Off to the UP
 

I leave tomorrow for 7 days of Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock hunting in the Upper Peninsula. I've never hunted in the UP so I'm more than a little excited about the trip. My 9 year old Brittany has been "glued" to my leg once she saw the hunting gear being organized & packed. Since my Fox 16 gauge is being restocked due to my Montana accident I'll being using my L. C. Smith 16 gauge or my GH Parker 12 gauge (however I did pack my Remington 11-48 28 gauge). I've been shooting skeet low gun the last four weeks with the L. C. Smith to get ready for this hunt.
Happy Hunting Everyone

UP
 

I hope you have a great time! I will be headed north to the UP next week the 17th Oct. I have a new Gordon setter pup Miss Charlie Rae that will be 11 months on Oct. 23rd. That said it will be pointed birds only. I have been hearing that numbers are good in upper Michigan this year. Its been dry so find water to find birds. We start our hunt in Sue St. Marie hunting sharp-tail grouse on Friday 18th. Then drive west on Saturday to Felch area for 6 days of ruff hunting. We also have an invite by some serous grouse hunters to join the fun and see some new hunting areas on Saturday as well. The young lady has the father to my pup and her friend has my pup's brother Gordy. Looking forward to meeting them all.

Remington 11-48s in 28 gauge rule for woodcock, quail and rail, especially skeet-bored guns in heavy cover!

George and Kenny good luck,I'll be leaving Sunday for Michigan but we are hunting the LP .

I hope you all have great and memorable hunts.

This is one of my goals for the next few years. Have fun and give us a full report!

Me too Mills. We should get a group of southern boys together and head North!

That is a great idea!

I was a "Southern Boy" in another life and I have bird dogs. Just sayin..

If Southern IN is considered far enough South count me in.

Technically I'm a southern boy as I'm below the Mason-Dixon line.:)

I don't think we'll require proof of citizenship

I'm in North Carolina and I have a terrific French Brittany....just sayin'.

You guys need to plan and make a Northwoods pilgrimage. Life doesn’t manufacture more days, so use those you’re granted carefully.

Just returned from the UP and already planning my next trip. This trip was challenging; first we took two 82 gentleman with 64 consecutive years of hunting together (mostly deer). Second both of their fathers worked for Remington in Ilion, New York and at 82 walking in the brush was challenging. Third the Amasa, MI area had a extremely dry winter followed by a dry summer so bird counts were low. However we got multiple opportunities at Ruff Grouse but limited Woodcock numbers. My 9 year French Brittany "Jules" and her full brother "Coke" put on a bird dog clinic. If the hunters could shot like the dog work everyone would have gotten multiple birds. We had several days of 16 points followed by flushes. Final challenge is it's a long drive from Texas to the UP.

Next trip New Mexico and Arizona Quail hunting in December and January.

You are certainly taking advantage of your time, George. And you know that what the dogs do is a large part of the success of a hunt, much more so than the dead bird count.

I hope you'll report on your western quail hunts, too. I look forward to those reports.