Michigan Grouse/Woodcock Hunting & Truck Camping--October 2022

[@bayoustateoutdoors9650]

Laughed when your dog tried taking that woodcock off tailgate at the end….my lab is same way….that’s sign of a bird dog

[@thebirdbum9182]

It is... he always wants the bird. Also, he worked a lot harder for it than I did.

[@embertrent]

I love this video! No music, no fluff, just the sound of a man walking through the woods with his dogs. This video makes me feel like I'm grouse hunting with you. Can't wait to see what you make this coming bird season.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you for your comment! You feeling like you're there is something I'm shooting for... which includes having the camera on my heard much of the time. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@jameswedgeworth5300]

Well...from the "pick'n" intro, the "truck bed camping" to the "cook'n"...and all of that classic woodcock action makes this one of THE BEST upland videos I've seen in a very long time! I am a Woodcock Hunter myself, so, I get it...sometimes you just have to shoot and let the bb's find their way through the brush. Thank you for letting us join you in this hunt sir. Looking VERY forward to the next one.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you! I appreciate your comments, and thanks for tuning in!

[@thehuntingdogpodcast]

Enjoyable, thanks for documenting your trip to the mitten

[@thebirdbum9182]

Glad you enjoyed it! Great podcast!!

[@unclefrank4455]

Tough hunting for such a small bird in such a thick, thick forest! Well done!!

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you, and thanks for your comment!

[@steveeasler8490]

Spent a week in Michigan living in the back of my truck last October, following my brittany pup. Loved it will be back next year. Enjoyed your video 👍👍👍👍

[@thebirdbum9182]

That's great! I'll be back at it next year, too... and maybe hoping for a little better weather. Thanks for watching!

[@bird_dogs_n_bees]

beautiful dogs, sir. best kind of hunting buddy

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you, and I agree! Thanks for watching.

[@birdog49]

Great video, I also have 2 Britts. I cherish my das out in the field with them.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching! These days out with my dogs are definitely among my best. Thanks again!

[@jonmullenax778]

Man that is living the dream there... great video. Quick search on that bottle.... could be worth $100.00 ha

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching! That was fun trip... wouldn't have minded more birds in the bag, but I still had a good time. I also looked up the bottle and like you found that some of these bottles are worth pretty good money. However, the one I found has a threaded top for a twist-off cap. The bottles with a twist-off cap are going for about $15. I kept it, though. Thanks again for watching.

[@conradyoder6897]

I like how you made the best of the trip in spite of poor weather. Sometimes it’s about more than killing your limit… Check that, it’s always about more than killing your limit.

[@thebirdbum9182]

I agree 100%. There are a number of things I enjoy about these hunting trips in addition to getting birds... and so I still have a good time even when well short of the limit. Good bird days are icing on the cake. Thanks for your comment!

[@roberthibbard508]

Hello from Maine, Awesome video. You have been an inspiration!!!! I will have my slide in pop up camper this year for the same reason. Cant wait. Im almost 60 and just the thought of camping on the ground is painful. Love the dog work. I run an older golden flushing dog and a lab/setter mix is my pointing dog.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching and your comment!! That sounds like it will be a great setup! Now, with one season under my belt, I can honestly say that my hunting trips are made better by camping. I also turn 60 my next birthday and don't want to be on the ground. Good luck with everything and keep me posted! Thanks again!

[@christopherreily1895]

Good boy Boogie! Nice woodcock. Great video.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!!

[@delhollingsworth1546]

Love the dog work. For a guy like me who grew up bird hunting in Texas and Oklahoma, that kind of cover looks daunting, for the dogs and you. Cool trip.

[@williamlavelle7786]

I'm 83 and no longer grouse hunt. Used to do N Wisconsin and central Saskatchewan when on duck/goose hunting trips. Sk has Ruffed, Spruce and Sharp tail very close to each other. I had to actually work for the birds and know where the dogs were not relying on electrics. To me half the fun was figuring out cover and shooting lanes trying to out guess the birds.

[@f3rriswithclaws]

Hello! Im Grace y'know your niece? I just now noticed Wy has the same forhead mark as her mother.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Hi Grace! Now that you mention it, she does have the same forehead markings as Belle. Good eye! Thanks Grace!!

[@georgefairweathermoonlight4]

howdy from NZ, wow tight forest hunting, great stuff

[@thebirdbum9182]

It's a lot of fun... thanks for your comment!

[@caseygarner829]

I’m really excited to see where this channel goes.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Me, too! Thanks for watching

[@caseygarner829]

Do you think you could make a video on gear and stuff like that? I’m looking to getting into grouse hunting next fall.

[@thebirdbum9182]

@@caseygarner829 That's great! I think you'll enjoy it. I was planning on a video of the camping setup because a couple of people had asked for that. Thanks, and let me know if you want to know more about something specific.

[@Forty-Six]

I stumbled onto your channel by complete chance and could not be happier that I did. First, well done on your videos and I truly hope that you keep turning them out. Second, I had an a-ha moment when I heard you introducing your dogs and then it clicked in my head. Earlier this year we got our first Brittany pup and he is a son of your Boogie. When I compare their faces they are strikingly similar and handsome. Our boy, Bandit, came from Biggs Hill Brittanys and he is so intelligent, loving, hard working, and driven. He has added new joy to our lives and I’m VERY excited to go and do with him what you just did with your dogs in this video. I know he’ll be young with plenty of room to grow but I’m going to try my hardest to make a trip to Michigan with him this coming fall. Again, great job on your videos and I’m looking forward to following along.

[@thebirdbum9182]

That's great you were able to figure out Boogie is the dad of your pup, Bandin! Keven has had a couple of litters from Boogie, and I believe everyone has been happy. I'm glad you're happy, and I bet Bandit really is nice. I also have a new pup now from Boogie that would be a half-brother to Bandit. He was born on Christmas day from the litter I mentioned in the Oklahoma video. Anyway, like you I'm already excited about this coming bird season... even though I know it will take some time and be a process to get him where his dad is. Thanks for watching the video and for your comment!

[@dennisringgenberg161]

Love watching this. This is exactly the kind of hunting I always dreamt of doing but never got to. I settled for midwest ringnecks.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching and for your comment! Ringnecks are fun, too!

[@garya9875]

Enjoyed your video great dog work.Looking forward to your next video.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!

[@uplandwild4136]

Nice job! I really enjoyed it. Like your dogs. I enjoy woodcock and grouse hunting.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you! Me too on woodcock and grouse hunting. Wish I could go more often.

[@michaelhickey8619]

Mich grouse especially in the lower run like thief after the job, when I was kid they seemed to hold much better

[@thebirdbum9182]

I definitely saw some of that... and also a number of flushes that I heard but never saw. To some degree I guess that's just a part of grouse hunting. Thanks for your comment!

[@delhollingsworth1546]

I’m fascinated by the truck camping setup. It seems you’ve thought of everything to create a comfortable experience.

[@thebirdbum9182]

It's actually pretty comfortable in the truck... and as odd as it may sound, I actually prefer it over a motel even in bad weather.

[@gilturner7464]

Thank you.enjoyed your video. look forward to more

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!

[@naterouillard3965]

Great dog work and beautiful covers! Thanks for sharing.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!

[@doghunter717]

Literally one the best bird hunting videos on YT. Love your dogs, have you ever shot a rabbit when they point it? Not a lot of birds where I live and I kno some guys who shoot bunnies in front of their “bird” dogs . Keep the vids coming !

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching and for your comment! In terms of rabbits, I haven't shot any rabbits when pointed. However, for me, that is mainly because it hasn't happened that often that the dog actually points them. Personally, I'm not opposed to it, and they are really good when fried. Thanks again!

[@robbyanderson8489]

Awesome hunting it’s not always bout the kill but the experience

[@thebirdbum9182]

Agreed

[@josiahcherry2420]

Such a cool hunt!

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you again!!

[@djvranish]

Fun video. I like the camping aspect and how you balanced it with the hunting.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks! The camping part is new for me but is definitely part of the adventure.

[@HuntersfromRussia]

Hello from Moscow🇷🇺 ! This is what we call a labor hunt 👏 I love it , hunting is prey , and prey cannot be easy. We have slightly different ways of hunting grouse, but it 's interesting to see how you do it in another country. This is my favorite hunt . Have you ever tried to get a grouse on a decoy ??? 🙂🤔

[@thebirdbum9182]

Hello! Thanks for your comment! It was definitely a labor hunt, which is okay with me, too. I've not tried hunting grouse with decoys; however, I have used decoys for wild turkeys... and I think I've read somewhere that some use decoys with prairie chickens or some other western bird. Anyway, that's an interesting idea. It would be great to see how that is done if you ever have a video. Thanks again.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

You were in pretty open cover for Michigan grouse .. most will be around the fire trails let's in sun light... Next time you come up to Michigan get ahold of us we're always looking for third guy

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for the offer.

[@mikedziki8427]

Great video nice dogs

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!

[@SeamusVT]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing. I did a 3 day hunt with a buddy a few years ago and we split one woodcock. We made humble pie. This has been a tough season for me too. Flushes are down ... and i think my chokes are broken!

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you! I could have just as easily made humble pie with my bird instead of poppers.

[@FrankyV911]

Great video and great dog work thank you for sharing... can you post a video on your truck set up for camping this is something i maybe doing next hunting season.... cheers

[@thebirdbum9182]

Sure... camping out of the truck is something I've enjoyed figuring out and now doing. I'll get a video together once bird season slows a little. Thanks for your comment!

[@FrankyV911]

@@thebirdbum9182 Thank you i'll look forward to watch it and ride with some of your ideas...cheers

[@seanobrien176]

Just found your channel and love it. Being from MI I really enjoyed those two videos. I could really feel you on one particular point where the bird was holding tight and you couldn't decide which way to move through the thick cover, so frustrating. I'm getting close to retirement and was really interested in your camp setup. My question is, do you hunt from one single location and just walk to different covers each day or do you break camp and move? Thanks for the great videos.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching and for your comment/question. What I typically do is set up camp and stay there for at least a few days. However, I'll hunt areas as far as an hour from camp. I just put a few things away in the back of the truck (e.g., coffee maker, lamp), put a couple of dogs int he back seat of the truck and go. I leave the rest of my camp setup behind (e.g., dog trailer, shower tent, awning) and come back to it when I'm done with the hunt. That has worked well for me. If I want to go somewhere further than that to hunt, I'll relocate camp to that other area. For example, I'm hoping to go to Idaho this season and will hunt one part of the state for Huns and after two or three days will relocate to a different region of the state to hunt Chukar. Unless it's something like that, though, I'll usually hunt the same general area and have one camp setup. Thanks again for your question.

[@Cacadorgaucho1]

Nossa essa caçada é difícil, mas seis cães são maravilhosos parabéns

[@davidjohnston6929]

My area has one grouse I no it sucks but that's what I got haven't seen since a kid if 12 to 25 until coyotes got here 2006 season

[@macattackgogreen]

Amazing dog handling! Are you hunting in the GEMS or other state land?

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching! There is a GEM area close to where I am, but I haven't been there yet. I've been in National and State forests. Thanks again!

[@jasonward554]

Thanks for the video! Can you share the general vicinity you were in. Wanting to do a similar trip and have looked at the Cadillac, MI area but don’t have any knowledge of public hunting access etc. also , how many flushes did you get an hour or day? I have two GSPs and would use them in spite of my anticipation that they won’t be as cautious when they run into porcupines.

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thanks for watching. I'm also in the lower peninsula... not too far from Cadillac. Really, last year was the first time I spent any amount of time there and I had bad weather for most of that. I didn't get to do enough to provide any good data on flushes per day or hour. Sorry not to have better info.

[@kovenant7]

Amazing trip! what type of electric heater do you have ? thanks

[@thebirdbum9182]

Hey there... it's just an old space heater that we had at home. It has 750 watt and 1500 watt settings. I run it on the 750 watt setting, and that has worked just fine for me even in some very cold weather. Thanks for your comment!

[@dane5896]

My German Shorthaired Pointer wouldn't retrieve or eat a woodcock. She would pick it up and drop it. She definitely did not like the taste.

[@tubesurfing]

Wheres do you come from when you hunt other states?

[@thebirdbum9182]

I live in Kentucky... so that is pretty much always my starting point for a trip. Thanks for watching!

[@uprebel5150]

Where at in Michigan ?

[@thebirdbum9182]

Hey... the dogs and I were in the northeastern lower peninsula in some state forest. I just got back from another trip to the general area, and I believe the grouse numbers are down since last year, which would be consistent with the drumming survey. Thanks for watching!

[@BranNew1]

I found a 1950’s Dr. Pepper in the woods recently, and some liberal told me that it was illegal to take “historic relics” from public lands… 😂

[@thebirdbum9182]

LOL... I still have my bottle.

[@aaronwentzel4145]

Love the videos and perspective! Wisconsinite who loves grouse and knows how frustrating they can be. Hope you add more videos!

[@thebirdbum9182]

Thank you!