e-scouting for ruffed grouse in the northernmost part of the Midwest

[BrentD]

I'm wondering if anyone has any particular suggestions they would like to share for finding grouse in the Northern Midwest via e-scouting on On-X What can you see that is useful? I used to hunt them more than 40 yrs ago, but I didn't have aerial views to give me an idea of what the places that held grouse reliably look like from the air.

Also, about how long after fires seems to be optimal? I've read less than 20, but I've never been able to focus on hunting burns back in the day. Now I could, if I knew what to look for.

Anyone have suggestions on where to start?

 

[TheGreek]

If you want to spend the money, I'd highly recommend scout and hunt. It's a mobile mapping service showing logging cuts by year and size specifically for grouse hunters. The cut information is much more expansive than the cut info on OnX. As for using OnX, look for logging cuts from about 8-20 years old. I've also flushed a fair amount of birds just walking cut trails regardless of the cover they were in.

 

[NoWiser]

No need to worry about fires. Logged areas are just as good. All you really need to do is drive to MN and start hunting anywhere north of Highway 2. Find a swamp surrounded by alder brush and you’ll find grouse. Bonus if there’s a couple year old clear cut nearby.

If you're determined to scout online, just look for swamps and beaver ponds in proximity to logging cuts.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

Pretty much what @NoWiser said....

A lot of counties have GIS mapping you can access and it will often have forest management layers. I would be looking for 4-10 y/o timber cuts particularly if they are aspen regen now.

 

[Birdbander]

Not sure what state you're looking into but MiHunt on Michigan DNR may help. It overlays cover types and stem density allowing you to see what cover looks like on Google maps. If you spend a little time on it you may be able to use OnX to see similar cover in other states.

 

[BrentD]

After some time on the ground, I got better at interpretting OnX maps but there was lots of room for error. One thing that would be really nice for OnX to do, and bet they can -put a date on the photos so when one clicks a point for info, in addition to ownership, photo date shows up. Spotting what looks like a 3 yr old clear cut isn't very helpful if you don't know if the photo is 1 yr or 5 yr old.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I’ve hunted quite a bit in northern MN. I just drive around until I see good-looking habitat and then hunt there, and frequently find birds. Large mono clearcut regens aren’t good, even if it’s the “perfect” age class. Selective logging, or smaller regens of multiple adjacent age class clearcuts are much better, since the birds rely on different ages of aspens for their food, cover, and roosting needs. Adjacent to alder swamps and patchy conifers is also helpful. The thick stuff holds birds, but if you can’t see to shoot it can be frustrating. I try to hunt where I can get shots at at least 25 yards out.

 

[BrentD]

I’ve hunted quite a bit in northern MN. I just drive around until I see good-looking habitat and then hunt there, and frequently find birds. Large mono clearcut regens aren’t good, even if it’s the “perfect” age class. Selective logging, or smaller regens of multiple adjacent age class clearcuts are much better, since the birds rely on different ages of aspens for their food, cover, and roosting needs. Adjacent to alder swamps and patchy conifers is also helpful. The thick stuff holds birds, but if you can’t see to shoot it can be frustrating. I try to hunt where I can get shots at at least 25 yards out.

that's pretty much what I figured out, but it would be nice to be able to figure it out better on screen. I got my birds. It was awesome.

 

[Gellar]

After some time on the ground, I got better at interpretting OnX maps but there was lots of room for error. One thing that would be really nice for OnX to do, and bet they can -put a date on the photos so when one clicks a point for info, in addition to ownership, photo date shows up. Spotting what looks like a 3 yr old clear cut isn't very helpful if you don't know if the photo is 1 yr or 5 yr old.

I cleaned up the old barn on our property 3 years ago and the Onx map has not updated. Beacon has updated pictures about every month and google earth is about 6 months it seems.

 

[Don Fischer]

Got a question. What in the world is e-scouting?

 

[Birdbander]

Got a question. What in the world is e-scouting?

Using Google Maps, OnX or other online satellite views to view the terrain from above. Here in Michigan the DNR has MiHunt that also has overlays showing stem density(average tree diameter), what type of vegetation and when it was last cut (selective or clear).
E-scouting can help eliminate unproductive cover, but regardless it still takes boots on the ground to verify if there are birds.
Once you've spent time combining e-scouting and verifying you'll more easily pick out potentially productive cover.

 

[Jmnhunter]

This came out last week, some good tips on e-scouting grouse and woodcock from OnX Masterclass series

 

[cwitherow]

This came out last week, some good tips on e-scouting grouse and woodcock from OnX Masterclass series

Beat me to it. That being said I spent a good amount of time E-scouting based on the advice from this webinar and didn't see a feather when I hunted Sunday. To be fair, it was the first time I have ever attempted grouse hunting.

 

[Jmnhunter]

Beat me to it. That being said I spent a good amount of time E-scouting based on the advice from this webinar and didn't see a feather when I hunted Sunday. To be fair, it was the first time I have ever attempted grouse hunting.

me too; it was my first time on grouse opener, I'll wait for the heat and leaves to disappear now

 

[thusby]

Wisconsin has a great forest map that shows 1-3 year poplar growths. Fantastic on woodcock…hit and miss on grouse.

 

[Birdbander]

Wisconsin has a great forest map that shows 1-3 year poplar growths. Fantastic on woodcock…hit and miss on grouse.

That makes sense. The vertical takeoff of woodcock would allow them access into the dense young aspen cut.
One to three years is too thick for grouse to fly through, but by year 5 when the aspen start naturally thinning thr grouse will start taking up residence.