We're one month into grouse hunting. Just wondering how the leaf drop is looking as we get close to the peak of hunter numbers around Rapids. I know MEA weekend is coming and that usually brings a lot of folks 'up north.'

How's hunting been in general? Last year the counts were up but the bag returns weren't very good as I recall...something about an absence of juvenile birds in the bag and the potential that some chicks were frozen in the spring?

I have seen lots of birds this year. Since opener i have probably been in the woods a total of 20 hours, with a total of 11 birds in the freezer. I would have to say that a good majority (75%)of the birds I got looked like juvenile birds. Still seems like an "up" year though. Lots of birds seen/heard. BTW i hunt just east of GR.