What's your quarry?

[Harold Pickens]

Grouse are what fuel my upland passion. Growing up in SE Ohio, i really didnt know much about those funny looking long beaked birds until my Uncle Sam explained to me that many people pursued them with bird dogs. We were rabbit hunting at the time and would flush quite a few woodcock over the course of a hunt in Nov and Dec. I became addicted to grouse hunting, and shot my first with an old Stevens 12 ga sxs--one of those with the nylon stocks.
I have never developed much of a taste for woodcock however, and often pass up shots on them if we are moving good grouse numbers, it just doesnt sit well with me not to eat what I shoot. If I am training a young dog, I do make an effort to get them into woodcock.
It was a strange season for woodcock this year in the UP. Those who went early had hot temps, and told me they didnt do well. I was there the last week of Oct, first week of Nov, and only moved 4 woodcock in 2 weeks--but the grouse hunting was very good. I didnt move many woodcock in Ohio this year either.

[C.O.B.]

Last year was "The Lost Fall" for me. Daisy wasn't able to hunt and the month of October spent in the U.P. was pretty much a dogless venue. As Harold noted it was hot and it rained..a lot. If I were to put a label on my upland bird hunting endeavors it would be as a Grouse hunter. I like Woodcock also but the Grouse is king for me. Next fall I'll have a young shorthair with me and I hope to be able to get him into some flight birds just for the practice if nothing else.

[Wild Skies]

It's all about grouse and woodcock for me. But, no longer do I find the need to kill to have hunted. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the hunt as much as I ever have, but these days it's all about the dog.

My most memorable hunts, however; have been sharing a blind duck hunting with a good friend.