Ouch. Knee troubles are awful. Been lucky so far but have friends and family with it and know it is tough. Things just happen and or stuff just wears out. I hear about a lot of success with stem cell therapy for knees that is less painful and invasive as surgery with quicker recovery, but it is not paid for by insurance, go figure.
The few times I've been grouse and woodcock hunting in Mn it was not the walk the roads and trails type hunts and get a limit of birds you read about, but it was a whole lot better than the grouse hunts we had climbing App Mtn hillsides. We had to hit the brush and cover hard to find any birds and they were there and in bunches of 3 to 4 and I had thought grouse were mostly solitary birds. That is when I also learned the Mn term for GD Balsam. Having to work those deadfalls that the grouse were using for cover near some two year old clear cuts was tough going especially when you see your dog on point and got 6 or 7 trees you got to cross to get to him before the bird flushes. That will wear a knee out and a few other body parts.
Second day into a seven day hunt when we had just figured out what birds were doing and heading to a point, stepped over a GD balsam and foot came down on another GD balsam log with slimy bark. Slipped and caught my self from falling in a weird forward stumble but other leg was hung up on log a bit and felt that awful pop, like someone had just shot me in the groin and thigh booty area with a bb gun. Actually stood up and looked around for a smiling culprit needing a whupping, but nobody was there and buddy was 50 yards away slightly in front quartering in toward the dog. Took a few steps more then tried to side step another GD balsam and knew right off it was no bb gun.
Pushed through it and was able to walk okay rest of week without much trouble but when we had to hit the brush and cross those GD balsam logs I am certain my arthritic 95 year old grandmother could move faster with her walker and with less complaint. Still a great trip and would do it again, pulled thigh booty and all if that was the price to pay. Btw when I got home my wife saw my back side and I had not even noticed it until she said something but back of my leg was blue, purple and yellow.
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I guess that's what gunsmiths and orthopedic surgeons are for
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