my first double on grouse

[Ed Norman]

My brittany and I were out hunting Monday afternoon, we hunt a small 160 acre parcel 3 or 4 times a year. I have hunted there twice this year and not seen a grouse, I try to hunt a different area each time. Cash had a point 10 minutes in, I could not find him for 5 minutes, I wasn't using a beeper that day. He held point the whole time and the grouse flushed on the other side of a big blow down with no shot. About 30 minutes later we were heading back to the car. Cash went on point in sight of the car, and 3 grouse took off, I shot quick at the straight away shot, and then turned right and all I remember is trying to get a foot in front of the bird and he fell too. Cash found the first one, mouthed it twice, and left it there, then I told him "dead bird" again, and he found the second one, picked it up and dropped it at my feet. Thirty yards further he went on point again and I had another pretty clear shot and missed. Then another forty yards or so cash went on point again and another double went up with no shot. I had 6 grouse in about 10 minutes, and all held point which was pretty shocking the way they usually run, and I am wondering if a couple of the last were repoints? I took the birds over to my buddy Hap, he was just coming in from bowhunting and he said I heard two shots right together, and I got a big grin on my face and went in the car and pulled out 2 grouse. Hap did a little dance and so did I, He said well at least you have a witness sort of, because I at least heard the 2 shots together. Since getting the gun fitting from my wife last winter, I have missed one grouse, and probably shot around 20 birds total now with out a miss, those include pheasant grouse and woodcock. I was pretty thrilled with the double.