Minnesota Grouse Season Opens September 19 and the Scenery Should Be Fantastic

While we've had an amazing run of warm weather, fall is coming and the colors are expected to be especially beautiful this year.  One way to get out and and enjoy the scenery is to take part in the Minnesota grouse hunting season.

The Minnesota DNR reminds us that the season for ruffed and spruce grouse runs from Saturday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2015; and for sharp-tailed grouse from Sept. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 30.

The grouse season looks promising this year as weather was favorable for grouse reproduction and chick survival in spring and summer, and there are stable numbers of adult grouse that survived the winter.

If you've never hunted Minnesota's most popular game bird, grouse hunting does not require lots of up-front investment.  Grouse hunters need a blaze-orange hat or vest, a shotgun, a good pair of boots and a valid small-game license.

Grouse hunters can use just about any gauge shotgun, with 28-, 20-, 16- and 12-guages being the most commonly used, usually with No. 7-1/2 target or field loads. The daily limit for ruffed and spruce grouse is five combined with a possession limit of 10. The daily limit for sharp-tailed grouse is three with a possession limit of six.

Take advantage the two handy hunting links below to get complete grouse season information and have a great, and safe, hunting season.