The Grouse Lodge at Little Moran

Sample of a Typical Trip:

Arrive early evening, have dinner, share bird hunting/bird dog stories and great fellowship with guides and other hunters. A 7:30 breakfast, then wheels up by 8:30, hunting by 8:45-9 AM.

Average cover is hunted for 1.5-2 hours, with a short drive to between covers. We hunt 4-5 covers per day. Lunch in the field with no more than 2 guns per guide.

Upon request we will do a “shore lunch” with your entire group of hunters. This includes hot soup, sandwiches, and our “Cajun game”. We are back at the lodge by 6:30-7:00 for showers, lite appetizers, your favorite beverage, wonderful dinner and many more stories.

Typical hunts are 3 day 4 night stays. No groups or hunters will ever be mixed in the field. We do not hunt more than 2 guns per guide.

Rates:

You can obtain all pricing information by contacting the lodge.

What is Provided:

Our hunts are all-inclusive: Lodging, meals, guides, beverages, field transportation, and bird processing. All rooms are private, with boot driers in each room. Laundry, wi-fi, and gun cleaning supplies are available. We do not supply ammunition or licenses. We've got a great support staff that takes pride in their hospitality and service. They appreciate your gratuities, which are not included in the fee.

Gear Recommendations:

We are a double gun-only lodge, due to the difficult environment and cover of deadfalls, streams, etc.

Most shots will be in the 20-30 yard range or even closer. A 12-gauge, in most cases, is a bit too heavy for all-day hunting and can be too much gun. Most hunters shoot a 16, 20, 28 gauge.

Waterproof boots are a great item to bring, due to hunting in wet areas. Many hunters will call or email a couple days prior to arrival to find out if knee boots are needed.

Shooting glasses, shooting gloves, and good boots are definitely needed. Dress in layers to add or remove clothing throughout the day.

What to Bring:

Camera, phone charging cords, etc. If additional items are needed, they can easily be purchased in local stores.

Species:

• Ruffed Grouse
• Woodcock

Region/Terrain:

We hunt a variety of cover with varying degrees of difficulty, from 4-5-year-old clear-cuts to old, mature aspen stands, alder runs, and areas with a higher water table. The covers vary, depending on the time of year. Foliage can be an issue in the earlier part of the season, but by mid-October a good portion of the foliage is gone.

Grouse live in some pretty thick and unruly places, where a shot may be only a glimpse of the bird. The terrain is primarily flat ground with lots of brush to work through. Dense aspen clear-cuts and old, dead trees are the norm in our covers. It's where these great birds live.

Typical Weather:

October is our prime time for hunting, and temps will range from daytime highs of 65 F and lows of 40 F until mid to late October. After that, lows can be in the upper 20s and highs in mid-40s.

Rain can hinder our hunts, so we do suggest waterproof boots and rain gear. We also keep gear on-hand for client use.

Other:

Dogs are welcome, but only allowed in rooms while in a portable kennel—no free-roaming dogs.

Commercial airport: Minneapolis Terminal. We do not offer airport shuttle for the Minneapolis airport.

Private airport: Brainerd or Staples, MN, depending on size of aircraft.

Arrangements are available for transporting game.