The bush is calling.

From our original camp notes

Ontario's uplands, one autumn walk at a time

If there's a quintessential outdoor experience, walking Ontario's uplands on a crisp autumn day might be it. A bird hunter would be hard pressed to find a place filled with more beauty, variety or promise. Depending on location, a hunter could flush ruffed, spruce or sharp-tailed grouse, or Hungarian (gray) partridge, pheasant, woodcock, snipe or ptarmigan.

Ontario grouse and partridge hunting

In Northern Ontario, a partridge hunt usually means a walk for ruffed grouse. It is the camp name many of us grew up with. This site covers Ontario grouse and partridge hunting together, while keeping the birds' full names clear. Ruffed grouse are woodland birds; gray, or Hungarian, partridge are a separate species. Start with the bird, then choose the region, camp and daily route that fit your trip.

Upland gunning is steeped in tradition, at its best in the company of an eager dog, a favourite shotgun and likeminded companions. In Ontario, though, it can also be a solitary trek along logging trails that meander past beaver meadows, evergreens, birch, aspens and sumac. It could be the surprise rise and whir of a woodcock at your feet, or the sudden flight of a ruffed grouse from under the nose of a seasoned dog.

A day afield might take a hunter through the stillness of a spruce stand or the nostalgia of an abandoned farmstead. For the truly adventurous, it might even be a walk north of the treeline for ptarmigan.

A fast-pointing, open-choked shotgun in 12 or 20 gauge is a familiar upland choice. There's little room or time in the thickets and birches. Sometimes falling leaves and a disappointed gun dog are all there is to show from an encounter. Other times, there's fine table fare and the recollection of everything done just right. Match equipment and ammunition to the bird, location and current rules before hunting.

In general, upland birds are dwellers of second-growth woods. Living in dense thickets beside fields, burns or meadows, they're often close to a thick coniferous stand or a tangle of alders, and close to food. The crop contents of the day's first bird can offer a clue to what it has been eating. Upland game birds key in on specific food and habitat. So should you.

When flushed, upland birds can rise from total camouflage, in a flight that gains altitude quickly, levels off and heads away. In open fields, hunters can be misled. These birds are quicker than you first think. Give yourself time to learn the bird, read the woods and enjoy the walk.

Read the ruffed grouse and partridge guide → · Compare gray partridge →

Name notes: Hinterland Who's Who · Northern Wilds