Sunny and 30 yesterday. Up to 40 today finished in the rain. Snow melting, birds on the move today. Shot a 5 bird limit. Was pushing hard in the rain for the 5th bird, Doodle pointed 5 bird covey, and rolled one with the left barrel

yes, Shawn, was a helluva great day!!!

Harold, Get that guitar out and play "don't let the old man in" Even with the weather I am sure you love every minute of it, Stay safe Gary

Gary, that is a great song--- I could play that, have to look it up. Toby Keith always one of my favorites.
THANKS

After a day off , Willie put on a performance.

Willy

Thanks Russ, don't know why everything is inverted when posting from my phone, thought it would be different with new phone. No internet here, so can't download onto laptop to post.

actually, when posting on FB, or other venues it does not happen. Just here

The last hour of the last day. Doodle just doesnt want to quit, and refuses to come to the truck. I put her out for the final hunt taking 2 birds with 2 left barrels and missing 2 more. i tried a shortcut over to a new part of the cut and ended up slipping into thigh deep water rimmed with ice--wow, that will wake you up. Lucky the sun had come out for the first time in 2 weeks, so dumped the water out of my boots, rung the socks out and kept going. Killed a very, very small young hen earlier in the day over Fancy. A great final hunt.

I love that song, Don't Let the Old Man In...........................

We are all opinionated as to what load works best for our favorite bird. Walking thru a cut the other day, i found 3 Win Super 1 oz of fours, unfired shells that someone had recently lost. Wow, that would certainly kill a grouse , but doubt many of us would never shoot that in our 20's. The next day , I spied an unfired yellow shell and it was marked Spred-R 6, well I'll shoot that I thought, must be a Polywad. As I started to drop it in the gun, I thought it looked a little long, and sure enough was a 3" shell. Some how a 3" spreader just doesnt seem right.
I will give those shells to my son who wants to go pheasant hunting this year, and has taken Tues off so he can go with me. I recently gifted him a little 20 ga ou Zoli Gray Eagle with double triggers and 3" chambers..

Harold

Challenging hunt for sure, but you found a way to get amongst them each day and that’s something for this year! Well Done!

Harold, I enjoyed reading of your success. It helped soothe the angst of few birds for us here in Northern Minnesota. Don't you wish the Ohio birds were still there?

Every day Garry, every day.
We had a little better weather than you in the UP. When we got 2 in snow, you got 4. We both hunted SE Ohio for years, you Minnesota for 33 yrs, and me the UP for 35. I just got a little luckier this time. Can't wait for next year

Postscript: Our last day -- Sunday -- started windy with gusts in excess of 50 mph. We spent the morning packing the truck, thinking the weather might take another hunting day from us, but when the winds finally calmed in the early afternoon, we hit the woods. The day turned memorably beautiful -- sunny and still. The grouse must have been waiting for this break in the weather, because we were into them right out of the truck. In a little over 2 hours we moved 12 birds for 15 flushes with two nice points by Aspen and two birds downed from the four shots I had. I got to blood the little 20 gauge CHE (yes, Reggie, it has a straight/splinter stock), a real treat for me. It was a great ending to this trip, and was all the sweeter because of the poor conditions that preceded it.

We'll be home on Wednesday. I'll spend some days in tree stands at the farm with the bow, and some days in home covers chasing Bobs. Our firearms deer season begins on the 14th. Is there a richer time of year for the hunter?

I hope everyone has a safe and successful season.

Indeed, there is NO richer time of the year.





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Harold, I accidentally posted in your thread. Please forgive me. In my defense, all I can say is that I kept looking at your thread and the great photos and accounts of hunts, and probably subconsciously wanted to be there. Again, my apologies.

What a way to go out! Glad the weather gave you a break. I was going to hunt Sat and leave Sun, but ended up leaving Sat. High winds and more snow hit on Sun.
Garry, did you know that the Ohio grouse season which used to run thru Feb 28, now ends Nov 29 on public land--not that I would shoot one, I still know where some pockets of birds are, but wont touch them

Harold, I keep up with the Ohio grouse situation, and I have watched the tragedy develop over time. I spent many a late February chasing Ohio grouse. It was a magic time of year. I fear Kentucky and West Virginia are headed for the same fate, and my home state of Virginia is in the same situation. I don't understand why folks who claim to care about the environment can't see that managing it is a good thing, not bad. It's often the same folks who want us to follow the science for action against climate change, but deny the science that says forests are healthy when there's diversity within them. The older I get, the more weary I get with "people."

Sure sound like a wonderful trip! Be safe getting home