AWESOME Ruffed Grouse & Woodcock Hunting Footage!

A look back at the entire 2020 Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock captures in the north woods of Michigan! The first half of this video is mostly woodcock shots, the second half is all Grouse. Some shots I wasn't able to capture on camera.
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[@joesmith6420]

Mostly watch Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire....but this is one of the best hunting action videos I've watch in the last few days...congratulations

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks for following along Joe! Good luck this season!

[@SpanielshuntingtrialingNZ]

Glad I found your channel, always enjoy good dog work and the birds are a bonus😀😀

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Appreciate you following along!

[@gmatherly98]

Really nice dog work! Hard to beat shooting grouse over a beautiful Brit!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot Gabe - Appreciate that! And Amen to shooting a ruff over Britts! Good luck this season.

[@jeffdillon870]

I love this! Me and my Britt can't wait until October/November! Especially when we get our flight birds here in upstate NY.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Man flight birds sure a riot and make for a fun fast paced time! That time pf year is creeping up fast - good luck! Cheers to Britts!

[@RustySprocket]

Schutnschidt here, Love the video man! Great dog work!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Hey man, good to hear from you! Thanks for watching and following along still - hope all is good!

[@RustySprocket]

@@UplanderLifestyle All's good out here! Insta got too political for me, so I quietly slipped out the back, but I do miss seeing what a few of you are up to. The britts are looking good dude! Best of luck this upcoming season!

[@davejonas3107]

Great video excellent dogs really enjoy watching Thanks!!!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot for watching and the comment Dave - Much appreciated!

[@F15Bluto]

Really great video, and always a joy to watch good dogs work. Nothing makes them happier.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

You got that right! It's what makes our love for upland hunting so special - the dogs! Thanks a lot for following along.

[@kyleclum4502]

Cool videos, Cliff. Heading up to a cabin on Twin Lake on Saturday. Will be my first experience for grouse and woodcock. I had to do a double take when I seen your face! Last I saw you was in 2012 when you shot that big old bruiser with OBO. Hope all is well!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Man, that's crazy! I had to do a double take when I seen your name pop up! Good to hear from you dude - hope you guys had some luck up there!

[@Dynamics__Gaming]

i live up here in michigan and the past couple years have been amazing for bird season!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Shhhhh!

[@in.hindsight]

good dog work and nice shooting

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Appreciate that brother - the dogs are ready to get back out there!

[@GoodboyBubbaloo]

I was up for 8 days this year, flushed a ton of birds but they were all spooky. Flushing 15 20 yards ahead of the dogs. Think I shot a total of 7 times this year. It was rough, still had a blast though.

[@russbatzer6970]

Great content! Got yourself a new sub here...nice video! From bay city, but spend almost every weekend up north 👍👍

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks Russ! Always good to hear from another MI grouse hunter, good luck this year in 2022!

[@zekeanderson5684]

I think in michigan shotguns are only allowed 3 shells. You might want to check the regulations

[@UplanderLifestyle]

If you are hunting woodcock the gun must be plugged. The times I'm seen loading more than 3 shells and shooting more than three times are all dated after the woodcock season closes - the gun no longer needs to be plugged after woodcock season closes when hunting grouse.

[@zekeanderson5684]

@@UplanderLifestyle thanks I never knew that. Looks like I'll be throwing more lead at grouse after Woodcock season

[@devinshook3289]

where abouts in Northern Michigan? lived there most of my life and didn't know upland birds like grouse were a popular game species

[@UplanderLifestyle]

We hunt most of the norther part of the state. Anything above US 10 is fair game and where grouse habitat begins. Upland hunters are a fly on a horses ass compared to deer hunters here, but were fortunate to have a lot of opportunity to hunt birds here, if you choose to seek them out.

[@devinshook3289]

@@UplanderLifestyle hell, just romping around in the woods up there is a blast. I dont live there anymore, but it sure is beautiful up in the northern parts. I used to live in the upper peninsula

[@charliebelle6693]

Grouse that were plentiful in the 1970's and 1980's here in Western NY are all but gone.

[@tomguertin7713]

Great job..

[@moabhunting]

Nice shooting!

[@huntershunters7185]

Good

[@kylekubik4468]

What kind of shotgun do you shoot with

[@UplanderLifestyle]

The gun I'm using in this video is a Weatherby Element Deluxe 12 gauge.

[@bonnienoelle]

This makes me wish it was fall!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

You and I both!

[@brianfeeney9493]

What do You do to shoot that well ???

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Most of the time I'm just aiming at a spot where I believe the bird is gonna end up! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, lol.

[@brianfeeney9493]

You’re hit percentage rate is wild ........ I think that most folks that I now shoot at 20-25% , when the cover is full canopy !! Super - Enjoyed Your Video !!!! Be Safe and Great Hunting ! ✨👍🏻💫

[@matttimmer4226]

Where are you hunting in MI? I always hunt up towards Cadillac for grouse and woodcock. Looking for more places to go.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Hey Matt - I bounce around to most of the Northern half of the state! Lots of land and good habitat out there - Good luck this season!

[@petebeckelic8709]

Dont let michigan DNR see you loading 5 shells into that gun. You might not like the response. You have to plug autoloaders and pumps at 3. Awesome video though.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

You only need to plug when hunting migratory birds, woodcock in my case. I take the plug out after woodcock closes. Times I'm seeing loading more than 3 is after woodcock has closed.

[@johnauger6827]

I hope you weren't hunting woodcock with 5 shells in your gun in Michigan. Must plug for three max.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

The plug was in the gun, and the plug is in the gun right now as well. The dates I'm seen shooting and loading more than three is after woodcock has closed. Thanks for checking..

[@cliffordenzor4236]

Got me pumped to get back out there Chas'n Birds!

[@tinysupreme6417]

I love Ember so much, she's such a cutie and she seems so well behaved for still being a pup.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

She's a fun little dog! I've been working with her a lot this summer, I'm excited for her to see more ground time this season!

[@DuguayHunts1]

@@UplanderLifestyle what breed is the dofs

[@VentureCreek]

Super excited to go hunting again soon and to make / watch more hunting videos ! keep it up ma dude !

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Coming up fast! Good luck this season!

[@andrewsdrmike]

I had a great week last October in north Maine with my setter. Most birds I’ve seen in 8 years! Only took my Llewellin as my French Brittany is 13 and retired.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thats awesome man! It's coming up fast, cant wait for those October days again!

[@valleyquail1790]

Really enjoying these videos you guys are putting out. I’m pretty sure I saw Dale Gribble back there having a smoke! Lol. Hope you all have a great season

[@urban.homestead]

Great dogs! Nice footage, looking forward to more!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot Craig!

[@jamesgeorge6290]

You probably hear this alot but what shotguns (make/model /gage) were you using in this video? Do you prefer the SA over the O/U or vice versa or it just depends on what you take out of the truck that day? What kennel are your dogs from? And lastly if you hit a bird and it goes down do you have to worry about it running? Sorry but my experience is only with pheasants right now. Hope to change that in the near future. Thanks for the videos.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

James - thanks for watching and reaching out! I've got a Weatherby Element 12 Gauge Semi that I was seen shooting most of the time in this video. My O/U is an ATI 410, and my buddy in the video shoots a CZ O/U in 20 Gauge. I use the 410 a little bit in the beginning of season when the woodcock are in, but after that I switch back to my Semi 12 - I honestly like the semi because I've been in situations before where I shot at a bird and wasnt able to reload before another one jumped up and still got a shot off at it. Grouse don't take much to make them go down, a few pellets and they die fast, and they definitely don't hit the ground running like pheasants do on a cripple. Good luck this season!

[@Ivytea]

Awesome video. Love seeing the dogs work and point birds! Wonderin if you have any reccomendations for a decent upland vest? In the market for a new one. Just subbed. Great content.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot man! I just piked up the Pyke Wingman Vest the other week, its really nice. I don't have any experience with any of the other new vests out there currently, but I chose the Pyke for its simplicity and small frame size for moving through thick brush while grouse hunting.

[@josephoneill7033]

Is is so cool to see good dog work with brits!

[@loulentz3107]

Thanks much for the video! Great footage; especially like your ending scenes with the music overlay! ~Lou

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks Lou!

[@outdoorrn2980]

Finally some decent dogs pointing and retrieving grouse and woodcock in real hunting. Nothing ruins the hunt quicker than dogs that don't retrieve them. KZbin is filled with crap hunting dogs on video. Thumbs up!! :)....... even the excuses are real. ..."flew right into the sun."....yeh OK.... LOL

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you! And thanks for watching! I enjoy a high level of dog work, and that's what we aim for. Hey luckily that sun was there, because if it wasn't I wouldn't have an excuse!

[@OhioCatfishChasers]

Man! Some of those shots are impressive!! Also is that an alpha 100 youre running?

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks dude, you gotta be quick on the draw! No it is not the Alpha unit. I use the Astro 430 paired with a T5 collar for GPS and run a separate ecollar so the two aren't dependent on each other. I use the Garmin XC ecollars.

[@OhioCatfishChasers]

@@UplanderLifestyle For sure.. This will be my first year chasing grouse.. Ive just hunted pheasant in the past. Should be interesting lol...and oh okay. I just got the alpha 100 is why i was asking. Looked similar

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Right on! You and your string of dogs are gonna have some fun!

[@OhioCatfishChasers]

@@UplanderLifestyle Absolutely! Cant wait! Only 100 days untill woodcock come in here in Ohio...not sure any will have come down yet though lol

[@bird_dogs_n_bees]

Brittanies man, no other dog breed like em

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Amen 👍🏻

[@pingouin125]

This morning, listening to your video, I am smelling wood, dead leaves and evergreen trees. Michigan forest seems quite identical to Quebec one, north of Montreal.

[@doublegun15]

Good dogs

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you!

[@TheIrfanxz44]

Grouse in my area don’t hold that good They flush instantly you can barely get a shot

[@northernforestgundogs]

Looking forward to turning these dogs lose in Montana!!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

100% dude!

[@davegriggs3863]

What kennel(s) are your dogs out of?

[@jessebucholtz9504]

Love it! I’m from Gaylord and literally just ordered a hat from you and then jumped on KZbin to watch some hunting and there was your video, ironic! I didn’t even realize when I ordered the hat you were from Michigan! Love your brits… my wife and I own Copper Kennel, we breed brits!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Appreciate the support man! Good luck this season!

[@PYKEGear]

Nice video! Got the blood flowing for this fall. It'll be here soon.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you! Yes, getting closer by the hour! Counting down the days till we hit the road for MT in Sept!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Thanks Again for an Outstanding Video !!!! Luv Me BRITTS !!!!!!!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks for following along! Good luck this season!

[@johnnyhighwoods1780]

October 1st ,2021 and its our first day of grouse and pheasant and cant go till next week. Cant wait.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Good luck!

[@jmanjman6272]

Awesome video! This took me back ...., Heading up to the U.P Sunday after a two year hiatus after moving to the south. Happy hunting season !

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you! Good luck up there this year!

[@muttomaki1]

Grouse numbers were lousy this year in the UP. Not sure if it is West Nile Virus or what.

[@g-man2228]

I like ‘em both, but I can’t wait to see Ember progress…Oh and the ‘Sun’ excuse rocks! 🤣

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you! She's off to a good start this season so far.

[@JimsNBHomestead]

awesome

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Thank You ...... The TOUGHEST Bird Hunting to Video !!!!!! Awfully warm in MI this October 🍂 Send 2021 content when possible please . ✨🎣💫

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Yes it's been even tougher with the conditions this year so far! This warm spell has kept the leaves mostly green. It's a pretty thick jungle up there! Good luck this season, praying for some cooler weather soon!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Awfully Warm today ..... gonna be a short push for sure !! No Frost to date and it’s already the 11th !!!! LOTS of Wind today ......... Thank you for the reply ! Great Hunting and Enjoy 😊 ✨🙏🏻💫

[@andylafay324]

Great video, I have a 2 yr old liver and white Brittany. Keep up the great videos

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Appreciate that man! Livers make the best dogs, so I'm sure you've got a winner on your hands ;)

[@andylafay324]

@@UplanderLifestyle this coming fall will be her 2nd season, she is great we got some woodcock last year but no grouse yet so we're excited for the upcoming season

[@pawpatrolamv7219]

@@UplanderLifestyle When your dog points just let their tails wag

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Their tails naturally go into a straight line and don’t wag when on point.

[@pawpatrolamv7219]

@@UplanderLifestyle Did you teach them to wag

[@grahambouthillier6597]

Love me some Britts. Great true video. Your touch with the dogs is great

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Appreciate that! Thanks for following along!

[@stephenkutney9626]

What make, model of gun do you use? Choke? Shot size?

[@UplanderLifestyle]

I shoot a Weatherby Element in 12ga. Early Season I'll use an IC choke with 7.5 shot, the smaller shot goes through foliage better without losing speed, and more shot gives you a wider spread pattern in thicker cover that time of year. Later in the year when birds don't hold as tight and the leaves are down I switch to a MOD chock and #6's.

[@BrodyToYou]

Done any bird hunting in or near Oakland county?

[@UplanderLifestyle]

I actually grew up in Northern Oakland County. There was some pheasants that were around down the road from us when we first moved in, but they slowly faded away. That was the extent of it!

[@rahonwinethaelijah3337]

What do u do with the tails after you kill them?

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Usually pin them and dry them.

[@dselfridge_adventures]

Good looking Brits you have there!

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you!!

[@callmecamo2]

Just found your channel. Subbed

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot! More coming soon.

[@Mr67napper]

Love the Brittany.Great video

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thank you!

[@JoeC1998]

Great video! Subscribed 🤙🏼

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Thanks a lot my man! Much appreciated!

[@albertgremmel3899]

don't you have to plug your shotgun to hold 3 shells in Michigan when bird hunting?

[@UplanderLifestyle]

You tell me?

[@albertgremmel3899]

I looked up the rule on 3 shell capacity, looks like small game you can fully load your shotgun. Here in Pennsylvania you must plug your shotgun to 3 shells for small game and waterfowl but can fully load for big game.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

@@albertgremmel3899 correct. Grouse is considered small game and you can hunt with an unplugged gun outside of woodcock season. Woodcock is a migratory bird season, so during that time frame the gun needs to be plugged. If I’m seen loading the gun fully it’s because the dates are outside woodcock season.

[@charlie.b1303]

What gauge were you using

[@UplanderLifestyle]

12 gauge!

[@charlie.b1303]

@@UplanderLifestyle ok, thank you

[@ozarkmountainwanderer3472]

Wow, I wish we could hunt with our plugs out. That is a bucket list hunt for sure. Great dog work brother.

[@Yukontom]

I believe you need to be plugged for woodcock nation wide.

[@ozarkmountainwanderer3472]

@@Yukontom I'll have to watch the video again... I could have swore he stuffed her full.

[@Yukontom]

@@ozarkmountainwanderer3472 He did ! I was just saying , it's not just KY law.

[@ozarkmountainwanderer3472]

@@Yukontom You have to be plugged here in Missouri unless deer hunting with a shotgun or snow geese season.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

@@ozarkmountainwanderer3472 Plugs are only needed here for Migratory birds. So when it's woodcock season I plug the gun, but after it closes I take it out. The times I'm seen loading it fully and shooting more than 3 times are after the Woodcock season has closed and we're just hunting grouse.

[@shug2795]

Beautiful dogs and gorgeous cover. I've hunted northern MI with my Britts years ago and still have fond memories. I know we all have our own way of doing things but I just don't get why you don't have your dogs trained? You could use springers and get the same or better results in my humble opinion. I just got back from hunting grouse/woodcock and both my dogs pointed steady to the flush and shot and marked well enough to make efficient retrieves. Perhaps you weren't able to capture better results on camera? Then, you take untrained dogs and run them along with young dogs on mass. ???? If it's about "shooting", I get it but again, get a flusher. That's just not how pointing dogs are supposed to work. Here's the best part, you're getting compliments on your dog's. ?!?!?!? Folks...you have to elevate your expectations just....A LOT! I know, you're having fun but it gives folk the wrong impression, only in my opinion.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

I appreciate the comment and feedback. I'm not really sure why you're down playing my dogs? All these birds were shot over points. It's tough to see the full story of the dog work in tight cover on video, so you don't always get the full story of how the dog is working the bird, but I can assure you I have a pretty high standard of dog work. Ive got two young females that are still trying to figure things out, but my 4 year old male is a broke dog, but thanks for making assumptions that my dogs aren't trained? Maybe you should go watch some of my other videos. I've got some pretty damn good dogs and I spend a lot of time with them, that's why people are complimenting the dog work - because it is good dog work. Sorry you didn't see it as a 10/10 as your dogs must operate on every bird every run.

[@shug2795]

@@UplanderLifestyle I might need my eyes tested. Correct me if I'm wrong. Dogs were running, birds were flushing and GUNS WERE GOING OFF. Perhaps your definition of "trained" and mine are not remotely close. Pleas understand, I don't mean any malice. I'm just commenting on what I saw. I will watch it again to make sure. As such, I offer my apologies. Allow me review the video again.

[@UplanderLifestyle]

Congrats, your dogs are broke to wing, shot and fall. Here’s a gold star. Good luck this season.

[@shug2795]

@@UplanderLifestyle Ummm....no they are not "broke" what-so-ever, but the dogs are truly exceptional. The lower standards of expectation from the owners/handlers is the route source of my comments. The dogs are actually amazing but capable of much more. You simply don't ask it of your dogs. Revisit the proper definition of "broke". Again, awesome dogs AND super shooting! Great video!!

[@shug2795]

@@UplanderLifestyle Hang on...I don't deserve a star from you or anyone else simply because my dogs perform at an ENTRY level for a "pointing dog" breed. And so far, I've had a glorious season with both my dogs on the prairies and in dense grouse/woodcock cover. Central mid-west next for gentleman Bob and chickens! And all the best to you this season. Thank you and keep those videos coming!