By Brett McComas, Target Walleye

Known for its zillions of walleyes, Lake of the Woods has also become a world-class pike fishing destination — especially during the Mar/Apr late-ice period. The border waters’ special regulations mean these fish can be targeted all the way through ice-out.

Mammoth pike will stage for the upcoming spawn in shallow bays all along the south shore and are ready to pop tip-up flags. Believe it or not, 40-inchers are hardly considered “big ones” when the bite is on!

Big-fish junkie Andy Walls has been specifically targeting these toothy critters for years, so we tracked him down to get his scoop on putting these freaks topside:

Andy: “You can keep the gear pretty simple when running tip-ups, but make sure to beef things up for those larger-than-average Lake of the Woods gators.”

GEAR

> “Make sure tip-ups are spinning smooth and that they have fresh 50-lb Sufix Performance Tip-Up Ice Braid. From there a quick-strike rig tied right to the tip-up line, and a 1/4-oz weight fixed above the leader to keep the bait in the strike zone.

“Larger ‘Y yolk’ quick-strike rigs present both live and dead bait really well. They have a solid hook-up ratio with one treble fixed just before the head of the minnow and one rigged right before the tail.”

> “I’ve had the most success using 50-lb wire down to two #2 VMC Hybrid Trebles. However, there’s lots of rigging options out there…recommend using any legal option you’re most confident in.

> “Lake of The Woods has a 30-40″ protective slot, so fish between 30″ and 40” need to be quickly released back into the water. I’ve found that packing a kit — that we bring with to every flag — helps this process immensely.

> “In the kit: We keep extra rigs, sinkers, pliers, jaw spreaders, hook cutters, measuring tapes, fish grippers, a hole scoop, and a camera.

> “Being able to quickly take care of the fish after you land it and get it back in the water will help ensure a healthy release. Also allows us to get accurate measurements and a quick photo before we let them go.”

Photos by Vanilla Weekend Photography and Design

> “Lake of The Woods northern pike can be caught literally almost anywhere on the lake, but there’s a large concentration of fish that really never leave the south shore.

> “Some of my best success early on in the season is in the 8-12′ range. Look for subtle structure changes like: a slightly quicker depth change, funnel, or ridge the fish may be following. Changes in the bottom content — like a rock or gravel patch — will usually provide even better action.

“As the days start running longer and temperatures begin to inch up, pike will start to migrate in closer to the shorelines. By late March or early April, we’re typically setting lines in less than 5′.

> “The later in the year it gets, begin concentrating your efforts closer to — or directly out in front of — main spawning areas where runoff is the highest…draws fish in.”

> “Spread lines out to cover as much water as possible — I like walking at least 25-35 steps between holes. The more areas you can eliminate (or find) quickly gets you more bites in a day. Once you settle into an area with fish, they seem to let you know pretty quickly.

> “Not getting bit? Try moving north/south (shallower or deeper) first…when you find the right depth those flags will pop.

> “If I’m getting activity but not getting fish…AKA “false flags”…I’ll make smaller moves east/west or play with my bait (size, type, depth set, etc). Even if it’s the minnow tripping a flag, it’s likely because a pike spooked it and didn’t eat. Dead bait seems to be better when getting a lot of those false flags.”

SETTING BAITS

> “You’re allowed 2 lines each…makes it a little faster to see what’s working! Mix up the depths you set your baits down — covering the entire water column keeps the fish ho

nest. I’ve caught them setting lines just inches below the ice all the way to laying baits right on the bottom.

> “Arming your spread with a mixture of live and dead baits will allow you to quickly figure out what the pike want that day. Alewife, smelt, herring, numerous sizes of live suckers, or even large shiners work well.

> “Pay close attention to which flags are going off: If dead baits are getting more bites…switch more lines over to dead bait. If more flags are going off on a certain side of the spread…start shifting the entire spread in that direction. Can turn a good day into a great day!”

WHEN TO SET THE HOOK

> “Some people like to wait and let the fish eat, but I’ll grab the flag as quick as I get to it and set the hook while they’re running…not stopped. My theory is that anytime the fish is moving, they likely have a good grip on the head or tail of the bait…both have hooks.

> “When they’re not moving, they’re adjusting the bait in their mouth…so you’ll miss half the fish that grab it.

> “Also seem to get much better hooksets when the fish is running — doesn’t take nearly as much force for the hook to penetrate since the fish is already pulling the other way.”

[BONUS: YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY BIG WALLEYES YOU CAN RUN INTO TOO!]

Click Here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access Lake of the Woods area Lodging and Fish House Rentals

Lake of the Woods Tourism received two prestigious awards at the 2020 Explore Minnesota Conference in Alexandria, MN this week.

The first of the two state awards was in the category New Event of the Year presented for the 2019 World Ploughing Contest.  Competitors and guests from 28 countries converged on the Lake of the Woods area and Baudette, MN. This international event travels to a different country each year and won’t be back to the U.S. for another 30 years. Lake of the Woods landed it and nearby Baudette, MN was the focus of the Ploughing World for an entire year.

Lake of the Woods reached an agricultural demographic through a non-fishing venue and exposure to the Lake of the Woods area was the goal.

The event was featured in multiple segments through the media, including outlets from the nearby Midwest to those in distant international markets.    Capturing media, both big and small through print, digital, social, TV and radio outlets was the focus. 

Judges commented that they took notice of this once in a lifetime international event which welcomed 7,000 attendees and garnered international attention to the Lake of the Woods area for a non-fishing activity.

The second award was presented to Lake of the Woods Tourism for a Niche Targeting Campaign.  On January 3rd, 2019, Lake of the Woods Tourism joined Devils Lake, ND Tourism for a marketing / PR faceoff event called Walleye Wars. The purpose of this event was to draw awareness and provide education about ice fishing in both markets.

The ice fishing event was introduced with a Facebook Live video broadcast from the 2019 St. Paul Ice Fishing Show.

Every hour from the fish house, both teams featured a different guest from the community on Facebook Live and discussed aspects of the area along with current fishing results.

Results were astonishing.  Earned media earned across the U.S. was 16 million.  Social media reach was 500,000.  Facebook Live video views were 240,000.

Judges were excited they partnered with a competitor for mutual benefit.  Positioning the event as a faceoff for ultimate ice fishing bragging rights guaranteed an earned media payoff and the PR results for this event were amazing.  It received regional coverage as well as pickups from USA Today, The Washington Times and The San Francisco Chronicle.

“We certainly appreciate being recognized with these two prestigious awards by Explore MN Tourism,” explained Joe Henry, Executive Director of Lake of the Woods Tourism.  “There are a lot of people who contribute to our successes and we appreciate each and every one of them.  Willie Walleye will be proud!”

Click Here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access Lake of the Woods area Lodging, Guides and Fish House Rentals

Is it summer yet?  Lots of snow, lots of ice, but summer is calling. Lake of the Woods, the City of Baudette, and the Chamber of Commerce sponsor some Great Summer Events at Lake of the Woods. The first weekend of June is the Annual Willie Walleye Days in the town. Willie is our 10,000 pound walleye icon sitting overlooking the Baudette Bay, at Baudette, MN, the Walleye Capital of the World. The county fair board has overseen this event that includes food booths, 5K run, vendors of many kinds, special meals, rodeo and usually an evening dance.  Often time you will have racing events happening at the grandstand. Yes, the Lake of the Woods County Fairgrounds is the sight for all these wonderful happenings. Come and bring your wares to sell, or come and enjoy a great time celebrating yet another birthday of Willie Walleye. Don’t forget to have your picture taken with this giant fish.

July 4^th in Baudette is another of the Great Summer Events at Lake of the Woods with one of the finest celebrations around. Families and reunions galore are held during this holiday because it provides great entertainment in the downtown area.  A Kiddie Parade, Main Parade, food vendors, entertainment, bouncy houses for the kids are just a few of the many attractions drawing thousands to this little town.  An outside street dance is always a hit as well as beer gardens, arm wrestling contests and games for the children. The final attraction of the day is a display of fireworks over Baudette Bay that has the reputation as being one of the best in the state. The hillside – home of Willie Walleye- is the seating for thousands of people as they await this great display. The Fourth of July Committee is to be commended at the great job it does each year.

Another Great Summer Event will be held on July 15-18 for this year’s Lake of the Woods County Fair. This event is inviting with food booths, 4-H displays, area wares being displayed and sold, horse shows,  entertainment, races, demolition derby, horticulture show and much else.  At the center of the grounds is a pavilion with a giant stage hosting talent from all ages entertaining the crowds and also offering a place of shade, rest and places to eat the food offered on the grounds. Don’t forget the Midway with rides for all ages. A historical building is on the grounds offering history of the area and the DNR mans a great log cabin and gives gifts to each person who stops by gaining information about the area.

Don’t forget the Fresh Start Farmer’s Market held every Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. with many vendors at the Hometown Hardware 804 Main Street West, Baudette. Also in between events, Lake of the Woods hosts many fishing tournaments and guided fishing by many fine resorts. Summer is exciting at Lake of the Woods.

Join us as we eagerly await summer and all it has to offer in this beautiful Lake of the Woods area.

For more information or places to stay, contact www.lakeofthewoodsMN.com/lodging.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by the local grocery stores up north to pick up food for their fishing trip.  Thank you for those who decided to purchase gasoline or stop at the hardware store or bait store in Baudette rather than purchase those necessities at the big stores back home.  Thank you for bringing home a gift or two for your spouse and children.  Perhaps you grabbed a meal, some supplies or your favorite beverage.  Whatever the case, small tourist areas like Lake of the Woods and the town of Baudette really rely on tourism to get them through the year.  There are busy times and times that really don’t see much traffic.  Every little bit a small business can muster is huge to their overall year in small town USA.

With many folks purchasing supplies back at home, local merchants so appreciate those who consciously make a decision to pick up some of their needed supplies in the north country.  Thank you!

When you come up to Lake of the Woods this year, consider grabbing some of your supplies in Baudette or the surrounding area.  This is small town USA with many small businesses who fight hard to stay around with an ever changing way people shop.  As you can imagine, guests to our area are very important to a small town local economy.  With a population of about 1,200 people, no stoplights and more deer than people, it is not a metropolis that has enough locals to support most businesses.  Every time you make a decision to stop and shop, it goes a long ways and is so appreciated by the community.

Did you know Baudette has just about everything you need for a fishing trip.  Certainly bait and tackle stores are both in Baudette, up at the lake and even resorts offer the hottest in lures, live bait and frozen shiners.  In many cases, area shops offering tackle and lures are dialed in with what anglers who fish Lake of the Woods will need for success.  Many times these shops have options not found in most parts of the ice belt.  Certain shapes, actions and certainly colors.  The area even has it’s own small tackle manufacturer, Tom’s Tackle, that creates tackle with Lake of the Woods walleyes in mind.

Hardware stores carry a big variety of goods to get you through an ice fishing trip.  Whether something breaks or you simply need to pick up some supplies, there are two hardware stores in town to service you.  These stores offer a wide selection of good and have a good idea over the years what is needed and in demand.  This is small town USA and you can bet folks will do everything they can to help you out.

How about some Lake of the Woods gifts or clothing?  Whether it is for you or someone back home you want to surprise, there are a number of local gift shops and resort gift shops you can get Lake of the Woods gifts, sweatshirts, boots, hats, etc.  This is the Walleye Capital of the World, we even have the famous 40+ foot Willie Walleye statue to signify it!

Lake of the Woods Foods is the local grocery store in Baudette.  It offers everything you need for your trip along with a delicious deli and baked goods.  In addition, don’t forget about many of the bait shops, gas stations and convenience stores who also provide various food and drink supplies needed for some serious time on the ice.

The area also has a nice selection of liquor stores.  Whether in town or up at the lake, jumping in to grab your favorite spirits is a cinch.  In many cases, it is fun to see the different brands of beer or wine offered in these parts, being that we border Canada.

There are so many ways to ice fish Lake of the Woods.  Some come and stay at the resorts and enjoy the full service of lodging, fishing and meals.  Others bring up their own fish houses and are really quite self sufficient.  Regardless on how you roll, please know how much the area appreciates you coming up to Lake of the Woods and frequenting area businesses.  Without you, many of the local businesses would not exist.  Thank you!

Click Here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access Lake of the Woods area Lodging and Fish House Rentals

For those who aren’t very familiar with ice fishing, or even if you are, this episode of Midwest Outdoors TV really highlights ice fishing on Lake of the Woods.  Spending time in a nice warm fish house picking away at a variety of fish including walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout, tulibees, pike, crappies and occasional sucker!  Yep, that’s right, caught on camera, a sucker hit Midwest Outdoor’s Greg Jones’s Rippin Rap.  This was a first and lead to some excitement of a possible nice walleye until a positive ID was made!

There is nothing like finishing off a day of ice fishing with a traditional fish fry.  So just like we do it when we are having fun on our own time, we showed off fried walleyes and saugers with all of the fixings on the show.  This is the kind of meal that when you smell the delicious fried fish, you think about spending time in a fish house and the memories you have created.

What a year it has been.  And for people who like to ice fish, there is still lots of ice fishing to go.  March ice fishing is approaching and Lake of the Woods, being border water with Canada, benefits by having extended seasons.  Fish houses are allowed out on the ice through March 31st.  In addition, fishing seasons go longer.  Walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th.  Pike season never closes.

Lake of the Woods has experienced great ice this year and has seen lots of ice anglers.  Only Mother Nature knows for sure, but there are many ice anglers looking forward to fishing and getting that spring sun tan at the same time!  Enjoy the show.

Click here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click here to access lodging options around Lake of the Woods

As many Midwesterners who enjoy ice fishing are in the heart of the ice fishing season, it is good to look ahead at a month of ice fishing that many don’t really consider when it comes to targeting walleyes and pike, March Ice Fishing on Lake of the Woods!  You see, in most of the great state of Minnesota, March ice fishing is somewhat limited.  Fish houses cannot be left overnight on the ice after February 28th, the walleye season and pike season closes and ice fishing for those targeting predators appears to be over.

March Ice Fishing on Lake of the Woods, however, is very different.  Fish houses are allowed overnight through March 31st.  The walleye and sauger season continues on through April 14th and the pike season is open continuously.  Being farther north, the ice typically is good and thick throughout the month, and even if some melting is taking place, ice fishing is happening in areas of the lake less affected by runoff, flow of water and current.

Some resorts actually extend the life of the ice by blanketing ice approaches to the land access with saw dust or hay.  For those of you with more history under your belt than others, this is much in the same way ice was kept for ice boxes.

What a great time of the year.  The sun is out longer, the fish are active and in some cases staging for the spawn and some days anglers actually need to wear sunscreen.  Other days seem more like winter with snow and cold.  It’s March ice fishing on Lake of the Woods and it’s tradition.

This is an interesting place.  On one end of Lake of the Woods, people are catching walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, world class pike and monster eelpout through the ice.  Fish have the feedbag on gaining energy for the upcoming spawn.

On the other end of the spectrum towards mid or late March, the Rainy River is open and people are fishing in boats.  This is the time of the year that big numbers of walleyes from Lake of the Woods slide up the Rainy River on their annual spawning run.  Although regulations are that only Catch and Release is to happen on the Rainy River, it’s also quite exhilarating to catch those monsters who swim up river.

Most anglers will be using jigs and minnows for walleyes.  More popular are jigs and plastics.  The brighter colors of chartreuse, orange, pink and white are all popular colors depending upon many factors, the color of the water being one. The walleye season on Lake of the Woods continues through April 14th. Go to MN DNR Fishing Regulations page HERE for full current limits.

If you decide to start planning a spring Rainy River trip, there are numerous boat access points along the river.  Click here for a myriad of info about the Rainy River.

If you decide you want to get in some bonus March ice fishing, here is a list of resorts and outfitters from the south end of the lake up to the NW Angle.

Whatever you decide, fishing for predators in March and April on Lake of the Woods is in full gear and as a trophy fishery for both walleyes and pike, might be worth a trip!

For more information or lodging contact: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging

The Northwest Angle Edge Riders Snowmobile Club will hold their 19^th annual Snow Rally on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at Sportsman’s Oak Island up at the NW Angle.  Follow the ice road from Young’s Bay, or ride snowmobile across the lake from the surrounding communities – watch for the rally signs.

Lake of the Woods has excellent marked and groomed trails coming up to the NW Angle from the Wheeler’s Point area at the mouth of the Rainy River as well as on the west side of the lake from Arnesen’s Rocky Point and Warroad.

Nice trails across the lake make it possible to stay or park on the south end of the lake and sled up for the day.  The trail to Sportsman’s Oak Island is about 42 miles, but a fairly easy drive.

Sportsman’s Oak Island is know for it’s good food and Rally Day will be no different.  Enjoy smoked pork shoulder with all of the delicious sides.

There are activities happening all day.  Do you have a fast sled?  Perhaps you want to take part in the radar run.  For those who think they are tough, try the “goose bump jump” where you jump into the icy waters of Lake of the Woods.  I dare ya!  Once you jump in, warm up by the community bonfire.  There will be outdoor games and a tent near the lodge, raffles during the day and certainly lots of great camaraderie!  Don’t leave the kids behind as there will be kid’s activities and this is a family event.

The Sportsman’s Oak Island staff is excited to welcome all and to support a good cause. The Angle locals take their winter recreation seriously, and the Snow Rally is the pinnacle of the winter season!

This event is a lot of fun and not only celebrates the culture of snowmobiling in the north woods but is also a fundraiser for the snowmobile club.  This year the prizes are impressive including a brand new Polaris snowmobile along with a variety of other prizes.

The NW Angle Edge Riders do a wonderful job of keeping trails properly marked and groomed.  The NW Angle and all of Lake of the Woods with the Lake of the Woods Drifters snowmobile club on the south end of the lake create some of the best trail riding around.  Known much more for it’s walleyes, snowmobiling in the region is world class but often get overshadowed.  If you are a snowmobiler, come up and check out beautiful sledding without the traffic!

Click here to learn more about snowmobiling around Lake of the Woods

Click here to learn more about Lake of the Woods MN

Click here to access Lodging around Lake of the Woods MN

Lake of the Woods MN – Lake of the Woods in Minnesota and Key West, Florida are very different, but also have a lot in common.  There is currently three feet of ice and thousands of happy ice anglers on Lake of the Woods.  The temp in Key West is in the 80’s.  What they do have in common is world class fishing and claiming the northernmost and southernmost points in the contiguous U.S. with the marker buoys to prove it!

The two destinations have teamed up for a fishing trip giveaway.  Anglers can enter to win a two-destination vacation to fish freshwater and saltwater species in the “Northernmost to Southernmost Fishing Trip Giveaway” that  spotlights recreational angling in Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, and the Florida Keys.

The giveaway launched Wednesday as part of a month long social media program showcasing the two destinations, which feature iconic “twin buoys” designating the northernmost and southernmost points in the continental United States.

Both locales are characterized by islands, world-class fishing and concentrations of professional charter guides and captains ready to share their knowledge of local waters, species and angling techniques.

Facebook users can enter by clicking the contest link on the Florida Keys and Lake of the Woods Facebook pages at @floridakeysandkeywest and @lakeofthewoodsmn.

Desktop and mobile users or people who do not use the Facebook app can enter online at https://a.pgtb.me/vKlCgd.

The grand prize includes gift cards for air travel and car rental, three nights’ accommodations at Flag Island Resort in Lake of the Woods and two nights’ accommodations at Hyatt Centric Key West in the Florida Keys.

In each destination, the prize winner is to experience custom fishing charters with skilled guides and captains who specialize in freshwater inlets, lakes, ice fishing, saltwater flats, inshore and offshore experiences. Also, the winner is to receive a selection of fishing lures, suitable for both the Florida Keys and Lake of the Woods, from A Band of Anglers.

The prize is valued at nearly 5,000 U.S. dollars.

The “Northernmost to Southernmost” entry period continues through 11:59 p.m. (ET) March 11, 2020. Entrants must be age 21 or over and legal residents of the United States or reside in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba or Ontario.

Click here to learn more about Lake of the Woods MN

Click here to access Lodging around Lake of the Woods MN

Save the date – Pay It Forward 2020 in Baudette, MN, Lake of the Woods, Walleye Capital of the World, is August 31-September 3, 2020. The 7^th Annual Pay It Forward 2020 is a 3 Night/2 Day Fishing Extravaganza bringing injured and disabled Veterans to Lake of the Woods to honor, recognize and celebrate the people who have served our country in all branches of the service.  It is our desire in creating this event to lead persons to healing and happiness. Many sponsors organize this great opportunity for veterans each year. About 60 participants are treated to guided fishing trips, outdoor fish frys, banquets, speakers, music and accommodations.

Many area resorts and businesses plus fishing companies sponsor the Pay It Forward event by providing funds, lodging and delicious food. It takes many volunteers to make this event happen. Here are some kind words spoken by past attendees. “The Event is a don’t miss summer fishing outing for your bucket list. Great walleye fishing combined with a great cause. What’s not to like?” “This trip was amazing! I can not thank everyone involved enough! We had an absolute blast fishing. Can’t wait to be back up there!”

Pay It Forward 2020 starts out with a Meet and Greet session, dinner and a program at an area resort. The next day Charter Fishing starts out bright and early. That evening dinner and a program will be at another area resort.  The second full day will also be charter fishing, ending with our famous fish fry, one of two in the area during the summer months. Veterans of all ages, young and old, male or female are encouraged to attend.  Visit www.lakeofthewoodsMN.com/Pay-It-Forward or go to www.payitforwardlow.org. to see great pictures and gather insite on the event.  For even more information contact Lake of the Woods Tourism Director, Joe Henry at joe.henry@lakeofthewoodmn.com to make your application.

Our community invites you to participate in this event to say thank you to the disabled service members and their families who have served and fought on our behalf to protect the freedom that allows each and every one of us to pursue our dreams. Their sacrifices should be Paid Forward as a debt of gratitude and we welcome them to be guests in our community.

For more information or lodging contact: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging.

It doesn’t matter if you are a bird watcher, outdoors person or simply are into trying new things.  There is a cool activity that is fun, exciting and free up in the Lake of the Woods area near Baudette. From early April through the first week of May, sharp tailed grouse are conducting their annual mating rituals.  The entire party takes part in areas of open brushland called a lek.  A lek is defined as an assembly area where animals carry on display and courtship behavior (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).  In this case as is usually the case in nature, it is the males fighting for attention from the females. 

Bob Schmidt is the new Manager of Wildlife for the MN DNR in Baudette.  He says the grouse will be dancing until about May 1st and the public is welcomed to reserve a free blind and enjoy this incredible spectacle.  To rent a blind, contact Schmidt at the MN DNR office in Baudette at 218-395-6040.

This event, if you have never witnessed it up close and personal, is one to see.  Videos don’t do it justice when the birds are right on top of you.  “The males are dancing and fighting to protect their territory and gain the chance to breed with the females,” explains Scott Laudenslager, former MN DNR Supervisor of the Baudette work area.  “Typically a lek consists of an area about a half mile.  It consists of short grass to the grouse can participate in their breeding activities.  Sharp tailed grouse are much more social than ruffed grouse, who drum in the woods and don’t participate in groups like the sharpies do,” explains Laudenslager.

The MN DNR has two blinds set up in prime viewing range of popular leks.  “One blind is about 5 minutes from Baudette in which viewers need to walk about 200 yards to the blind.  The other is about 15 miles south but only 50 yards or so from the road.  The blinds hold 2-3 people, have five gallon pails for seating and are right in the heart of the action.”

Check out the Video!  Bret Amundson of Prairie Sportsman TV recently did a piece about sharpies in MN titled, “Birds of the Prairie”.  He spent some time with Scott Laudenslager of the MN DNR out of Baudette in a viewing blind in the area.

To reserve a blind to watch sharp tailed grouse which is open to the public, interested viewers can contact the MN DNR in Baudette at 218-395-6040 to make a reservation.  It is important to get your sleep the night before as participants must be in the blind before daybreak.  “It is not uncommon for folks to be walking to the blind and kick up the grouse,” explains Laudenslager.  “When that happens, simply get set up in the blind and in about 15 minutes or so, they will start making their way back to the lek.”

In addition to sharp tailed grouse, other wildlife can be seen up close and personal as well.  “It is not uncommon to see white tailed deer, coyotes, eagles, hawks, etc during a sit.  When a hawk swoops down in an effort to get the grouse, the grouse will normally fly off but typically return again within 15 minutes, it’s just part of nature.” 

The best viewing times are before sunrise to about 9am.  If work or school dictates you must leave the blind before that time, not a problem.

The area has excellent sharp tailed grouse habitat with literally thousands of acres of public hunting land with walking trails, ATV trails and dirt roads.  A variety of trees mixed in with agricultural lands make this prime territory.

There are three species of grouse in the Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods area.  Ruffed, spruce and of course, our dancing variety, sharp-tailed!  The most popular for hunting is the ruffed grouse.  The Lake of the Woods chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society is very active and has done a lot of work creating and clearing trails for hunting, some of which in conjunction with the MN DNR.

Click Here to view a list of Lake of the Woods lodging.

Click Here to view Lake of the Woods Tourism