UP
 

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

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

Very very nice : )

Rotated

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.

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

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

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.

Deck, we enjoy roughing it.

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

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

you are making me miss those covers Harold

looks like a great trip

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

Doodle nails the grouse, but no shot.

Beautiful flag on that pup Harold!





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

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.

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!

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.

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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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.

Well of course you did Harold. :cool:





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

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

That bite's going to be sore for weeks!





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

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.

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





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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.

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






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

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.

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?

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