UP 2017

[Harold Pickens]

Another UP hunting trip is in the books. I hunted so hard that it will take another 2 weeks to recover. I start early and finish late, savoring every moment in the grouse woods. Fancy and Betty are thin despite pouring on all the food they would eat. Bird numbers were very good--now, I have hunted the UP every year since 1986, and I have seen highs and lows. I also know what to look for in grouse covers. The woodcock flights never did seem to make it to the UP tis year--I saw only 4 wc in 2 weeks. The weather had been quite warm before I got there, but then turned rainy, cool, and often snowed.
I took 2 guns, my VHE 20, and my J.Manton 20 hammer gun. I prefer to shoot the hammer gun, and on several days took my 5 bird limit with it. I seem to be able to post only 1 pic at a time, so this may take a while.

[Harold Pickens]

Fancy making a nice retrieve, and the iron lady Betty who never ceases to amaze.

[Harold Pickens]

Betty got tired of waiting for me to find her on point, so she sat down--hey, she will be 13 this spring. she has lost none of her intensity.

[Harold Pickens]

another limit with the hammer gun. Betty and fancy make a good brace, and nicely honor each others points

[Harold Pickens]

Fancy with a nice point

[SXS OHIO]

Glad to hear you had great hunting Harold and found lots of birds.....We work hard all year for a few good hunts and its nice when it all comes together! I enjoyed Florida while you were gunning birds, I would much rather been up hunting though. I fulfilled my obligation of 2017, a happy wife is a happy life. Next October/November is mine and Florida will weight till Feb-March! Thanks for posting the nice pictures, your pups look great! SXS Ohio

[Reggie B]

I enjoyed the pics! Thanks for posting.

[Opening Day]

Looks like your the dogs did well, did you get the pup on any birds? So overall how many birds did the dogs point (and you get...) Rich said he moved birds but the cover was still thick.

[Kentucky Bird Hunter]

Great photos, Harold! Always enjoy successful hunting stories, and good to know the grouse numbers were up this year in the UP. We saw lots of woodcock in the Lower Peninsula in mid-October, and sufficient grouse flushes to certainly be encouraged.

I miss the UP. I used to hunt it every year with a buddy who owned a house in Grand Marais. Tragically, he passed away from a sudden heart attack at 56 a couple years ago. I haven't been back to our favorite UP coverts since. But your post encourages me to return!

Thanks for sharing your photos. Great looking dogs. I loved the one where Betty stayed on point, but in Parade Rest! LOL!

Dave

[Harold Pickens]

Yes, the dogs did very well. Betty held up better than I had anticipated, and Fancy developed into a reliable, trustworthy grouse dog, pointing, backing, retrieving, and great range, and extremely bidable.
I worked the pups daily, but they are only 3 months old. Ihave had them on pigeons, but haven't shot over them yet. I would hide the dead grouse, and watch them use their nose to find them--they show great promise.
I didn't get up there until the 20th, so the weather had cooled down and the leaves had fallen. We actually had a lot of rainy days, and snow to hunt in. I stopped at Rich's in Channing for a couple of hours, and talked on the phone to Matt Valinsky who was hunting around Gwinn.
Didn't keep track of productive points, but there was several hundred. I avg around 30 flushes/day, but their were a lot of multiple flushes. On 3 occasions, 8 birds got up over a point . Couldn't shoot worth a damn the first week, and then shot out my arse the second week. Havent gone thru my log book yet, but believe I shot 30 grouse. The woodcock were simply not there, I moved only 4 in 2 weeks, and nobody I talked to was doing much better. Would love to go back up, but may try to get to Kansas in Jan.
Talked to a guy today who had chukars and quail, and will sell me a few to work the pups on.
I am still feeling about as tired as my dogs