Woe is me...
 

Here I am stuck at work on this Saturday morning when I really should be in Vermont but, alas, somebody has to do it I guess...

This morning at 8:55 I called my brother-in-law Jamie, who drove up there alone last night in the pouring rain and driving wind, to be sure he was out of bed at least... he told me he was already in the woods and was about to move into one of our favorite coverts, the "Pine-Apple Bowl" and he would call me later on if he made any game.

Ten or fifteen minutes later this came to me from his cell phone... and he's using MY Trojan 16.... The Nerve!!

Now that is one big pa'tridge!! And a nice brown phase too!



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Good on you Jamie! Lord knows he has put in the miles chasing "Ol Ruff"

Nice bird, and the gun as well of course.

I shot a grouse this week that had some real heft to him, and missed one yesterday that looked very big in the air if never in the vest.

I am also seeing significantly more birds this year than last. I wonder if the past mild winter let them enter the spring with more weight.

too bad about that office thing :bigbye:

The grouse in the area of Vermont where I hunt seem to be on the increase after the dead low of two seasons ago. I have high hopes for the days of the four-hour twenty-four flush hunts we had four, five, and six years ago.

To see that Dean you have to get out in the field....:rotf: Hopefully next week you can get out

Nope... South Carolina next week... back to Vermont on November 3rd.

Sounds like a plan Dean...:)

go gettem dean...well if you cant go huntin its nice that your gun could... charlie

I have been hammering at the ducks so have not pursued the partridge but we had a good dry spring in the kingdom and word from those who know are reporting a lot of flushes early season and the wardens say numbers are up.

Well, that's where I hunt Eric but I haven't seen such evidence. I've heard great reports of high grouse numbers in the Pittsburg area and on over throughout Maine so they all will likely have a good season.
I'm going to try to sneak up there tomorrow afternoon for a short hunt with Kathy so we'll see what happens.

Incidentally, there are virtually no apples on the feral trees this year in my hills. Tom said it is likely due to a very hard frost they had in blossom season.