The down cycle of the grouse, the windy weather causing the few available grouse to flush at 30+ yards, the fact that I have to haul my boat to storage next weekend, and the firearms deer season that begins at 0'dark-thirty on Saturday, Nov. 13th are the various reasons that our 2010 grouse season has come to an end. Of course, if I happen to kill my buck on the first weekend of the season I'll be totin' a Parker for the rest of the season.
A sizable filght of woodcock came into our hills with the October full moon and have apparently stayed the week. I think the snow squalls this weekend will give them the incentive to join the highballing flocks of Canadas we see winging their way southward. The unusual arrival of woodcock to our upland Vermont hills surely saved our bird season up there, the grouse being as scarce as they were.
But we have plenty of fodder for memories and a few good stories from this great season and Danny has promised to grace an upcoming issue of Parker Pages with his own story of a traditional "Grouse Camp" and his own memories.... right Danny?
It was sure hard to leave that place this afternoon but the knowledge that we have many more seasons ahead of us makes it just a tad easier.... but the wait is a killer.
.
Last edited by Dean Romig; 10-31-2010 at 09:17 PM..
|