The forecast for a mild day with sunshine started that way, but then a front moved in at mid-day and made conditions more like Halloween -- gloomy and blustery. I can really see Aspen maturing, and he is a comfortable dog to hunt over in the grouse woods. Alder (approaching 9 years old), who was resting today after waking up stiff, is the direct opposite. She has two speeds: all out, and -- tired. She requires lots of handling to keep her close enough to get to when she points. She was bred to be hunted from horseback and is a delight on the prairie, but not in the grouse woods.
Photos:
1. The weatherman was right about only half of the day, but the morning was so nice it made you want to stop and take it all in.
2. Although most of the leaves have fallen, the Tamarack are still what Mr. Leopold called, "Smokey Gold." They provide a bit of color when the day turns gloomy.
3. Most of our points are like this, and they seldom offer good photo opportunities. If you look closely, you will see Aspen's head in the left of the picture. This was a great point by him, but the bird, buried in a blowdown, offered only the sound of a flush. Most of our points ended like this.
4. When you get a point along the trail, your heart really gets to thumping, and you have the prospects of at least a glimpse of ole Mr. Grouse. But just as often your hopes are dashed...
5. ...and this becomes the ending to the story of the point.
