Autumn Is Upon Us
 

Here in Maine, New Hampcha, Vermont and Mass the swamp maples have begun to turn to reds, orange and yellows which is a sure sign that we’ll be in our favorite coverts in just a little over a month. Those frosty mornings followed by T-shirt afternoons are my favorite days of the entire year. You can keep your snow 'til deer season in mid-November. I prefer the vibrant colors but realize I am afforded more easily seen flushes when the leaves are down around the third week of October. Hail to the King, "His Majesty the Grouse" as written by none other than our own Burt Spiller ~ but never forgetting the gnome-like Prince of Gamebirds, the American Woodcock.
Practice up people, we’re gonna have some fun❗️





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Around here the first sign I look for is the sumac starting to show some red. Saw the first of that yesterday

The season is all too brief and seems to fly by faster each year :corn:

Hard to think about Autumn when it’s 100 degrees outside.

56 when i went crow hunting this am in NH, cant wait :corn:

1 month to go till grouse opens in northern New York. By far the best time of the year it goes by in a flash.

91, feels like 99, here in South Georgia.

103 here AGAIN in Houston area. We have been in triple digits it seems like 2 months. Maybe a couple days only 99. And a bit of humidity. My grass is so high I might bale and sell it. Anybody down this way have a New Holland Super 77 baler?

I haven’t clicked into killing mode yet and deer season starts September 2nd I believe it is . Need to hang a stand and run the tractor with the bucket down thru my trails . I think if I can get out the morning of the 2nd I’m going to carry a 50 cal air rifle . September season in my county is early gun antlerless season .

While I'm already dreaming of the dove opener in just a few days (Sept. 2) I have found that a secret to a happy life is to have something you enjoy during all the seasons of the year. When it's as hot as it is here I take solace in the water. The Savannah River is only two miles from my home and is a source of joy to me year 'round, this past Saturday included. Riding is fun, then swimming at the sandbars keeps you cool in the heat of the day. My son and I took our boats on a 65 mile round trip to a big sandbar where there must've been 75 people, from kids to us old-timers, enjoying being outside.

Photo taken a couple weeks ago.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/71203_800x600.jpg

Stiletto boat - Nice!





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The only way I can tell that bird season is almost upon us is that my spouse says things like, "What's all that crap slowly accumulating on the floor in the office?" ...or..."Why is there an open jar of Sno-Seal and a greasy cotton rag on the kitchen counter?"...or..."why did you schedule the truck for service?"...or..."why are there suddenly 3 bottles of single malt scotch in the liquor cabinet?"
There are probably others but I can't think of them at the moment...too busy getting ready.

Sounds very familiar Chris❗️





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I never stop thinking/dreaming of Fall and bird hunting. Of course I have 3 English Setters to remind me all the time. This Fall's plans include about 3 weeks in the Great North Woods of the UP, and planning to go back up after their deer season around early December. January will find me around southeast South Dakota. My buddy is trying to get me to go to SD in December, but I'd rather go to the UP after grouse. He has a Lab which is better on those late season pheasant, but my setters are better on grouse than his Lab. I need to try a September trip to Montana or ND for Sharptails.

111 here on Saturday, 108 yesterday and 103+ forecast for the rest of the week. What is this autumn you speak of?

:eek::eek::crying::banghead::(




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I mowed my daughters yard just a few minutes ago it was so hot that not even were the grass hoppers stirring....charlie

It’s sweltering even here in Romania. I can’t wait to get out, but it’s hard to think of it at the moment. Family beach vacation next week. Can’t wait. As soon as we return, my brain will be in full fall hunting mode. I have to stop myself from thinking about it too often, too early. I just enjoy all the fun of summer, beach and sun.

fall is easy to spot here...3/4 of the population suddenly disappears.

Half here:)

The first sign we get around here is the cypress trees turning to orange which begins mid August. As hot as it is, it always seems to get more pleasant after Labor Day

Part of the fun is planning the trips and breaking the gear out.

Oh, Gosh, now I remember what I wanted to do for Fall!:rotf:

Like many have cited here, my hints at the coming season are subtle, but important nonetheless.

Weather fronts are more frequent and dramatic (sometimes pushing the dove out before the season, but ushering in early season teal).

The dove fields have matured and need scouting on cool mornings.

Goldenrod begins to show its yellow glory.

The morning star (actually, Venus) begins to rise just before the sun on my morning walks.

Hayfields in back of house finally got cut allowing me to run the dogs in the cool of the morning. Won't be long nw.

I received an invitation today to attend a grouse and woodcock hunt in northern Maine and I will reply to the invitation in the positive.





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[QUOTE=Dean Romig;394287]I received an invitation today to attend a grouse and woodcock hunt in northern Maine and I will reply to the invitation in the positive.

Dean, I’m excited to be heading to extreme northern Maine later this fall as well. Looking forward to a wonderful grouse season with New Hampshire, the UP of Michigan and northern Maine all on the schedule. Giddy up!

100 plus degrees still in Texas with a drought that wont end and front yard that’s just dead grass and dirt at the ranch, but dove season opens Friday and that’s the start of hunting season for us. Viva shorts and snake boots!

Strange stuff. Rained overnight and is in the 50s. Warmest prediction for the Labor Day Weekend is 78 degrees on Friday and Saturday?!? Usually in the 90s hot and dry this time of year.

Our duck club marsh cattails are just starting to turn