First of the Season

[Dean Romig]

A rainy weekend in Vermont, to be sure.
About midday on Saturday we stepped out of camp to get in some grouse hunting between cloudbursts and the birds weren't very cooperative. I think it was too wet for their liking and they would rather run than fly. The leaves haven't started to drop yet but with a couple of good frosts they'll come down pretty quickly. After about two hours with no flushes where we could see the bird (a few birds had flushed that we could only hear) a pair got up and flitted about three feet above the ground. I fired at the rear bird (missed behind) and it must have been the shock-wave catalyst as the sky immediately opened up and we were drenched.
This morning dawned with sunshine streaming over Toot Hill to the east but the heavy fog soon came up the valley and we were socked in with extremely limited visibility for the next two hours. Finally we got out and hunted for about three hours with results similar to those of Saturday. I was on my way back to the truck and was winding down a side-hill with apple and poplar tangles when this bird went up just like a station 5 low-house and I pulled off a perfect head shot.

[Dave Suponski]

Dean,Congratulations! The first bird of the year is always a relief..

[John Dunkle]

Dean - that is a GREAT read - thanks and congrats!!!!! As well - beautiful country up that way? Where - exactly - did you say that was??? ;) Oh - that's right - you didn't :) Is that Kathy's Parker?

Best to you!

John

[Dean Romig]

John, I'll e-mail you the coordinates . . . :rolleyes:

The Q1 & Q2 barrels and forend are from Kathy's 28 ga. Repro while the back half is from my 28 ga. Repro. It's a great early season combination. For the late season I'll use my IMP/MOD barrels.

[Larry Frey]

Great job Dean. Tell us again how you managed that single bb head shot so as not to waste any meat.:rotf:

[Dean Romig]

I'm not that good Larry - I was using rifled slugs :cool:

But seriously, It's head and neck were peppered and the left wing was broken with one pellet through the wrist but not a mark on the breasts.

[John Dunkle]

John, I'll e-mail you.....

Geee - whiz - thanks, Dean.... Got them... Most helpful...

Darctions from yins house

tekk I-91 North inta Vermont `n` git off da highway at da Exit (the middle exit). At da end of da ramp, turn left toward da road on to da West. Follow da road mostly west approximately fer da hills til' they become mountains – staying left at da fork number three. At da T intersection make a left onta da other Street `n` proceed up da hill, staying in da left lane (iz's a two lane road). Follow the green signs fer da' route East, makin a left `n` then right as yew navigate `rount a small stump on yer right. Stay on fer 11.5 minutes at 23 miles - ed zachery - an hour north ta' farm wid da' cows and chickens. As yew come near nuf, yew`ll see a pretty barn on yore left, wif a large four-columned silo in da center of da the field...turn left by the crick and up da road a piece. Ya'd be thar then.

[Dean Romig]

An' ya had ta go an' share it wif everbody now dint ya ! :cuss:

[Dave Miles]

I know right were that covert is. :bigbye:

[E Robert Fabian]

Dean, what about , follow your nose a few miles and take a left about a half mile before you get to the church.

Nice job on the grouse.

[Dean Romig]

Bob, depending on which direction you're coming from you would take a left about a half mile after the church or from the other direction, a right about a half mile before the church. *wink*