Well, it finally happened
 

My hunting buddy has hung up his spurs. We've been hunting together for so long I can't for sure recall when we started, but it's been awhile. Last year in the U.P. he had a little trouble moving along with the dog but I thought he did just fine.

Last night my wife asked me what now are my plans for this fall. Before I could open my mouth she said, " At your age (71) I'll tell you what your not going to do, drive 12 hours from home with two dogs for two weeks by yourself to heaven knows where. End of story". I guess she might be right maybe this one time.


So it looks like me, Maggie dog and Gus dog will be chasing the State of Ohio "put and take" ditch chickens, the occasional woodcock and perhaps, just perhaps we might hear the last two grouse in the state flush. It would be way to much to ask to actually see them.


Well, I might have lost my hunting buddy but I still have a buddy and I sure in hell hope this isn't the "end of the story", for a long time.

Matt, you just need to find a willing partner to share the two weeks with. Don’t despair - he’s out there somewhere.





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That is not good. Like Dean says, try to find another hunting partner.

Don't give up
 

I turn 72 in Dec and I've been at this game since my Dad took me at age 8. I walk , I practice shooting and get goals out there for hunts that are challenging. I try not to hunt by myself anymore but if I have a credit card and my dog and open roads to the mountain states from Tx I'd be on my knees for a kitchen pass!!! Find a new buddy you may be surprised what's out there when you network. PGCA good place to start!!

Been there Matt, actually I am there right now with a member of our group that has been going to South Dakota for a number of years. Dementia has been working on his memory for a number of years and last year it was bad, really bad, so bad that he is not making the trip this year. I have watched this man enjoy hunting for over 40 years now, he is 74 years of age and as fit physically as can be. He can still walk the fields all day. Sad to see it happen.
Good luck with your search for that hunting partner. You never know that person may be at the Hoosier SxS Classic this month, see you soon.

Hell Matt, rent a nice cabin and take the wife with you. Make a side trip or 2--like to Iron Mtn. one day and up to the Picture Rocks or Marquette up on Lake Superior another.
Never did get to talk to you about your hunt last year, was only about 30 miles away.

That's a sad situation. I won't have that situation since I prefer to hunt alone most of the time. I guess it goes back to the seed planted in my brain when I started hunting. My grandfather forbid me to take anyone with me and said that the only company a boy needs in the woods is a good dog. I do like an occasional day in the field with someone with the same sensibilitites as myself. But I prefer to go solo most of the time. It's the same with my fly fishing. I do the Rockies for greenback cutthroat trout for five days a couple or three times a year and it is alway solo. For me, being about 10 miles from the nearest human for almost a week is wonderful.

Matt, give William (Bill) T. Esham MD a call in Portsmouth, Oh. He will go out with you. Bill was my hunting buddy when we lived in Minford.

hope you find another hunting partner long as you got a dog with you your in the best company there is...my grand daughters little jack russel follows me and does whatever i do today she helped me cut to yards she rides anything i ride...last year after my heart attack for a while i could not walk very far had no interest in hunting at all...but about 3 months ago suddenly i had the urge to shoot my guns again work some on my old cars and my strengh has come back alot it s tuff growing old....maybe you will have lots of hunts left...charlie

There's a great story of the late author John C. Phillips, MD who was found dead (while grouse hunting) slumped over his double gun and bird dogs beside him...although I believe he liked to hunt grouse dog less.

Here's a little piece I wrote in 2010 on the Upland Ways blog:

https://uplandways.com/2010/04/15/odysseus-of-groused/

That's the way I hope to go!

As the song says "for everything there is a season" We must cherish each day we are given, try to live them to the fullest, cause like they say time waits for no man! Find you a new hunting buddy someone younger that could possibly help if needed. I am 76 my family are always on me to carry a cell phone when I am out in the woods, They do not realize there is no phone service in most places up here, I walk a couple miles each day with my dog and my 44 mag, If the good lord decides to take me home what better place to be than in the woods I love! enough of my rambling, Gary

Nice piece Shawn.





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That was a great song written by Pete Seeger and performed by the Byrds with Roger McGuinn singing lead. Pete took the lyrics from the Bible almost word for word. He donated all his royalties from the song to Israeli charities.

I can sympathize with the pain of the loss of a long time hunting partner. It must be difficult and entering the field without that partner will always be incomplete. As a mostly solo hunter, I won't have to deal with that. But I do have to deal with the pain of losing my canine hunting partners. I miss every one I had and I have had them since the first one at 14 years old. When my partner Stoney died, I vowed to never have another bird dog, the pain of losing him was so great. I was ready to stop bird hunting. I still had my retriever for ducks, but I pretty much decided that Stoney would be my last bird dog. But after 3 years I am now ready to get back into the game. I am looking for another setter which is a bit difficult since my breeder and trainer has died. But there is a little setter for me out there somewhere and I will find a new buddy.

Great piece, Shawn!

"And a time for every purpose under Heaven."

I recited every line of the biblical verse at my mother's funeral... It wasn't easy.






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Told you guys before that Shawn( and his brother Andrew) are a good read. I dont think I was subscribed to his blog when that one came out. I highly recommend their Upland Ways blog, not just for their outdoor passion, but also for their philosophy of life gleaned from thier blog.
But back to the topic in question, like Tom, I relish a day outdoors with just me and my dogs. On my 2 week grouse trip each year, the first is spent with my closest friend Terry. He no longer has a dog, so all points are shared with him. We double so often on birds that the first question after the flush is "Did you Shoot". He goes home after a week, and I spend the second week hunting by myself. My flush rate often goes up, and my kill rate always goes up. It is then that I usually switch from the VH 20, to my hammer guns--much safer when by yourself. I have hunted the North Country for 32 years now and am comfortable by myself. I do carry my cell phone with the local Google Earth maps downloaded onto it, and a GPS. I have been thinking of getting one of those emergency locators, ssuch as SPOT, in case something happens.
I am basically 65 but in good shape, and I know the last time I saw you, Matt, a couple years ago, you looked to be in good shape. Hope you can make it up their again.

Matt, I know the feeling. My uncle Phil was my hunting and fishing buddy since I was around five. He was the consummate bird dog man and an all around great outdoorsman. Long drives to old family hunting grounds were always filled with great stories about our family, hunting adventures and the such. When he died a few years ago so did my desire to hunt. However, shortly before his passing I had started hunting with a couple members of the PGCA. He thought I was the luckiest guy on earth. It turned out he was right. I found and connected with men of similar natures and the hunting spirit was rekindled within me. All those experiences and lessons learned with Unk come back to me today and give me a much richer sense of satisfaction. Had I given in to the melancholic sense of loss I was feeling I would have missed some of the greatest adventures and best people in my life. You never know what the future might have in store for you. If you want to go hunting, I don’t live that far from you. I would be happy to help you try and bag those last two grouse in Ohio. Just PM me sometime if you want to.

Well said Mike. I feel exactly the same about the people I’ve met in the PGCA.





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That story reminds me of my post titled "The Old Man and the Dog". Kinda how I picture going out. Ike will be a year in September and I'll be 66 in October so it might be close.

I have a two bedroom house in the Upper Peninsula and if ANYONE wants to give the grouse hunting a try just let me know. I usually hunt alone and will be in "camp" from the 22nd of September to the 1st of November.

Very generous of you Rich. That time frame is a busy one for me but I am going to put that on my calendar with a ? by it. Who knows maybe a long weekend or something. I figure you would let me shoot that Lefever you had at the Southern with the brass woodpeckers on it, right :)

It will be there complete with spreaders for the full choke barrel.:eek:. If you want to come just let me know, I'll pm you my cell as I'm technology free up there:)

I'm just beginning to mentally figure out the grouse guns for six weeks of camp. Should be around 10 maybe more:whistle:

I knew last Fall, that Julie's Uncle was failing, and while every one else in the family told him he couldn't go out anymore, I said he can, and he will go out because he can ride with me. Our last 'ride' this fall was just as I knew it would be, and we laughed, got lost, found our way out, had a cup at the Kokadjo General store and he napped all the way back to Greenville. Francis Whitney passed away last night, knowing he had showed me all the spots he could remember.

God rest his soul.





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Edgar, now that's the way to go!!!

A great way to remember your uncle, Edgar. As my quote States I hope we never know when we have fired our last shot

What a great gift you gave to him Edgar, and what great memories that you have.

Thank you Edgar

Sorry to hear the news.