Opening Weekend
 

It's hard to believe but the opening weekend is just around the corner. grouse season opens tomorrow. the 4th of July seems like yesterday and Memorial day wasn't that long ago. Befor we know it X-Mass will be upon us. Stores are already doing their holiday set ups.

My fellow PGCA members Dave Miles and Eric Eis and myself will be searching the coverts with our trusty four legged companions armed with the best (that we can afford) from Meridian, Ct in search of the King of the Uplands.

The season is upon us. Keep it safe.

Indeed! I will be in the woods by sunrise this Saturday. Now that I have retired for the 2nd time, I will make up for all the nice days I have missed the past few years! Cheers!

You're killin' me...

Our 4-day dove total in Missouri was so large I cannot post it here... man its good to be back in the field (never mind the chiggers).

Grouse opened for me lasr weekend. Downside was I couldn't get out until sunday afternoon. I don't know why but 80 degrees plus and green leaves on the trees just doesn't feel like grouse season.

Oh we moved one barely out of the nest bird. I let it fly on without even shouldering my gun.

Ah, chiggers! Back around 1980, I fell asleep beneath a tree on the bank of a river just outside of Murfreesboro(?) North Carolina and woke up COVERED with little red dots that itched for months! I am glad we don't have them up here.

I have discovered that there are ruffed grouse around the mine I'm working at! There's lots of spruce grouse but I'm sure that no one, the RGS or fish and game knows that they're here.... they do now that I've sent pics to F&G and to Trigg to forward to RGS. If they're here they have to be in a LOT of country between here and Anchorage and Fairbanks.

There was one little fellah struttin his stuff around this female that had so few feathers that he looked like someone had tossed him into a plucking machine for a few seconds then let him loose. Didn't stop him from displaying what he had and getting into the game. Pretty funny to watch.

Here's Jr. struttin his stuff... He likely can barely even fly he has so few feathers!

Spruce grouse are uncommon here. I have taken 3 in the past 30 years! All 3 just sat while I waited to see if they would move so I could identify them. They looked like odd shaped tree stumps! Most people here discard them once they realize what they have shot. I actually like the unique taste of them.

Dean, we will have whiskey too.
I'll be thinking of you as Richard and I are setting in our easy chairs in the evening, tired dogs by are sides, whiskey in one hand and a fine cigar in the other. Hopefully there will be freshly killed grouse hanging from the rafters.

Now you're really killin' me.... :crying:

Throwing spruce grouse away??? Sad. They're great eating. Tossing them is only a good idea in winter up here when they are actually eating spruce needles instead of the low bush cranberries they prefer in fall. They taste like they've been marinated in battery acid when they're on to the needles.

No, not as much as it's killing me....:banghead: I was suppose to join them tomorrow, I was even thinking of hitting a couple of spots before getting to Dave's cottage, and then "life" reared it's ugly head :cuss: Hopefully I get to see some of you guys at the Vintagers next week, but again that all depends on what "life" whats to throw at me then....:eek: Sorry to vent... missing openning weekend, this week "Sucks"

You guys can shoot spruce grouse out your way??? Not back here - they are protected in NH, ME and VT..?

Hey Eric - unfortunately I'm flying down, so no goodies this year, unfortunately??

Best to all!

John

Spruce grouse protected??!! Now THAT'S funny! I used to shoot at least 40/yr when I lived in a small remote cabin.

Hi Richard,

Nawww - small remote cabins are not protected up here - we can shoot however many we please... ;)

Best to ya'!

JD

Everybody dies :whistle:

Now you know why I won't bring my dogs out to hunt with you.......

:shock:

:rotf:

Best to you - and TAKE A Digital CAMERA ALONG, OK??

(definition for a shooter of 100 year old guns - A digital camera records and stores photographic images in digital form. Many current models are also able to capture sound or video, in addition to still images. Capture is usually accomplished by use of a photosensor, using a charged coupled device (CCD).These stored images can be uploaded to a computer immediately or stored in the camera for to be uploaded into a computer, website or printer later. Images may also be archived on a photographic compact disc or external hard disk....)

:cheers:

JD

"Hey Eric - unfortunately I'm flying down, so no goodies this year, unfortunately??"

The way my week has been going that is not a surprise :banghead: I just hope I can make to the Vinagers, just waiting for the other shoe to drop.:shock:

You better be there!! Who else do I trust to spend my money??!! :)

And oh - if you do get there, yes - I'll also buy you that missing shoe if the other doesn't drop? Can't have you walking around with only one shoe - can I???

;)

JD

Hey Anderson, we'll even have a shower this weekend.
I bought a jug of Wet Wipes! :rotf: :bigbye:

:rotf:
__________ :rotf:
_______________________ :rotf:

Just sayin'....

;)

JD

Shoes and showers are required. You need permission to be out of uniform. :nono:Check the roster for further developments.http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/nono.gif

A bit melodramatic there Dean. really killin' ya would be to somehow manage to arrive at camp, find leftovers of a fresh grouse dinner, cigar butts only and just one drop left..........

:biglaugh:

Dave you do run a first class operation, sorry I can't join in on the fun this weekend.... Remember be carefull of Porcupine Hill....

My wife says I'm not allowed to hunt Porky Hill anymore.
We where there last weekend with the dogs, and both my Setters got into a Porky. I dispatched the Porky with my new 1911, but having to pull quils with the wife, is something I don't want to experience again. She had more of a fit about it than the dogs did.

Dave that's damn fine woodcock cover there is no reason for porkys to be in there.. so carry the 45 and kill all of those suckers....:shock: I remember two years ago you and Rich would not let me shoot that porky in the tree, bet you don't feel that way now......:whistle:

Again I am real sorry about missing opening day weekend, you know the other day if I had been carrying.... Anyway leave some beer for me and also is Brian donating ammo for the silent auction? If so we need to figure a way to meet up for me to take to the Vintagers.

I went to Montana for the first couple of weeks of September. Hunted several days and had one spectacualar afternoon. That afternoon I got eight partridge, seven over my pointing and backing dogs, and all retrieved to hand. Shot my Parker O Frame 16 gauge and brass shells loaded with black powder and 1oz of #7s. I forgot my camera but took some pictures with my Blackberry. If I can figure out how to get them out of the Blackberry and into the computer I will post them here. I hunted Block Management Areas and had good results.

It is only six weeks untill quail season opens here in Texas!

My wife and I also went to Yellowstone for a couple of days, drove over Beartooth pass, and attended the French Brittany Club annual get together.


I love the Fall!

Best,

Mike

Mike,

Send yourself an email from your Chokeberry. Before sending attach a file and search for the photos. They should be easy to find...

Mark

Ah yes- opener stories and the Vintagers pending
 

I'll have to check the spelling for the Chiggers in the Tar Heel State- had a TDY at Camp LeJeune -Court House Bay sector- the chiggers were so bad down there in the summer months, plus the 90 % humidity as well- Murfreesborough I think is correct spelling-So I can relate to your story.

Not a grouse man- our two week early "nuisance goose" season ended down here on the 15th- when grouse opens, also squirrels and either sexed wild turkey (NOT the 101 proof version however)--

As far as "Porkys" and the bird dogs- a 1911 A-1 in .45 ACP would sure stop a porky or a raccoon cold-and it might be "declasse" to dispatch either varmint with a fine DHE 28 bore grouse gun. I have been very lucky (so far) as none of my dogs have ever messed with either a skunk or a porky. One wild animal, maybe others like a wolverine, that will attack from above and kill porkys is a fisher- faster than greased lightning too.:bigbye:

The weekend proved to be one of the best in years. We hunted pretty much all day Friday, Sat afternoon due to rain and Sunday am befor heading for home. We moved 50 birds:shock: 35 Woodcock (unfortunatly the season doen't open for another week:crying: and 15 Grouse:bowdown:. Three Grouse were brought to bag with the trusty Parker Guns. As the Woodcock wern't on the menue these were not reflushed birds being counted and the Grouse that got away all flew off not to be reflushed.

The first time out for the dogs all year and Daisy went right to it like she had been hunting all summer. She's curled up in a chair basking in the sunlight.

Rich......

Outstanding.....

No - really outstanding!! Give Daisy a "group hug" from all of us - and to you?? A wonderful post...

:cheers:

John

Picture's damnit....We need picture's...:rolleyes:

It sounds you like you boys had a great weekend with lots of birds!:cheers:, But please help us understand---how does 15 woodcock and 15 grouse total up to be 50 birds? :confused: Could you possibly have been seeing double on some of them because of a little over-indulgence of adult beverages? You've got some splainin' to do.:corn:

Yes, what Dave said!!

My math skill have always been suspect. I do shoot 100 year old guns you know:rolleyes: The error has been fixed.

The pictures are forever developed in the camera between my ears:rotf:

15 plus 15 equals 50?
 

Moving that many birdies, 15 woodcock and 15 grouse this early, with warm weather and heavy foilage- bodes well for later in Oct. when the "Autumn weather, turns the woods to flame, one hasn't got time, for the slow trigger game"-- with apologies to Johnny Mercer & Co.

Maybe the other 20 birdies were snipe? I saw and handled Eric's fine 16 DHE at the July Lapeer clays event- straight stock? if memory serves. I'm not a grouse or woodcock hunter nowadays, but I'd love to have a Parker like Eric's in my hot little hands for a week of Southern quail and dove shooting- makes you wonder how a man could ever miss with a fine gun like that--:bigbye:

You know guys, I am really and I mean really getting tired about hearing about this weekend that I was suppose to be on......:banghead: Even Magic (my setter) is pissed off at me for missing this weekend and I didn't even tell about the phone call from Rich about the 50 birds:shock: If I had he would be hitchhiking up north to Rich's place or Dave's. Can we have a "Do over":) for the beganning of this week.....!

Eric:

You think you're getting tired of hearing about "THAT" weekend ...what about us poor souls down South that have too wait until October 15th when the grouse season finally opens. For the time being the best we can do is shoot at doves. Please notice I said "shoot at". By the way, chiggers go away when the weather gets cold, hard frost in the morning, and stays that way for a few days.
I really envy you guys that are now able to chase the big brown bird this early..

John

I walked for 8 hours yesterday and saw 6 grouse. Cripes! The brush is so thick and the grass waist deep in September that I can't see the birds until they are a blur heading deeper into the woods! Today I managed to scare up 4 in a cozy little group. I missed the first one and bagged the 3rd one, so I didn't get completely skunked! This was my RBL's 'maiden voyage'. As soon as I get my Plain Twist barrels back from Brad Bachelder, I will give the ol' Lifter a whirl. Maybe Wednesday I will try the LeFever. It is nice, working on my 2nd retirement! I can hit the woods when most people are working. Cheers!