!!! We used to hunt Southeast of you in Vilas Co and too many close calls with wolves ended that.

 

[ScottP]

Great stuff. Best time of year up nort.

 

[tzone]

Fun trip. We used to hunt a ton in the Park Falls area. Deer and grouse for about 20 years.

This is a perfect time to be there.

 

[TheGreek]

Today was one of those days that will stick with me once the season is over. Just one of those beautiful days in the Northwoods and we got into a bunch of grouse and managed to kill a few. I killed two today and finally got a gray phase. The dog made a great retrieve on a pretty lively bird and the tail got mangled in the process but oh well. Dinner was grouse marsala. We’re roughing it.


Flush count for today:
Grouse flushed: 28
Grouse shot at: 10
Killed: 4

Woodcock flushed: 2
Shot at: 2
Killed: 1

Here are the crops from about 11 separate grouse, a lot of greens and catkins:

 

[TheGreek]

Friday 10-22-21 was our last day hunting
Flush Count for 10-22-21
Grouse Flushed: 13
Shot at: 5
Killed: 0

Woodcock Flushed: 6
Shot at: 3
Killed: 1

I had a few good shots at grouse but couldn't connect. For the 2nd day in a row, a well placed tree, for the grouse, spoiled my shot.



Total Flush Counts for the Week:
Grouse Flushed: 99
Shot at: 41
Killed: 15

Woodcock Flushed: 41
Shot at: 26
Killed: 15

I drove home early Saturday morning and the rest of my hunting companions hit the road as well. The end of a highly anticipated hunting trip is always a little sad. Friday was bittersweet as we knew we had come to the end. The last push on Friday produced some flushes but we just couldn't connect. Walking back to the rig and out of the grousewoods after that last hunt Friday afternoon was melancholy, knowing it was time to say goodbye to friends and a trip that I had looked forward to for a year. But such is life. We had a blast. Too much fun, too many jokes and ballbreaking, alot of birds, spectacular cooking, and at times, a little too much of the brown liquid. All the things that make a great hunting trip a great hunting trip. Next year can't come soon enough.

 

[Arcola]

What a trip. Neat to see all those color phases. I spent a lot of time kicking around that area as a kid. Haven't made it up the in a few decades though. This thread has inspired me to get back up there and introduce my boys to that area.