# early season grouse reports



## setterpoint (Feb 20, 2015)

are there any early season grouse reports for 2015 such as drumming and nesting and has any one seen grouse chicks yet


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## jeffya (Dec 22, 2010)

I heard a good report from someone in the northern lower peninsula banding WC saying it was very good and they moved LOTS of grouse... hope the weather is good to all those chicks.


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## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

When I was at my central U.P. camp in May I heard drumming all over where ever I went.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

With all the rain we had we will know in a couple weeks


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## Ray Adams (Feb 17, 2006)

I've heard good reports - same type of thing from banders in the NLP who are reporting lots of grouse. 

Here's hoping, right?

Ray


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

I found more grouse while banding this year than last. Thought Jit had found me a WC brood but when I got to him a hen grouse left this nest. She didn't go but a little hop, took a couple pictures and a quick count before leaving. Not sure how many one hen can produce, but there were 20 eggs in this nest. Seemed like a lot to me.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

I've heard good reports in Northern Wisconsin.


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## yooperguy (Mar 20, 2009)

I've been hearing drumming every day for the last few weeks. On 6/10 I saw a hen grouse along the side of the road with 8-10 chicks. That was right before a forecast for a LOT of rain. We didn't get all of the rain predicted so I'm hopeful for a decent survival rate.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

Mr. Botek said:


> I found more grouse while banding this year than last. Thought Jit had found me a WC brood but when I got to him a hen grouse left this nest. She didn't go but a little hop, took a couple pictures and a quick count before leaving. Not sure how many one hen can produce, but there were 20 eggs in this nest. Seemed like a lot to me.


Cannot say I have seen a ton of grouse nests but some years I would stumble onto one or two. The folks I worked with would find some too. The most eggs I can recall seeing or hearing about in a nest was a dozen and that number seemed to be the most common amount. Never saw less than about eight.

Have not run into a brood yet this year but I have heard more grouse drumming this year than I have in quite some time. Last year I did not hear a single bird drumming and my season was less than dismal. If numbers of drumming males translates directly into birds this October I am going to have a banner year (if I can shoot straight). FM


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Buddy of mine was just up in the northern LP last weekend fishing on a river and said they were drumming a ton.


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## Worm Dunker (Sep 11, 2000)

I came home from Mio Sunday and seen 4 adult grouse killed on the road side. I rode my RZR through most of the cover I hunt and never seen and birds grouse or woodcock.


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## bc993 (May 6, 2008)

We annually head up to the Lovell's area for the trout opener. Heard more birds this year than last and maybe more than the past 5. The opener stunk for fishing as it did last year. Two long winters set the fishing back a couple weeks. Went back two weeks later and hooked plenty of browns and brookies.

Should be a good season if the chicks made it through the spring.


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

A friend who lives on Drummond Island just west of Turkey Farm Rd sent a message last night that he saw a hen grouse with 5 chicks trailing her cross the road yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately he also reported that the coyote population on the east end of the island has taken a noticeable increase. He and his neighbors are seeing more bears as well.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Well if I didn't have the itch already I do now. How many days over the next do you guys think I'll spend on YouTube watching grouse hunting videos? :lol: :lol:


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

It's a year ending in 5, I'm not expecting much.


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## BIGSP (Sep 16, 2004)

Middle of the cycle, wet and cold during prime hatch and antidotal reports of small broods. 5 in a brood in June is really bad news and I've heard of even smaller ones as well.


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## oilcan (Feb 10, 2007)

I have not heard or seen any grouse yet.


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## Pat P (Nov 19, 2013)

I was fly fishing in Alcona last weekend and herd lots of drumming both days. I flushed a wood cock in our drive way pulling in and I haven't seen one there in a few years. I also stumbled on a grouse and 9 or 10 chicks right at the river edge. I have never seen the chicks before and it was really something to see the little birds pop up out of the tall grass. The first one caught me off guard and I stood still as the rest followed. They could only fly 10 feet or so and they all took off followed by the mother.


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## MandJ (Oct 10, 2012)

It's either bottom or slightly increasing, cycle never varies by MUCH, my guess, up from last yr, slightly.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

I don't believe in cycle as much as weather


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## MandJ (Oct 10, 2012)

Weather and cycle could very well be related. What I personally have seen, is years ending in 8 thru 2, tend to be better than 3 thru 7, with some variation and occasional odd spike. Generally consistent though. For me best has been 0-2.


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## Setter (Mar 20, 2001)

2ESRGR8 said:


> It's a year ending in 5, I'm not expecting much.


I was at my cabin in Reed City Friday and saw a grouse cross the two track in front of me and then 2-3 chicks flushed up in the raspberry cover. Later, a woodcock flushed when I was scouting around under an oak tree in an area that I have never seen a woodcock before. My cousin said that he had a baby woodcock in the two track in front of him in a low swamp area. He also saw a hen with a brood of chicks two weeks earlier 300 yards from where the woodcock chick was on Friday. So there appears to be a few birds to keep thing interesting for my setters.


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

2ESRGR8 said:


> It's a year ending in 5, I'm not expecting much.


I'm with the Grouse Guru, I heard a rumor drumming was way up, but weather in spring of 2014 was less than ideal for drumming when they do the survey. 

We had cold weather and rain during peak of the hatch. 

I saw a hen who had chicks with her on the side of a road to my parents place in Southern Mason county, she did the hop flight and none of the chicks flew when I pulled the truck up, I could hear a few running around though.

I'm guessing those chicks might not be flying yet. 

I'll be out just as much as I can this fall no mater the numbers.


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

Setter said:


> I was at my cabin in Reed City Friday and saw a grouse cross the two track in front of me and then 2-3 chicks flushed up in the raspberry cover. Later, a woodcock flushed when I was scouting around under an oak tree in an area that I have never seen a woodcock before. My cousin said that he had a baby woodcock in the two track in front of him in a low swamp area. He also saw a hen with a brood of chicks two weeks earlier 300 yards from where the woodcock chick was on Friday. So there appears to be a few birds to keep thing interesting for my setters.


That I think is the concern, only 2-3 chicks, we will be lucky to get 1 to the opener.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Steelheadfred said:


> I'm with the Grouse Guru, I heard a rumor drumming was way up, but weather in spring of 2014 was less than ideal for drumming when they do the survey.
> 
> We had cold weather and rain during peak of the hatch.
> 
> ...


You are making my point why do we always say cycle and not say weather.


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

Steelheadfred said:


> That I think is the concern, only 2-3 chicks, we will be lucky to get 1 to the opener.


Count me with the GC.

Doing some shooting on state land near here this weekend. Driving in there was a mamma pa'tridge and only 2-3 little ones that we could see. Hearing the same (small-v. small broods this year) from other locals. Lousy weather during the peak of the hatch.


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## NEMichsportsman (Jul 3, 2001)

With quiet time I haven't been in the woods much...when I was, I heard a fair amount of drumming and found a ton of ticks!!!!


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

The chipmunk and grasshopper hatch has been epic.


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## oilcan (Feb 10, 2007)

mosquitoes too.


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## MandJ (Oct 10, 2012)

Got out today, Gladwin area, we found 4 adults, 3 with broods, 2 broods of 3, and somewhat surprising one brood of 6. Of note the brood of 6 were considerably smaller than the others. Late or renest? Hot and nasty only a little over an hr on ground.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

I hope the perch are biting this Fall because so far the grouse numbers look poor.


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Well there you have it. Sell your dogs and guns and buy fishing tackle!


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## MandJ (Oct 10, 2012)

Dibs on BUL


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

2ESRGR8 said:


> I hope the perch are biting this Fall because so far the grouse numbers look poor.


Don't worry the club will go buy birds from Wisconsin for you


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