I have grouse hunted quite a bit - Georgia, Minnesota, and Idaho. My first grouse hunting was in northern Minnesota as a kid. We fished Lake Winniebegosh and would often drive the dirt roads in our Station Wagon. My dad and his buddy would sit in the front seat and drink Hamm’s Beer, and me and my friend would sit in the back seat with a Newport double barrel .410 and shoot the grouse. They were pretty tame. That was in the early to mid 60’s. We eventually got an english setter and would hunt them the traditional way, over a dog. I grouse and woodcock hunted in GA when we moved down there - with the same dog. There was nothing tame about the grouse down there. These were ruffed grouse. When I went to college in Idaho, we hunted ruffed, blue, and spruce grouse - over a dog. It would be a good hunt if you could time the woodcock migration with the grouse hunt.

 

Ruffies will forever be my favorite bird to hunt. I have never hunted them over a dog, just always lots of walking with my favorite shotgun from Georgia to Upstate New York to Washington State. They are dying out pretty quick and they are having trouble figuring why. I'd get to them while you can, you won't regret it.

 

Have grouse hunted off an on in VA, IN, WS, MI, MN and ID. Its not the easiest hunting in the world with grouse mostly found in thick young forests and places where shooting is tough. Get a hack saw and saw your shotgun barrel off--most shots are less than 20 yards--when you get a shot. (Just kidding, but most folks do use open chokes). One can hunt without a dog, but may loose a few shot birds. However, a close working dog is a bonus. The leaves come off in early to mid-Oct in MN/WS/MI and that is when most folks like to hunt. Also, the best woodcock migration is usually around the first full moon in October. Good luck!