Has anyone ever grouse hunted portages in October? I have a Fall Break October 17-25 and, after teaching 12-14 years olds virtually for the first nine weeks of this school year, I believe a BWCA trip might just be what the doctor ordered. Please help with any positive insight on this dream trip.

Yep, although not a dedicated hunting trip (It was a canoeing and fishing trip primarily) . A couple years back my dad brought a .357 with bird shot on an October Mudro trip and he bagged a couple on the portages along the Horse River. We had grouse for dinner at camp one night and fish the next 3 nights. Great trip. Good luck, I’ve seen tons of grouse this year, more then any other recent years.

Tony

GopherAdventure: "Yep, although not a dedicated hunting trip (It was a canoeing and fishing trip primarily) . A couple years back my dad brought a .357 with bird shot on an October Mudro trip and he bagged a couple on the portages along the Horse River. We had grouse for dinner at camp one night and fish the next 3 nights. Great trip. Good luck, I’ve seen tons of grouse this year, more then any other recent years.


Tony"

Seeing lot of broods BWCA area? Grouse been down for so long. I know further south Brainerd area numbers still very low this year. Hatching weather was excellent this year most of the state.

Grouse! In October it’s what’s for dinner if your not successful in the duck blind. Haha! In the ‘70’s the bluebills came through there around mea weekend. We hunted Wood Lake. Twice a grouse flew onto the island and provided a nice snack. Haha.
I enjoyed some great meals of grouse out there. But read guidelines of where you can and can’t fire a firearm. And remember the regular paddler will not have a stitch of orange on. Safety first!

nctry: "Grouse! In October it’s what’s for dinner if your not successful in the duck blind. Haha! In the ‘70’s the bluebills came through there around mea weekend. We hunted Wood Lake. Twice a grouse flew onto the island and provided a nice snack. Haha.
I enjoyed some great meals of grouse out there. But read guidelines of where you can and can’t fire a firearm. And remember the regular paddler will not have a stitch of orange on. Safety first!"

The late 60's and 70's were bluebill heaven-there were so many of them

Pinetree: "

GopherAdventure: "Yep, although not a dedicated hunting trip (It was a canoeing and fishing trip primarily) . A couple years back my dad brought a .357 with bird shot on an October Mudro trip and he bagged a couple on the portages along the Horse River. We had grouse for dinner at camp one night and fish the next 3 nights. Great trip. Good luck, I’ve seen tons of grouse this year, more then any other recent years.



Tony"

Seeing lot of broods BWCA area? Grouse been down for so long. I know further south Brainerd area numbers still very low this year. Hatching weather was excellent this year most of the state."

Yeah, tons of new broods this year. I’m seeing lots off of the Fernberg Road. It’s a good mixture of spruce and roughed, but I’d say of all the birds I’ve seen this year, 3/4 have been roughed. Every time I mow (almost had to change my underwear last weekend when a couple popped up on me) or walk the trails by my place I am coming across grouse. A couple of hikes in May I must have seen 30-40 in a two mile stretch. Of course they’re easier to see in May.
Good point about the portages and being careful about others. The birds we bagged a few years ago happen to be on the second trip of a double portage when we knew we were the only people on the trail.

Tony

GopherAdventure: "

Pinetree: "

GopherAdventure: "Yep, although not a dedicated hunting trip (It was a canoeing and fishing trip primarily) . A couple years back my dad brought a .357 with bird shot on an October Mudro trip and he bagged a couple on the portages along the Horse River. We had grouse for dinner at camp one night and fish the next 3 nights. Great trip. Good luck, I’ve seen tons of grouse this year, more then any other recent years.



Tony"

Seeing lot of broods BWCA area? Grouse been down for so long. I know further south Brainerd area numbers still very low this year. Hatching weather was excellent this year most of the state."

Yeah, tons of new broods this year. I’m seeing lots off of the Fernberg Road. It’s a good mixture of spruce and roughed, but I’d say of all the birds I’ve seen this year, 3/4 have been roughed. Every time I mow (almost had to change my underwear last weekend when a couple popped up on me) or walk the trails by my place I am coming across grouse. A couple of hikes in May I must have seen 30-40 in a two mile stretch. Of course they’re easier to see in May.
Good point about the portages and being careful about others. The birds we bagged a few years ago happen to be on the second trip of a double portage when we knew we were the only people on the trail.


Tony"

That's awesome maybe the next year or two the rest of the state will see likewise. Around Brainerd to Longville grouse are very rare to see still. Use to be very abundant.

I thought hunting (i.e. discharging a firearm) from portages was against the rules?

"Discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a campsite, occupied area, and in a manner or location that places people and their property at risk or danger"

Did a hunting trip early Oct about 25 years ago. Stayed on Disappointment and worked some of the trails in the area. Easy access off the portage to Ahsub or in the SE corner of Disappointment as I recall. If your focusing on hunting, I think looking for access to some of the established hiking trails allows you to hunt away from the portages and away from other campsites. Also you can cover more area.

We bagged a couple of grouse and a duck, We also had snow, freezing rain, and maybe the best aurora display I have seen. The grouse were pretty big.

The grouse cycle is on the upward swing, it should peak again in a few years.

Good Luck!!

Hunted the pow wow trail and parts of the Kek a few times but never between portages. Both Ruffed and Spruce Grouse in the area. Nice to have a little wild protein to eat while on the trail.

bwcamjh: "Hunted the pow wow trail and parts of the Kek a few times but never between portages. Both Ruffed and Spruce Grouse in the area. Nice to have a little wild protein to eat while on the trail."

Any favorite ways to eat them in the woods? I haven't tasted grouse since I was a kid but it sounds like a great way to spend some time in canoe country.

I also have been interested with a few others putting together a couple of hunting trips in the BWCA. Don't think it will happen with me this year, but the others may make it. Will be looking forward to hear how you make out. I can see a lot of opportunity. Read an article about a bear bow hunt in the BWCA some time back.

Following. My husband has been talking about a fall grouse hunting trip in the BW...especially after we had them walking through our campsite on Seagull this summer.

We came across a brood on a campsite on southern Alpine. Having something move in the brush in an area of known bear activity sure made my heart rate speed up!

When traveling solo I don't get fancy with food. I just quarter the birds up and boil. Makes a nice broth you can drink and easy to get meat off the bones. Now with a group camp and intent, bring along some butter and garlic and herbs and small potatoes and.........feast!

I haven’t hunted grouse in the BWCA, but most of my grouse gets cooked/eaten the same way as my BWCA fish - debone, cut into nuggets, shore lunch or equivalent breading, then pan fry in oil or ghee.

Cut the breast of cut in medium to small pieces crosswise with the way muscles run. Fry in your favorite oil with flour, corn meal or your favorite fish mix.

Spruce grouse is a darker meat which I like, but many of the locals will not shoot them because of the taste. They love to eat jackpine needles.

I am going up to Lutsen the first or second week in October grouse hunting.

Ramrat: "I am going up to Lutsen the first or second week in October grouse hunting. "

If you have the ability go during the week. If there is any grouse this year, weekends can get crowded. Even up there.

I usually try and hike the Angleworm trail in the fall every year, and I have run into many hunters on the path. They always seem to be doing well. I know I see a lot of grouse while hiking, but have never hunted them up there. Good luck!

Pinetree: "

Ramrat: "I am going up to Lutsen the first or second week in October grouse hunting. "

If you have the ability go during the week. If there is any grouse this year, weekends can get crowded. Even up there."
Hope to be up there Thursday throw Sunday. Going to camp on my neighbor property up there just north of town. Hope to shoot a few ducks to amd maybe a catch a fish or two.

I slowed down on duck hunting because there is so few in the forested areas, but I would like to get just one black duck.