Corey Ford's "The Road to Tinkhamtown"

[Dean Romig]

This twelve minute video has been put on YouTube so I guess it is public now.

It is narrated (read) by our friend Des Young of "Hunting With Hank" fame and produced by Laurie Morrow who has been given exclusive 'curatorship' by Dartmouth College, where Corey Ford was a professor, of all of Corey Ford's writings, letters, and private property.

"Cider", the blue belton English Setter in the video in reality is "Earl's Coronation" and is of the Earl Twombly line (from which came Ford's "Cider" and "Tober") and is the sire of the pup "Olga's Grace" that Kathy and I will be picking up in the first week of August. Coronation Kennels in Lowell Vt. is owned and operated by Legh and Jenn Higgins. Legh makes an appearance in the video, second from left, in the clip of the four hunting companions.

Please enjoy the Timkhmtown video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_PN6ZL0fMA

[Greg Baehman]

Many will probably recognize the gentleman featured in the video as 'Big John' Wiles, husband of Laurie Morrow and managing partner of B&W Sporting The Best in Wingshooting.

[Jeff Kuss]

Wow,very well done.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Greg for that note.

[Mills Morrison]

Notice he has a Parker. They did not miss any details

[Gary Laudermilch]

No matter how many times I have read "The Road To Tinkhamtown", which has been many, I never tire of it. I consider it one of the best pieces of bird hunting literature ever produced, albeit sad.

This video does the story justice and I want to thank Dean for sharing it.

Dean, good luck with the setter pup. They hold a special place in my heart and I am sure will yours as well.

[Mills Morrison]

It was no. 1 in a Sporting Classics contest for best outdoor story ever written. That is how I first learned of it. Great stuff for sure.

[John Dallas]

Hmmm. Won't load up for me

[Dean Romig]

Open a search function on the www and type in the road to tinkhamtown and click on the link that shows a guy sitting on the ground leaning against a tree.

[John Dallas]

No videos on youtube or facebook seem to be loading for me at this point

[John Dallas]

Rebooted the computer and all is well. A friend just picked up a new setter that apparently came from Hank's kennel.

[Dave Tercek]

It is a great story, and thanks for posting the link.
I do have a question. I've read this story many times over the years and there are slight variations in different books. For example this is the first time I have seen hunting buddies mentioned, he is home in bed and not in a hospital, his wife is at his side (not his sister), ect..
Who makes these changes ?
Thanks, Dave

[Thomas L. Benson Sr.]

Thank You Dean It was a joy to watch and listen. It is the best hunting story, with out a doubt, that I like to reread every few months just to remind me why I love the outdoors so much. Thomas

[Dean Romig]

It is a great story, and thanks for posting the link.
I do have a question. I've read this story many times over the years and there are slight variations in different books. For example this is the first time I have seen hunting buddies mentioned, he is home in bed and not in a hospital, his wife is at his side (not his sister), ect..
Who makes these changes ?
Thanks, Dave

"Editorial license" I suppose. It is my guess that Laurie Morrow, having full control over the Ford archives, must be allowed the latitude to do what she deems as necessary or fitting in the way she makes use of Corey Ford's stories and writings.

[chris dawe]

Thank you ,thank you Dean !!!

[Grantham Forester]

I believe the shotgun Frank is carrying a is a 12 Trojan, possibly with a rubber recoil pad. Only I man who lived to fly fish and hunt grouse as a gentleman should hunt them like the late Corey Ford did could create such a masterpiece. I have this story in my book "The Best of Corey Ford", which also contains his equally great "Letter To A grandson"-- I did not notice any mention of what make and gauge shotgun Frank had in the original story, nor any mention about 4 hunting partners. My impression of Frank was that he was a bachelor, like Uncle Perk Perkins in the "Lower Forty" series, who lived with his possibly unmarried sister, and his Setter was his whole life- that and grouse come October--

[Dean Romig]

The Parker in the video is a 12 gauge GH and it belongs to Legh Higgins who also owns the setter, "Coronation's Duke of Earl" and the Filson jacket that "Frank" is wearing.

[Stephen Hodges]

Dean, can't wait to see your pup:):):)

[Dave Suponski]

Steve, I'm sure Dean wouldn't mind me sharing this with you all. It just priceless.

[Stephen Hodges]

Great Pic Dave, thanks:):):) Oh boy, that pup won't be spoiled!!!!!

[Dean Romig]

Oh boy, that pup won't be spoiled!!!!!


Steve, you might be wrong... I may spoil her a little bit.

This picture was taken today - our first 'get acquainted' day. She stays with her Mum for two more weeks, then we bring her home. I named her Grace after my mother and coincidentally, today is my mother's birthday... she would have been 92 and she would have loved little Gracie.

Thanks Dave... if you hadn't, I would have.

[Stephen Hodges]

Dean, spoil her away:bowdown::bowdown:

[Dean Romig]

Did I mention she's a tri-color? White with black and orange ticking.

[ed good]

wonderful video...


there is a tinkham mountain in the town of alexandria, nh. it is a small mountain in the shadow of one of new hampshires larger peaks, cardigan mountain. my gunsmith, ed lander was born close to there. he was taken to massachusetts as a boy, but returned to his roots in the early seventies and is there now, still practicing his trade at 88 years of age.

the abandoned road to tinkham mountain is off washburn road which is a mostly passible dirt road on the way to old ed's shop. I pass it often when up that way. I walked it part way once, but having read the story, decided that I was not yet ready to go all the way to the end, so to speak...anyway, it is remarkable how the area in the video is so like the real place. wonder if it is?

I too had an english setter, who is now gone. his name was princie. he was my friend and I was his.

[Mills Morrison]

Check this out. This will take you to the supposedly original, unedited version.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/hunting/2010/04/chad-love-best-outdoor-story-ever-written

[scott kittredge]

Steve, I'm sure Dean wouldn't mind me sharing this with you all. It just priceless.

Dean, Did you have your shots? , Hate to see pup catch something !! :rotf: nice pic and pup, maybe we could do a hunt together some time?? , Dean you can go too, scott

[Dean Romig]

Dean, maybe we could do a hunt together some time?? , Dean you can go too, scott


Sure Scott.... are there any grouse in New Hampcha?

[scott kittredge]

Sure Scott.... are there any grouse in New Hampcha?

I have seen only 2 in the last 10 years , but Bill Janelle said there are some. Up north there are. Maybe Bill, you and I can make a day of it up north this fall?? :)

[Dean Romig]

If we can do it on a weekday I'm in.

[Stephen Hodges]

I have seen only 2 in the last 10 years , but Bill Janelle said there are some. Up north there are. Maybe Bill, you and I can make a day of it up north this fall?? :)

Scott, you get north of Rochester, and you will be lost:rotf:

[Dean Romig]

The Northeast side of Lake St. Francis ain't too shabby for good grouse numbers. Take a canoe... two hunters and a dog fit a canoe just right. That will get you into the untrammeled places.

[todd allen]

This twelve minute video has been put on YouTube so I guess it is public now.

It is narrated (read) by our friend Des Young of "Hunting With Hank" fame and produced by Laurie Morrow who has been given exclusive 'curatorship' by Dartmouth College, where Corey Ford was a professor, of all of Corey Ford's writings, letters, and private property.

"Cider", the blue belton English Setter in the video in reality is "Earl's Coronation" and is of the Earl Twombly line (from which came Ford's "Cider" and "Tober") and is the sire of the pup "Olga's Grace" that Kathy and I will be picking up in the first week of August. Coronation Kennels in Lowell Vt. is owned and operated by Legh and Jenn Higgins. Legh makes an appearance in the video, second from left, in the clip of the four hunting companions.

Please enjoy the Timkhmtown video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_PN6ZL0fMA
What a beautiful story! Thanks for posting.

[Bill Murphy]

My favorite Corey Ford story is "Seat of Justice" because it includes a Parker .410 in skeet configuration, field chokes, boats, bad wives, marksmanship, and "law and order". Would anyone be willing to particiapate in a U Tube video reenacting "Seat of Justice"?

[chris dawe]

The Northeast side of Lake St. Francis ain't too shabby for good grouse numbers. Take a canoe... two hunters and a dog fit a canoe just right. That will get you into the untrammeled places.

When do it leave Dean ,is there room for a big Newfoundlander? were born quite good on the water you know :whistle:

When we last spoke I thought you had sworn off getting another dog...I think you made a wise choice ,beautiful head on that pup I can't wait to hear reports of her Grouse adventures .

[Dean Romig]

Chris, I think that was back before I was able to convince Kathy that a true bird dog was absolutely necessary to my continued sanity or at least would bring me closer to such a state. It took some tactical persuasion by not only myself but a few well-meaning hunting friends.

[Rick Losey]

Wondered about that myself

Looking forward to seeing this pup (and her litter mate another friend is getting) grow up. My wife loves the dogs but adding a third might get a bit crowded in the house.

[Dean Romig]

Rick, I have seen and held John's pup. She is a wonderfully active and competitive girl and may just turn out to be the best hunter of them all. She is eager and is "The Boss" of the litter. She's the one they call "Bandit" because of her black face mask with the white stripe up from her freckled snout to behind her ears where everything else is mostly white. She's a very striking looking pup. I'm certain John will be very happy with her.

[Dean Romig]

A third might get a bit crowded in the house.


Legh and Jenn have six adults and nine pups in the house and I don't hear any complaints from them. Their vacuum cleaner sure gets a workout though.

[Tony Ambrose]

This has always been one of my favorite Ford pieces.

Over the years I have always envisioned that Corey's "Tinkhamtown" came from the Tinkhamtown Brook area which is Southeast of the Dartmouth Skiway, the Dartmouth-owned ski resort just outside of Lyme. In this day and age, using tools like Google Earth, it's fun to zoom in on that area and think about what it would show if we had good aerial photos from "back in the day". It always made sense to me that Ford would have picked either an area close to Freedom or an area near Darmouth as the basis for this piece. Tinkhamtown Brook is less than 2.5 miles southeast of the small mountain that is Dartmouth Skiway.

[Dean Romig]

That theory makes perfect sense to me Tony. I know he hunted and fished those areas with his friends whom he based his "Lower Forty" characters on - Jim Hall, Perk Perkins, Judge Parker, Cousin Sid and the rest... they all had real names and were Corey's real friends and some were favorite students at Dartmouth.

[Stephen Hodges]

I find your theory on the location of Tinkhamtown very fascinating and probably correct. But in listening to the video he mentions, while looking at the old map that he had drawn years earlier, that he is between
Kearsarge and Cardigan Mountain. He must have been referring to Mt. Kearsarge and not the unincorporated town near Conway, NH, as that is a great distance away. Mt. Kearsarge and Cardigan Mountain are about 25 miles apart as the crow flies, and about halfway in between lies the rural town of Danbury. Intererestingly enough, along Route 4 and the Smith River in Danbury you can find an area on the old topographical maps that is labeled “Fords Crossing”. I wonder if there might be a connection?

[Tony Ambrose]

Stephen - that's an interesting theory as well that I've heard mentioned before. Southeast of Mt. Cardigan, a bit less than 5 miles as the crow flies, is a small mountain called Tinkham Hill. It certainly could be the place!

[Dean Romig]

This is getting better and better.

[Mills Morrison]

It is very interesting. Do any of these places still exist? IE are they still woods and not subdivisions? I hope so

[Dean Romig]

Steve and Patty could take a drive over there someday soon and let us know. What's it Steve, twenty or thirty minutes from your house?

[Dean Romig]

I just shot an email to "Doc Hall" asking him if Corey ever divulged to him where the fabled town of Tinkhamtown was located. I hope Doc is still with us - he was getting along and was getting physically feeble the last time we communicated.

[Stephen Hodges]

Steve and Patty could take a drive over there someday soon and let us know. What's it Steve, twenty or thirty minutes from your house?

About that Dean, and a route I drive pretty often. It is still a very rural beautiful area with cover along Route 4 that look like it could be good grouse/woodcock cover. And Mills, there is not a subdivision anywhere near that area!! I am going to plan on scoping it out with Star as soon as the weather cools. This is going to be fun:)

[Dean Romig]

Need a partner?

[Stephen Hodges]

Need a partner?

Absolutely, I will give you a call:)

[Rick Losey]

we expect a Parker Pages story out of this

[Mills Morrison]

That is great to hear. Boy, would it be fun to retrace Corey's footsteps and with an old Parker too

[Tony Ambrose]

If you look at both areas on Google Earth, which uses fairly decent resolution aerial photos, Tinkhamtown Brook is basically all woods in all directions for quite a distance. Tinkham Hill is another area that is pretty much void of the modern house/shopping mall. I haven't lived in NH since 1991, but I'm sure most of the larger unpopulated areas are still that....other than the occasional soul looking for his remote place in the woods. Housing developments will always rear their ugly heads as long as the population keeps expanding.

[Dean Romig]

larger unpopulated areas are still that....other than the occasional soul looking for his remote place in the woods. Housing developments will always rear their ugly heads as long as the population keeps expanding.

This reminds me so much of the Eagles song "Paradise"- probably the saddest and most haunting song an upland hunter could know.

[Gary Laudermilch]

For you historical research guys. You might be surprised to find old aerial photos are still available. I found 1938, 1955, and 1962 aerial photos of the area I hunt. Check with your state geospatial data repository. Most states have one these days to house, catalog, and diseminate GIS data.

On my photos it is amazing the change that took place during and following WWII. I am surmizing that the gas rationing and diminished male workforce led to many, many acres reverting to brushy habitat from mowed fields that existed in 1938.

[Dean Romig]

I am surmizing that the gas rationing and diminished male workforce led to many, many acres reverting to brushy habitat from mowed fields that existed in 1938.

Thanks for that lead Gary.

I expect a significant "diminished male workforce" has resulted after each of our wars. Women and children weren't able to keep the farm going for very long after husbands, sons, and 'hired help' were absent from the farm.
It didn't take long after the ol' place was abandoned that buildings collapsed and the fields, meadows, and dooryard grew up in brush and saplings.

[Stephen Hodges]

For you historical research guys. You might be surprised to find old aerial photos are still available. I found 1938, 1955, and 1962 aerial photos of the area I hunt. Check with your state geospatial data repository. Most states have one these days to house, catalog, and diseminate GIS data.

On my photos it is amazing the change that took place during and following WWII. I am surmizing that the gas rationing and diminished male workforce led to many, many acres reverting to brushy habitat from mowed fields that existed in 1938.

That's a good point, but actually it was the farmers who had gas and rubber tires during the war. My grandfather, a dairy farmer here, never wanted for either during the war as farms were considered vital. And as far as farms being abandoned and reverting back to woods, again here in NH that had more to do with the poor soil and expansion of the textile industry than lack of manpower. Folks moved to the cities here to work in the textile and shoe mills along major waterways which initially provided power to the mills. Except along the Connecticut River, NH grows Granite, not much corn. And its amazing that after the rise of the textile industry here and the abandonment of the farms, the textile plants went the way of the farms in the late 1950's, early 1960's as high energy and labor costs forced them to move to the south. Mills were abandoned all over the state creating eyesores. Today, lots of those old abandoned mills have been rehabbed and are now trendy shopping malls and restaurants. And farming is making somewhat of a comeback on a small scale with farmers markets popping up in most towns in the summer. I guess what goes around comes around.

[Dean Romig]

We shall see...

[Tony Ambrose]

There are some great old topo maps available from UNH for various Northeast states. Many are from 1927 and 1931. You can access and view these maps via: http://docs.unh.edu/nhtopos/nhtopos.htm.


The map for Tinkham Hill is on: http://docs.unh.edu/NH/card27se.jpg

The map for Tinkhamtown Brook is located at the bottom of the map on: http://docs.unh.edu/NH/mtcb31se.jpg

[Russ Jackson]

We shall see...

I hope Steve is right , as we speak ,I am in the process of getting the " Old Allis Chalmers, WD 45 back up in running condition and am hoping come spring to be back up and plowing at least part of the back forty ! Nothing too serious just some decent tasting vegetables and maybe a few head of cattle ! I have owned the land some time but just haven't had time to do anything but mow the edges ! It's good Deer hunting but the birds are long gone ,I am contemplating a couple of 5 to 7 acre clear cuts and maybe get a few Grouse back in here eventually ! As Dean says ,We Shall See !!!!!:)

[Mills Morrison]

My dream is to have some hunting/farm property of my own. Good luck with your project Russ.

[Russ Jackson]

Thank you Mills , yes it is nice to always have a place to hunt ,when I was a Boy ,we had more Grouse than you can imagine around the old home place but I couldn't hit them but on occasion ,I know I am not the one to hurt our local population :rotf: ,must have been loss of habitat !

[scott kittredge]

Absolutely, I will give you a call:)

If this works out, would it be ok for me to tag along. I love the history and the woods. Steve ,I won't get lost :)

[Dean Romig]

Scott, I can't think of a reason why not..... I've tried and tried but can't come up with a single reason..... ;)

[Stephen Hodges]

If this works out, would it be ok for me to tag along. I love the history and the woods. Steve ,I won't get lost :)

Absolutely Scott..............when the weather cools in late August, we will all get together at my house and make the trek:corn:

[Dean Romig]

I think Tony Ambrose nailed it with the map that shows Tinkhamtown Brook.

You will also find the "town" of Hardscrabble, (along the 50' parallel) the fabled New Hampshire community where the members of the Lower Forty tramped the hills and meadows and fished Mink Brook. You'll also find Perkins Brook - Remember Uncle Perk's Perkin's General Store in Hardscrabble?
Also look for the Dartmouth Outing Club and the Dartmouth Outing Club Trail.

Corey Ford was a professor at Dartmouth at the time he wrote "Tales of the Lower Forty" for Field & Stream magazine, and was very active in sports and outings with several of the students there.... "Doc Hall" (Dr. James Whitney Hall, III) being one of his favorites.

I think we should begin our trek along Tinkhamtown Brook and head upstream, and cross what's left of the bridge, and eventually up that rise to Tinkhamtown.

[ed good]

are you guys going off washburn road or summers else?

[Dean Romig]

Don't know - there's no road signs on the map.

Hey, I just found "Skunk Hollow" on the map too! Another "fictional" place written about in the Lower Forty.

[Tony Ambrose]

I think Tony Ambrose nailed it with the map that shows Tinkhamtown Brook.

You will also find the "town" of Hardscrabble, (along the 50' parallel) the fabled New Hampshire community where the members of the Lower Forty tramped the hills and meadows and fished Mink Brook. You'll also find Perkins Brook - Remember Uncle Perk's Perkin's General Store in Hardscrabble?
Also look for the Dartmouth Outing Club and the Dartmouth Outing Club Trail.

Corey Ford was a professor at Dartmouth at the time he wrote "Tales of the Lower Forty" for Field & Stream magazine, and was very active in sports and outings with several of the students there.... "Doc Hall" (Dr. James Whitney Hall, III) being one of his favorites.

I think we should begin our trek along Tinkhamtown Brook and head upstream, and cross what's left of the bridge, and eventually up that rise to Tinkhamtown.

Thanks Dean. Those old maps have provided many great "hints" that led me to believe that this was the area. As Steve noted, the story line also mentions "between Kearsarge and Cardigan Mountain", which always threw a kink into my theory. Since Tinkham Hill is located between these two mountains, it was always worth the search of those map areas to find any hints, but, I always returned to look at the map of the Tinkhamtown Brook area and all those familiar names that could be tied to Corey Ford. I see there are trails or dirt roads leading in to the general area of Tinkhamtown Brook. I wish you guys luck in whatever you end up finding. If nothing else, I hope you find grouse!!

As for me, I'll keep an eye out for a posting of your exploration. Grouse season is slowing approaching and I find it difficult to focus on much of anything else. I'm looking forward to Autumn and following my English Pointer in my coverts of the northern ADKs and central Maine. Maybe I'll spend a few days in northern NH. I have fond memories of some great covers around Lake Francis and First Connecticut Lake, although the last time I was in that area, I thought that someone must have put up a billboard advertising all the great hunting to be found, since I saw more bird hunters in that one trip than I had seen in the previous 10 years! It was enough that I haven't bought a NH license or been back in quite a few years. A couple weeks in central Maine in the last half of October every year has been feeding my New England grouse passion quite nicely. My friends in Maine tell me that they are seeing lots of grouse and woodcock......although not one of them would ever think about following a dog in the woods and shooting one on the wing!

Good luck guys. I hope you actually find the remnants of a bridge on Tinkhamtown Brook!

[Stephen Hodges]

Tony, I know what your mean about Pittsburg. I have a camp 13 miles in on Indian Stream and have hunted the area for may years. We sure get an influx of...............................well, I will be kind.:rotf:

[Tony Ambrose]

Steve - you're right in the thick of it with a camp up there. Much better than renting a cabin for a few days, then running into a truckload of hunters in every other cover that you go to. I can't imagine what it must be like in early October! The last time I hunted up there I couldn't get back over to Maine quick enough.

That area south of the west end of Francis off of Cedar Stream Road started turning into a housing development about 10 years ago with all the homes and camps being built. God help us if it keeps expanding East!

[Dean Romig]

The influx of hunters in woods where there once was more solitude and a man could call them "his" coverts are probably a direct result of the annual increase in posted land down state and elsewhere.

[Stephen Hodges]

The influx of hunters in woods where there once was more solitude and a man could call them "his" coverts are probably a direct result of the annual increase in posted land down state and elsewhere.

Dean, it is more a direct result of no birds south of the Notch. We really do not suffer much yet from extensive posted land here, just not may birds, which is a result of lack of habitat. When I was a youth we had great bird hunting here in Gilford, but the fields and apple orchards are now either mature woods or houses.

[Dean Romig]

This just in...

These are the nine Twombly Setter littermates. Grace, my new pup, is on the far left. The one with two black eye-patches is "Maggie" and will be taken home to New York by a good friend of Rick Losey.

These are the sons and daughters of "Coronation's Duke of Earl" who starred in the Tinkhamtown video at the beginning of this thread.



.

[ed good]

amazing picture! how did you get them all to stand at the same time?

[Dean Romig]

I can't take responsibility Ed. This picture was taken by the breeder and owner of Coronation Kennel. These pups are so eager to play and for the next adventure. And they're such fun to watch it's almost a shame to separate them so soon.

[Stephen Hodges]

Dean, she is a peach:)

[Rick Losey]

puppy day is always a mix of joy and heart break, but it doesn't take them long to adjust.

My daughters both brought home litter mates the 4th of July (Golden Retrievers) the pups have both adjusted to running their new homes- but the pups got back together here this weekend for the first time in a couple weeks and turned right back to playing as if nothing had separated them.

[Rick Losey]

OK- I see a post from Dean-

so how did puppy day go??

I was going to wait and just call you at 3 am to ask- figuring you will be up anyway

:whistle:

[Dean Romig]

:rotf:

Puppy day went (and is still going) very, very well.

Grace is just the sweetest little pup and doesn't seem to miss her litter mates much as long as we keep her occupied.

She has only peed on the floor here once and that was on the hardwood in the kitchen - not on any carpets.

[Russ Jackson]

Dean ,Congrats on the new Pup ,Grace is a beauty !!!! Nice name too !

[Daryl Corona]

She's a real cutey Dean. Gosh, don't you wish you could take them all?:eek:

[Dean Romig]

Absolutely!

[Eric Eis]

This just in...

These are the nine Twombly Setter littermates. Grace, my new pup, is on the far left. The one with two black eye-patches is "Maggie" and will be taken home to New York by a good friend of Rick Losey.

These are the sons and daughters of "Coronation's Duke of Earl" who starred in the Tinkhamtown video at the beginning of this thread.



.

Puppy pictures should be "Banned" on this board..... :rotf::rotf: I want one..:crying:

[Michael Meeks]

Dean, awesome pup! How's she doing? Get her on birds yet? Any pics? I have a 2 1/2 year old male setter. We lost my older two a couple years ago. Shame they have such short lives.

What a great thread reading about your quest for Tinkhamtown! I've been a Corey Ford fan for at least 20 years now. I have spent quite an effort collecting his published writings, most of them signed first editions.

I too, have been searching for Tinkhamtown. I'm pretty certain it is north of Hanover near Lyme and Grafton. Right in my back yard! Hardscrabble, to the best of what I have figured out, is actually based on Freedom, NH. Many of the characters were loosely based on folks that lived in Freedom as well as Dartmouth students and Corey's long time hunting buddies. Corey's home in Freedom, "Stoneybroke", is actually on the market now.

Did you and Steve go on your trek last summer?

Mike

[Dean Romig]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the compliments on Grace - she turned 1 year old two days ago, on the 5th.
We love her a lot and she is a real sweetheart and is a bundle of energy and is really tuned in to birds.

We never were able to consummate our quest for the lost community of Tinkhamtown but it is still on the "simmer" burner and is something I still want very much to do. I hope that we find it some day or at least that we find evidence of the fieldstone foundations of their homes and barns in a location that makes sense according to Corey's writings.

Thanks for sparking this thread up again.

[legh higgins]

This is Graces brother Squire he wants to go to tinkhamtown too

[Rick Losey]

great photo,

[Dean Romig]

Wish Squire a belated Happy Birthday for us please!

He looks like he just had a bath... that's the only time Grace looks that nice.

[Tony Ambrose]

Squire is a great looking setter Legh!

[Eric Eis]

This is Graces brother Squire he wants to go to tinkhamtown too

Legh, like Dean you are a very lucky man. Beautiful

[chris dawe]

Beautiful pup's boy's !!!,almost makes a fella want to pick up the gun and follow the dog after Grouse ...but alas ,this is what I'm stuck to up here until the Fall

[Dean Romig]

Well Chris - things could be worse.... you could get sprayed by a skunk or mauled by a bear, or... :whistle:

[Dean Romig]

Nice brookie though... 2 1/2 lbs. or so?

I understand they call them "mud fish" in Maritime Canada. Any truth to that?

[legh higgins]

is it "Fizzies" that make them puff up like that?

[Dean Romig]

That, or filling the tub with soda water.

[chris dawe]

Good eye Dean,he was tween 2 1/2 and 3lb on my balance ...and no ,he's a natural from one of my "spots",no soda water or fizz a real little Newfie pig...and yes we call them mud trout,you call them brook trout ,our name comes from the boggy bottom gullies where we catch them ...

Heres another couple for you... the last I promise ,I don't want to sidetrack your thread and I think as much of my trouting spots as I do bird ground

[legh higgins]

Dean how about that scouting trip? is it on the 2020 schedule?:bigbye:

[todd allen]

Can't watch that without a kleenex.

[Dean Romig]

Dean how about that scouting trip? is it on the 2020 schedule?:bigbye:


It sure could be Legh - we could make a plan to give it a good try.





.

[legh higgins]

now's the time to find old paths and cellar holes:bigbye:

[Dean Romig]

You're absolutely right Legh!





.

[allen newell]

Dean, Steve et al, please include me in any scouting and bird hunts in new hampshire this coming season. I grew up bird hunting in hookset and Bow NH but assume its all developed and or posted now.