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Headed North

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
Anyone headed north for the grouse woods this year? I'm leaving the 14th for Michigan for a few days with my father-in-law along with 3 setters and a pointer.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Friends of mine just got back... Had more grouse flushes than they could ever remember. Woodcock numbers seemed to be pretty low. I need to get up there one of these years and try it. I love bird hunting.
 

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
Friends of mine just got back... Had more grouse flushes than they could ever remember. Woodcock numbers seemed to be pretty low. I need to get up there one of these years and try it. I love bird hunting.

Heard several reports that woodcock are everywhere in the area I will be at. Not sure of the location your buddies were at but woodcock density can change drastically over only a few miles. I have been getting similar grouse reports too. TOO say I'm excited is an understatement.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Man that sounds fun. Make sure to get pic as I'm sure we would all like to see the scenery and hopefully some dead birds.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
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I've been trying to talk a bird hunting buddy into heading up there for a couple years now! He is going to Montana in a couple weeks, maybe we will go when he gets back. Good luck. My dog, son and I will look forward to your report!
 

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
Getting more anxious everyday. I haven't been able to go up for the last 3 years due to finances and our son being born. My father-in-law hasn't bird hunted since all the quail left the state so he is like a 5 year old waiting on Christmas morning. I'll be sure to give a report and post pics.
 

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
good luck, where you hunting UP or LP and what county? Love to see some pics

Hunting Central LP around Roscommon Co. Got a buddy up there now that has been finding birds but it has been hot and dry. Looks like that may change thankfully. He said there are hunters everywhere with campers parked all over. I'm hoping some move out before I head up. I usually have at least one day up there that I limit out on grouse and woodcock. Not sure if that will be the case this year, but a slow day up there is better than any day here. On a side note, here is the next project my dad bought a few weeks ago.
He lives in KY but I'm hoping to be able to help him out some. IMG_0696.JPG
 

Wmiller07

Member
1,132
30
Hunting Central LP around Roscommon Co. Got a buddy up there now that has been finding birds but it has been hot and dry. Looks like that may change thankfully. He said there are hunters everywhere with campers parked all over. I'm hoping some move out before I head up. I usually have at least one day up there that I limit out on grouse and woodcock. Not sure if that will be the case this year, but a slow day up there is better than any day here. On a side note, here is the next project my dad bought a few weeks ago.
He lives in KY but I'm hoping to be able to help him out some.View attachment 57427

Are there upland birds in KY?
 

Wmiller07

Member
1,132
30
Few and far between anymore. Pockets of grouse if you know where you go and fair numbers of quail on the old strip mines from coal. We usually do pretty good on woodcock around the lakes whenever they migrate through.

Didn't know about the quail. I wish Ohio could figure something out and get our upland bird population back to half of what it used to be.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Didn't know about the quail. I wish Ohio could figure something out and get our upland bird population back to half of what it used to be.
Its no giant management mystery what happened. The problem would be fighting the farm bureau and lobby to get the laws passed. The only thing they want living near those fields is their corn and beans.
 

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
Didn't know about the quail. I wish Ohio could figure something out and get our upland bird population back to half of what it used to be.

Quail will never come back unless some intense management is done. Too many farmers continue clear tree lines, hedgerows, and thickets. Between farming, predators, and lack of habitat, there will never be quail unless something changes. I believe even with intense management it would take years if not decades to establish any bird population. My in-laws 300 acre farm used to be able to hold very high numbers of birds before the bad winters wiped them out in the 70's. Here is what I have witnessed in Central Ohio in the last few years. Farmers that continue to farm are clearing for timber and other diverse habitat to plant more crops. Farmers that are getting too old to farm are selling out to housing developments which causes large developments to take place taking away even more habitat. Predators are everywhere. 56 yotes were trapped within a 1 mile radius of my house in 3 months last year and its common to see 5-6 red tailed hawks and other flying predators on a daily basis within close proximity. Too many factors working against quail.
 

HillBuck

Junior Member
60
27
Union Co
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Well, it's been a week since we returned. I will say that it was not the most productive trip I have ever made. We were blessed with some cooler weather while we were there but bird numbers were way down compared to other years and hunting pressure was up. Many of the cuts I usually hunt have been cut again or are too big and do not hold many birds. Other hunters were also in many of the spots I try to hit. I will post more details about about the trip soon.