When most people think of Lake of the Woods Minnesota, they typically think of the phenomenal fishing. However, there is one virtually untapped experience, and that’s grouse hunting! Grouse hunting MN forests is a great way to get out for an exceptional outdoors experience and nab some incredible birds. Grab your gear and head for northern Minnesota and Baudette for unbeatable grouse hunting.
Grouse Hunting MN: What You’ll Find
Hunting is something that many people look forward to every year. Baudette and the Lake of the Woods area has an abundance of grouse that hunters can’t wait to get out and find during the fall months. Lake of the Woods has thousands of acres of state forest land that is prime hunting terrain and is home to three different grouse.
Ruffed Grouse-
Ruffed grouse are easily the most popular and most common grouse found when grouse hunting MN forests. These birds are favored for their taste and gorgeous coloring for mounts. You will find ruffed grouse throughout the majority of the hiking trails throughout the Lake of the Woods region. Many hunters love targeting ruffed grouse for their fanned tails and are easily distinguishable by the males’ black “mane” as they puff out during their drumming mating dance. The taste of ruffed grouse is most commonly described as being close to pheasant. Overall, these birds are a really fun species to target.
Spruce Grouse- 
Spruce Grouse are a little less common than the ruffed grouse as they are not great for cooking but create really attractive mounts for those that love game bird hunting. They are pretty easy to distinguish from other grouse as they have a bright red line above their eyes and are darker in color with more contrasted speckles. Their main diet of spruce needles is the reason they don’t taste very good, and most have stated that they taste similar to turpentine. It’s best to target these for looks and not for dinner. Spruce grouse are also most commonly found throughout the wooded areas that are also frequented by the ruffed grouse.
Sharp-tailed Grouse-
The sharp-tailed grouse, or the fire grouse, can be a little harder to find as they gravitate to more agricultural areas that are often private property and not open to the public. They are known for their pointed tail and colorful markings. Females are typically neutral colors, but males boast a yellow cap on their heads and pink markings that resemble blushed cheeks. They are considerably gamy and have been described as tasting similar to duck or dove meat, so they are typically hunted for their looks.
MN Grouse Season
As of right now the sharp-tailed MN grouse season is closed, but you can still target spruce and ruffed grouse. Seasons for these two birds run from September 17th to January 1st. The hours that you can hunt are ½ hour after sunrise until ½ hour to sunset. You are allowed 5 combined ruffed and spruce grouse per day. You can check the MN DNR site for more details and how to contribute to research on these birds.
Baudette and Lake of the Woods Minnesota Hunting
When hunting for ruffed grouse and spruce grouse, you can take ATV or hiking trails out. Beltrami Island State Park is a fantastic place to go, or there are other forest areas around Baudette that also offer good hunting opportunities. The best part about the Lake of the Woods region is that there is plenty of public hunting land to explore with an abundance of birds. And since grouse hunting MN areas like Baudette doesn’t get much spotlight, resulting in fewer hunters to compete or cross paths.
River Bend Resort isn’t far from many of the best hunting spots around Lake of the Woods. You’ll have comfortable accommodations with the ability to keep the drive short to get to the trails for a full day of hunting. You can even get in some fishing while you’re here or grab a bite to eat at our very own Miles Lab Bar and Grill. Take advantage of this little-known opportunity and discover some of the best grouse hunting MN has to offer!
