Things to bring when hunting at Pineridge Grouse Camp and other miscellaneous thoughts to make your trip a success.
Boots: A must for any grouse hunter. Good leather boots that are waterproof. There is some occasion where rubber boots are needed. If driving to PGC maybe throw them in the truck just in case.
Eye Protection: We hunt in very thick cover. Eye protection is a must. Good shooting or safety glasses will work perfectly. Plus, it’s your eyes!
Brush Pants/Chaps: We will hit some briars and thorns and… grouse hang out in some rough places and brush pants or chaps will make it more enjoyable.
Clothing: Weather in Minnesota can be very unpredictable. Some days it will be 70 and sunny and in 24 hours we can have snow and 27 degrees. Plan on some long sleeve t-shirts for sure and a tougher shooting shirt. Check back to the PGC website homepage for up to date weather conditions for the camp.
Outerwear: A good blaze orange hunting vest or shooting jacket is a must. Just make sure it can handle grouse cover. A trapshooting vest, some lightweight jackets and vests cannot handle the thickness of the cover. A blaze orange hat is also needed and mandated by the state.
Other Suggestions: Leatherman, compass, pocketknife, sunglasses and any other things you may use when upland bird hunting.
Other random thoughts and suggestions…
Ticks: We do have ticks and how bad they are all depends on the spring and summer. Lyme disease is not a stranger to Minnesota or many parts of the United States. Proper precaution is best. We have some Repel Permethren spray in all the cabins and that works well. Some of our guides treats their clothing with a dip before the season and that is also an option. Best thing is put some spray on your clothing and check for ticks when you get back to camp.
PERSONAL ITEMS TO BRING:Camera for the post hunt pictures is always a must. A good cigar around the camp fire is always special when listening to some blues music. Other than the above Pineridge takes care of everything else.
Dogs:
If you are planning on bringing your dog to camp, and they are 100% more than welcome, we ask that you bring a copy of his/her health certificate and they are up to date on all vaccines. We, like you, have a huge investment in dogs and they are the big reason we do this sport. We must take every precaution to protect your dog and the camp’s guide dogs to keep them at their fullest potential.
We have some equipment available if you forget something at home or need to borrow a lead or e-collar. We suggest you bring your equipment that you and your dog are familiar with.
Also, please keep in mind our dogs are grouse and woodcock specialists. They have grown up and have been trained on wild birds their whole life. If this is your dog’s first time hunting grouse or has hunted them before but maybe only a few times a year, please have patience. We will hunt your dog as much as you want and will fill in the time with our guide dogs. That also may impact how many birds we may or may not flush in the course of a day.
Guns & Ammo:
We ONLY recommend double guns when hunting grouse and woodcock at Pineridge Grouse Camp. Yes, it’s more traditional, but in all honesty, it’s just plain safer. Whether we are stopped to pick up a bird or crossing a creek, a gun that is broke open is a safe gun.
Pineridge Grouse Camp provides Federal Ammunition for your hunt. This is included in the All-inclusive package. We stock .410, .24 ga.,28ga, 20ga, 16ga, 12ga and some 2-1/2 inch as well. 7-1/2, 8 and 9 are the shot size we recommend depending on the time of year.