We never saw any obvious northern invaders during my week in Minnesota, so we made do with the smaller local ducks. I even put away my 10 because it just didn't make much sense to shoot it on teal and ringbills. We got one nice blackduck hen and a smattering of local mallards and wigeons, but the big boys never made it down. I guess the weather was just too nice.
On that bluegrouse you ate, I suspect that it might have been a Spruce grouse because the Blues here are definitely white-meat birds. Not as good as Ruffies, but not bad either.