2022 Maine trip
 

Last week 3 of use with 2 dogs, a setter and a brit ,went to Maine for 6 days of bird hunting which ended up being 4 days because of rain. We had 5 Parkers and one Sterlingworth. We only got 2 birds with only 2 others shot at. Our best day was the last when we had 7 grouse flushes and 4 woodcock flushes. Dogs did a great job but woods where quite thick and hard walking because of logging for 3 guys in there 70's. We hard a great time, too bad weather moved in to cut it short. Gun in photo is a 12ga GH from 1899 with 26" Remington barrels, great shooter.

Thanks for posting about your hunt!

I'm not certain who took who, but my daughter and I spent a couple days in the woods at our place in Maine. I walked the edges, and she, a friend, and his SHP worked the woods. We had 22 Woodcock flushes, and 6, maybe 7 partridge.
I was lucky to be in just the spot to see her get her first of each; both on the wing. I think I lost another gun.

Edgar you need to make her start bringing her own gun! Lovely pics!

Reggie, Do you have kids?

I have two lovely daughters! :whistle:

James, it looks like a good hunt, in spite of the weather. Just to get out this time of year is a pleasure.

Edgar, you need to keep those guns in use, and having your daughters use them is great for the future.

So, Reggie, are your girls candidates for any of your long-barreled beauties?

Garry one likes to shoot, the other isn't interested. And you should see the 28" 20 I picked up recently! Yes I like that length too!

Oh, Gosh, I’ll bet it’s a beauty. Send me a photo?

Edgar, glad you ran into that many woodcock, no one in camp saw many as far as I know.

You go Martha! Good show!

You’re a lucky Dad Edgar… but you know that already.





.

Numbers were a bit down for me on both my Maine hunts this year. Got back from the NMW's yesterday. Moved around 120-130 birds with 2 poor rain days as well. Chased doodles mainly as they do not go into hiding. I'll try to post some pics.

What zones did you hunt curiously?

We had lots of rain on Wednesday and Thursday morning and consequently the best woodcock covers were under several inches of water and the woodcock simply weren’t there. And grouse numbers were not at all what we had hoped for, probably also due to flooding conditions. We hunted a lot of cut-over country halfway between Houlton andPresque Isle.
But we had a great time with friends and guides the whole time we were there.






.

Have been in northern NH since Oct 1 and we have had similar experiences with woodcock. Except for one 2 day period where dogs found bunches of flight birds, it has been a slow trickle down- one or two here and there moving through the coverts. We have had warm weather and a south wind the entire month! Today is supposed to hit 70. We will be along the streams to keep the pups cool. Grouse points have been steady but less than last year.