Nice colors yesterday
 

Grouse hunting is tough at this time of year and especially so here in northern PA. We had some snows last week, next a quick warmup and heavy rains, and then a drop of about 25-degrees over a few hours. That left a crust on the snow and iced-over dirt roads on the mountains where I like to hunt grouse. On Wednesday we had a morning low of 9-degrees but a friend and I went out later and tried some areas we could get to. Not much fun hunting with ice creepers on and it was noisy breaking through the crust. Yesterday I got out again solo; it was a little warmer and at least the snow was soft but roads still bad as they melted some during the day and froze again overnight. Ice is heavy in the ground. I had two far out/wild flushes on grouse. Anyway, here’s a small collage of yesterday taken with my cell camera.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Old RR bed, a long hunt and then double back on an old road that parallels it.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psk5wkqvqg.jpg

Here’s a spot where I was daydreaming two years ago while coming back to the truck with gun resting upside down over my shoulder. Jumped 7 or 8 grouse that were congregated along this spring run and finally got to fire both barrels and didn’t get a bird.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psjalcffxf.jpg

Another good spot with plenty of green munchies a little down this crick in the hemlocks.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psfwd8g3ea.jpg

Last place I hunted along that old skid road with hemlocks on the right. I know there's a big patch of Christmas Fern along a small side hill there. One of my favorite covers at this time of year.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psncarer5e.jpg

This big cock bird busted out and cackling while hunting there in the last pic. The place is about 2 miles from where our GC puts out birds every October for a youth hunt and judging by the tail this guy escaped from there last year. I surely didn't expect to see a pheasant while grouse hunting in the deep woods, basically a bird of opportunity. The cell camera doesn't do justice to the nice colors! That's a 16 bore Fox Sterlingworth Ejector gun. Peters Victor # 6 in the left barrel.
http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psemdvgnad.jpg

God is that familiar, it reminds me of where I grew up in Halton, Elk County, PA.

I do miss areas like that as so many of our spots north of the PA line grow to mature timber

Frank - your brightly colored "grouse" looks a lot like the largest "woodcock" I ever shot - he was in a cover so thick I could not get to the dog to honor the point - he was so big and likely so old that i figured it would be tough chewing - so it is the only bird i ever had mounted

Hemlock stands are one of my favorite grouse covers, especially with spring seeps meandering through them and old gnarly apple trees around the edges.

Thanks Frank - Merry Christmas!





.

Frank, I live 3 miles from the nearest stocking area. It is not at all uncommon for pheasants to show up only a week or so from the first stocking. Last year I had a cock and two hens hanging around all winter. The dogs pointed them on numerous occasions and the cock was one of the most vocal guys. He'd cackle his head off when flushed as if tempting me to take a shot. They were worth more to me alive than in the stew pot. I last heard him squawk this spring well back in the big woods and that was the last I saw any of them. The area they were headed to is a hemlock bottom with lots of barred owls so I guess they went into a different pot.

Frank, that is great looking grouse cover and a great story! That Pheasant will eat really well:)

Thanks everyone, yes it was a good hunt. Actually after taking the pic I decided to get the bird mounted. He's in my freezer now with piece of wood taped onto the plastic wrap to keep the tail feathers from getting broken.

Someone asked me privately about the Peters Victor shell. I have several boxes with 6-shot and also some Federal High Brass with 4's. Both roll crimped in 2-9/16" length. They've been stored in an army 50 cal ammo can since about 1984. Both are still sure fire and pattern well. Kind of neat to hunt with them and take a step back to my youth.

the old peter victors shell is one of my favorite loads to...yes its like stepping back in time when i hunt with thes old shells too...charlie