Rocky Mountain Grouse
 

It was almost perfect weather for the opening of Grouse season in the Rocky Mountains. I had scouted a few places the last month to balance terrain, distance from home, and chance of finding some birds. Walking up and down the Rocky Mountains isn't as easy as a cornfield I can tell you that. We were hunting around 9,000 feet give or take and focused on the edges of the tree lines walking across the fall lines. We had success with the almost 100 year old VH. Regarding the Parker - seems everything is wrong with the wood. Beavertail on a non reinforced barrel - Stock wood does not seem to be original and the LOP has changed from the info stated on 'The Letter.' But it dropped a couple of Grouse all the same. My English Springer Spaniels had a great day and long naps had by all after a morning in the woods. Hope you all get out and have success with your hunts this fall. -David

Just your walk in the mountains with your dogs & a Parker would make the day ! The Colorado high country is just so darned beautiful. The air the terrain the grand expanse of the forests. You don't really have to get birds, although it is nice. A high country Grouse hunt is simply a grand day out. Congratulations & Best, Paul

Envy is mine sayeth the Lord... but I must step in and claim that envy for myself!! :whistle:





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Dave,

I especially like the pictures of your Springers.

Our Jasper, an English Springer, has been gone for about one year. Your pictures make me smile and sob at the same time.

Thanks.

Sounds (and looks like) a perfect hunt. A gun you like to carry and shoot is a treasure. Good dogs and beautiful country make it heaven.

Thank you Paul .. I remind myself this all the time when I am out. It is a blessing to live up here. It is a rugged place to live and I guess as the locals say - 'there is not bad weather - just bad gear and preparation.' I have been out a few more times and never got a good shot... I try to focus on the process and the experience and enjoy what the day gives me.

Thank you for the note - I have been blessed with two good dogs and I cant imagine the first year after they leave us.. hope you find your next great dog soon.

Living in the mountains brings a type of uncertainty in owning dogs. Zena found a porcupine last fall. That was painful and expensive. A mountain lion was nabbing dogs out of people's yards last winter before the DNR finally acted on it.. the last one was pretty wild a guy was out in his yard with a big lab and the lion ran out and grabbed the dog right in front of him. I had always told myself the lions would never come up to the house if we were out and the lights were on. We get moose in our yard periodically..haha. those things are massive. We live right on the edge of a wilderness area so from fox to the newly introduced wolves and everything in between you have to be aware. The spaniels love it up here and get very confused when we go anywhere where the high temperature exceeds 75 degrees.

I spend a lot of time out in the woods with the dogs and Spaniels are really great companions.

we got caught in the rain the other day .. made them pose for pictures. enjoy.

https://www.summitdaily.com/news/col...summit-county/

Off topic .. but here is the local news story about the mountain lion. This was a few miles from our house. I have had a couple of instances in the woods where both dogs stop and will not continue forward in an area. Makes your hair stand on end to know they are saying 'we need to leave.' I've never seen a lion or the wolves but we know they are out there. I only carry a gun when i hunt and you suddenly feel pretty exposed.

We’ve encountered wolves in Minnesota and had one come after one of my dogs. Number 8 shot from my 28 gauge and it didn’t even flinch.:eek:

Beautiful dogs, beautiful country. Enjoy.

Does your gun have a flat rib as opposed to concave? From you pictures it looks like it may be a flat rib gun? Great pics!

Thanks for the great pictures and stories,Dave. We hunt grouse in the mountains here in West Virginia, but not like those mountains.
Keep those pictures coming, I'll be in the UP come lOct 15

Nice post, David. We have a few big cats down here in the foothills, but there are enough deer to keep them well fed. Haven't had one invade the premises yet. That lab is a beautiful dog. Your Springers are too, of course. I've only killed two blues in my life, one with bird shot in my Taurus 44 special, and the other with a 7 mag with a head shot at 25 yards. Glad you can pursue them in the classic manner. Enjoy.

Just hunted Blue Grouse in Montana, living in Texas now I've become a flatlander so hiking in the high country and "gasping for air" was new to me. However the plus is stopping turning and seeing the view from the mountain made it special.

Hi Reggie, I think it was just the photo angle. Here are some pictures of the gun - It has been tucked away for maybe 30 years.. so unfortunately I don't really know the history of it and would welcome any input. Wood looks all wrong to me and doesn't match well foreend to stock.

David - Both the forend and the buttstock are replacements.





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Curious - once a gun has replacement wood - is it pretty much that way forever? or are there secret stashes of V grade fore ends and stocks around? and then I guess you would have a refurbished gun anyway? can only be original once ..

That’s right David, but a perfectly done recreation of a stock, keeping to traditional Parker lines and measurements, along with correct checkering and correct mullered borders will keep the value as high as possible for a restored gun.





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Managed a few more hunts in the Rocky Mountains before the snow shuts us down in the high country - drove up near the headwaters of the Colorado River - really amazing views and got on a few grouse too - Did a few hunts with a 28 gauge ceased Guerrini - nice light little gun compared to the 12 Parker - hope you are all getting out and having some fun this fall- will be hitting some pheasant in November I hope

A few more