EARLY, EARLY NH GROUSE REPORT

[Steve Hodges]

Well, I know it is way to early to tell for sure, and a cold rainy spell could bring it back to reality, but I have been to camp in Pittsburg (NH) the past three weekends as the gate was open a month early due to the very mild winter, and there are birds everywhere. And these are all adult birds at this point. A lot of drumming still going on. We had a very mild winter even up north, and it is showing in the critters we are seeing this spring. Seems the population of most is up. And everything is on the move. This past weekend we saw three bears, seven deer (where densities are about 5 or less deer per sq mi), 5 turkeys, two moose, 16 grouse, one bobcat and more bunnies than you can shake a stick at! If we have a dry spring, the bird hunting should be great.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Steve! Nothing like a promising grouse report to get the juices flowing.

[Labowner]

Thanks for the good news Steve, Otto and I are very happy to hear that.
I owe that dog one for his assist in my sucsesful turkey hunt this morning, while drinking a cup of coffee this morning he was spread eagle on the floor looking out the glass door into the woods, well it didn't take him long to covey the message that there something out there and I got up to see two Toms moseying threw the woods, dressed in a pair of white shorts a T shirt and slippers off I went to the back of the Suburban got my vest and Spanish 3 1/2 ten...I know another story.... down the trail I went got into the woods a hundred yards or so and made a call got a answer but they weren't buying so paralleled them on a trail for another hundred yards and got a nice 3 year old bird 9 1/2" beard and 1' spurs to come in back at the house and only gone 15 minutes.

PS think about coming down Tues. night 5 pm and shooting skeet at Major Waldron's, got three rounds in today.... don't ask.

[Steve Hodges]

Congrats on the turkey hunt......the best kind....sleep in and kill a nice bird in your backyard Way to go....................Oh, and did get boots on??

[gman]

The lower water this year is also showing to be very positive for the ducks and I am seeing many broods of ducks and ducklings next door to you in the NE Kingdom of Vermont.