UP

[Harold Lee Pickens]

1st grouse of the year. ParkerVHE 20 and my oldest setter Fancy. Took another grouse and a wc, buddy Terry also got 2 grouse, 1 wc

[Dean Romig]

Fancy’s looking pretty good! How old is she?

Gracie’s showing some soreness in the evenings at camp this season… she’s 7.





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Fancy is 8 now, but I alsso have her 2, 4 yr old daughters, both of which are solid performers.

[Andrew Sacco]

Very very nice : )

[Victor Wasylyna]

Rotated

[Daryl Corona]

Nice start Harold. I'm here in SD with the usual gang chasing birds. Report will follow.

For all you dog owners that run your dogs hard, as if we could stop them, this product works wonders on sore muscles that your pup suffers the next morning. It's called Glycocharge and I know Lion Country Supply and Chewy carry it. They will love drinking it and it works. I won't leave home without it.

[charlie cleveland]

good looking dogs and what a pretty hunting area...hope you see lots of more birds...charlie

[scott kittredge]

Your Looking good Harold ! Keep up the good work.
Scott

[Harold Lee Pickens]

72 degrees by noon, so we got out early.. 2 of the 3 birds I took with the little Ugartechea 28 ga over Willie.
Hunting partner Terry also took 3 birds. Back at the cabin on the deck waiting for it to cool for the evening hunt.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Deck, we enjoy roughing it.

[John Dallas]

Where in the UP? I mean something more than "Across the Bridge" :rotf:

[Rick Losey]

Where in the UP? I mean something more than "Across the Bridge" :rotf:

cross the bridge and take the first exit ramp

can't miss it

[John Dallas]

I'll be there in the morning. Will even buy the coffee and Trenary Toast

[Rick Losey]

you are making me miss those covers Harold

looks like a great trip

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Good luck John. I hunt the central UP, Marquette, Iron, and Dickinson counties primarily.

[Ed Norman]

You should play a little tennis in the off season Harold, it will get you in good shape for hunting season. Thanks for sharing these great pictures.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Playing 3-4 x/week Ed. Here's 2 more taken over Doodle today. Shooting the Parker VHE 20. Weather is finally cooling off. Where are you at?

[Ed Norman]

Harold,
I live about 1.5 hours southwest of the mackinac bridge. Between traverse city and Grayling. The Grayling area and a little north are supposed to be a good woodcock area. I have one parcel over there thats about 300 acres of private land that I am able to hunt. If you ever get time on one of your trips either going up, or coming back, please look me up. I could take you for a quick hunt. I have about a 1 to 2 hour max right now with my back issues. Our area is pretty good hunting my buddies always tell me east of 1-75 is better for woodcock, I am pretty happy where I am hunting. We are about 25 miles west of 1-75 in Kalkaska.

[Gary Laudermilch]

I hunted quite a few years east of Gaylord and in the Atlanta area. Good grouse numbers on up years. Cannot say the woodcock numbers were anything to brag about.

A few of my friends hunt the Grayling area on military land. They always hit the area when up there for cover dog field trials and seem to do quite well.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Doodle nails the grouse, but no shot.

[Dean Romig]

Beautiful flag on that pup Harold!





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Turnabout! I shot my bird over Terry's lab, and he shot 2 over my Willie girl.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

The project 16, a PH 16 O frame, with 26 in cut twist barrels, unique Selous plates, and killer wood for a grade1.
Carried it today for the 1st time in the grouse woods. Killed the 1st 2 I shot at.My 8 yr old setter Fancy pointed them.

[Russell E. Cleary]

Great times you're having out there, Harold.

As for your gun: with character like that, what it doesn't have, it doesn't need!

[Harold Lee Pickens]

It is very dry up here, but Temps are ok now
Could use some rain which would also give e us a little break/rest. My son is coming in tonight for his first ever Upland trip. Terry leaving in the morning for home. Wolves were howling last night.

[Dean Romig]

Coyotes were howling pretty close to camp last night.
We watched a guy setting coyote traps yesterday afternoon in the field below camp. He marks his traps with a flag so we know to keep dogs away.

This morning there is a coyote in a trap about 400 yards below camp. If I had a .22 with me I might walk down and end the critter’s suffering but it’s not legal to mess with anyone’s traps or the animals they catch, so…



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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Killed 3 with 3 right barrels this evening over Doodle, she nicely retrieved them all. Using the Manton hammer 20 with 30 in barrels. Even when your not at work, you're at work took this deer tick off my buddies eyelid margin this morning. Had surgical tweezers with me.

[Dean Romig]

Even when your not at work, you're at work took this deer tick off my buddies eyelid margin this morning. Had surgical tweezers with me.



Well of course you did Harold. :cool:





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[charlie cleveland]

bad spot for a tick...sounds like ya ll are having a good time...charlie

[Garry L Gordon]

I always assumed you would be a good companion on a hunt. Now here’s another reason why. :bowdown:

[Dean Romig]

That bite's going to be sore for weeks!





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

My son Jeremy came in last night and got his 1st grouse today, shot it over Willie's point.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

I think we have a new grouse hunting convert. He shot 2 more over point Tuesday, and 2 more today plus his first Woodcock. And here I was worried he wouldn't be able to hit one.

[Dean Romig]

That son’s shining pretty brightly Harold. A chip off the old block?





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[Harold Lee Pickens]

Great day to end the trip. After dalliance with a Uggie 28 and a long barreled hammer gun , went back to the VHE 20. Shot birds over all three dogs. Leaving for home in the morning.

[Dean Romig]

I sure wish we had more red/brown phase grouse in my area.






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[Bob Hayes]

I wanted a red grouse also but it seems you get what you need not what we want.
Congrats nice pictures.

[Bruce Hering]

Great day to end the trip. After dalliance with a Uggie 28 and a long barreled hammer gun , went back to the VHE 20. Shot birds over all three dogs. Leaving for home in the morning.

Harold: Nicely done. I too have a VHE 20 on an O frame that handles like a wand. Gotta love em. I sure wish we had grouse here. I understand we did 100 or so years ago.

[Garry L Gordon]

Harold, congratulations on what appears from your reports to be a great trip. Recruiting new hunters deserves special recognition.

So...will you go back this year as you mentioned earlier?

[Harold Lee Pickens]

That is going to be weather dependent Garry. Last year there was no snow in mid-December. I would really rather go back up there than go somewhere Pheasant hunting

[Harold Lee Pickens]

DOODLE, I just love this little dog, all 33 lbs of her. Four years old now. Sure dont regret those nights bottle feeding her to keep her alive, the runt of the litter. I think she knows and appreciates it. She is a darn good dead bird finder and retriever. She is pretty skinny now after 16 days hunting. And yes took those 3 over her on an evening hunt.
She is basically pure white, with just a few tiny orange specks on her back.

[Garry L Gordon]

That is going to be weather dependent Garry. Last year there was no snow in mid-December. I would really rather go back up there than go somewhere Pheasant hunting

Harold, we had near white out snow squalls yesterday here in Northern MN. Not much accumulation, though -- yet. I hope it's not picking up strength as it crosses the lake.

You'd better have your Kansas "Plan B" worked out...

[Shawn Wayment]

I love those small setters!!

[Harold Lee Pickens]

This picture shows how small she really is compared to the pheasant

[Garry L Gordon]

This picture shows how small she really is compared to the pheasant

Good things come in small packages!

[Stephen Hodges]

This picture shows how small she really is compared to the pheasant

She is what I call a "pocket" Setter.:)