Eagle River camp helps new grouse hunters

“We started coming up to a cabin in Wood County and hunting grouse and woodcock but we weren’t finding many birds. So, we saw this, and figured this would be a good way to speed up figuring out grouse and woodcock hunting,” Nick Liszek, a new grouse hunter from Fort Atkinson.

Nick was talking about the Ruffed Grouse Society’s “Grouse Camp” held at Trees for Tomorrow Camp in Eagle River. The event strives to take a novice or new ruffed grouse hunter and provide them the knowledge that allows them to function independently and somewhat successfully.

This year, 45 hunters came from ten states including Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Some planned to make a week out of it- some a long weekend. Some like John Harrison, a young hunter in his mid-twenties left a little after midnight on Friday from Pittsburgh, Pa. and arrived on Friday about 4:30 in the afternoon. Sunday, after hunting into the afternoon, John planned to drive back to Pittsburgh and work on Monday.

Seminars on topics ranging from ruffed grouse and woodcock biology, and habitat needs, finding hunting coverts from mapping software, strategies for hunting grouse, and some safety lessons for bird hunters and dogs, provide knowledge. After the seminars, the hunters pair up with mentors, experienced grouse hunters from RGS chapters from Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The groups go on a mentored hunt on Saturday afternoon and then again on Sunday morning.

“I always hunted deer, and wanted to do more hunting,” said Derek Pantone, also from Fort Atkinson and a hunting partner of Liszek. “Some friends wanted me to start hunting ducks and geese with them and I really liked it, but the cost to get into it is really high. Besides that, I don’t have a place to store a boat and decoys right now.” “I met Nick on a goose hunt that went well. We hit it off and he talked about upland hunting,” Derek continued. “A couple weeks later, he texted and told me about a pheasant hunt he was going on, and invited me along. I loved it. Last fall we started going on some grouse and woodcock hunt and loved it, but we learned there was a lot to learn and then someone told us about Grouse Camp. This is our vacation this year.” “I hunted a lot as a kid, and fish a lot, since my dad was a commercial fishermen. I grew up in Massachusetts and always thought bird hunting would be fun,” said Jeff Williams, a professional chef and restauranteer from Chicago. “Keeping a birddog in Chicago wasn’t feasible, but due to family reasons, we need to move to Michigan to take care of a parent. That allows me to pursue upland birds like I wanted to when I was a kid in Massachusetts. The upland birds I’ve eaten are delicious, and I’m looking forward to that as well. I’m here to learn.”

“This is my favorite event of the year,” Gabe Stone, the RGS regional events coordinator for Michigan. “It’s great to be back in Wisconsin, and amongst the friends I’ve made the previous three years, when I was in Wisconsin. It’s also great to be here hunting grouse and woodcock with everyone here.”

“Congratulations to everyone that harvested a bird today, and congratulations to everyone,” Stone continued. “Today you all became grouse hunters.”

Up until last February, Stone was the regional events coordinator for Wisconsin. He moved to Michigan to be close to family. He was addressing the group after dinner on Saturday while raising a toast during the whiskey tasting part of the event. On Friday evening for the icebreaker, everyone enjoyed a Texas style pork barbecue complete with all the fixings.

Of the 45 hunters who came to the event to learn how to hunt grouse, eight harvested grouse Saturday afternoon. For all of them it was their first grouse. The first time they held a grouse and were able to closely look at the feather patterns, look at the tail fan, just hold a grouse.

Back at camp, a RGS biologist studied each bird for biological markers, sexed the bird, and weighed the bird for the lucky hunter. Then their mentor showed them how to field dress their grouse with several others looking on.

Whether you’re taking up a new type of hunting this fall or chasing game you hunted all your life, things are heating up. But please remember, Safe Hunting is No Accident!

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CHUCK K OLAR LOCAL OUTDOORSMAN