We hunt NE Wi. every weekend from the opener to Thanksgiving, and according to the DNR the grouse numbers are up. We did have one day where our GWP pointed 21 birds, but it was early season, with lots of leaves on the trees, so we didn't shoot many. However, after the "fall shuffle", we had to put on a lot of miles to put up half a dozen birds. I'd say the bird numbers were similar to last year, not up, not down.

Over Christmas we will be hunting NW Wi, so we'll see what the bird situation is like there. Good luck, have fun!