Ruffs up north

[Bruce Day]

Garry , I suspect you stay in the cabins on the south shore of Clear Lake and not in the old general store on the highway. We left plenty of birds for you, I assume because we did not find many.

This is our last day up north , have to go home then get ready to go again.

But here is Pete with his 7 month old setter pup, the brother of my setter. Just a big baby that loves to run.

Then fall trails.

And finally, the woods today. If you are coming north be prepared for snow, mud and cold.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Bruce Day

Garry , I suspect you stay in the cabins on the south shore of Clear Lake and not in the old general store on the highway. We left plenty of birds for you, I assume because we did not find many.

This is our last day up north , have to go home then get ready to go again.

But here is Pete with his 7 month old setter pup, the brother of my setter. Just a big baby that loves to run.

Then fall trails.

And finally, the woods today. If you are coming north be prepared for snow, mud and cold.

The old store was once also the post office. What you saw there is all of Wirt. My kind of town. There used to be some good cuts behind the store but they've long since grown out. Sorry you did not find many birds. When the weather gets like you've described and the birds head to the conifers, the hunting -- at least the shooting part of it -- really takes a hit. Enjoyed your pictures and reports!

[Harold Pickens]

In the past years, the weather in early Oct has been too darn warm and dry, hard on men and dogs. It is also miserable hunting in that slopy wet early snow that soaks right thru you. Tough waiting all year for a hunting trip, and then having bad weather.Looks like it will be better for me when I get up there next Sat--but as they say, it is what it is..I will be going regardless of weather forecast and bird numbers. Getting all those little chores and last minute packing done this weekend, luckily the wife is in Fla, so not getting sidetracked. Good luck to all.

[mobirdhunter]

Well, it's definitely not too warm in the north country right now. We arrived on Saturday to spitting snow and rain, and Sunday's high was 29 degrees. Bruce must have taken the snow with him -- hallelujah -- as we found only traces and wet conditions.

Too early to tell about bird numbers, but we flushed 9 on Sunday hunting about 4 hours, and yesterday, after the sun finally came out, we had a nice two hour hunt during which we flushed 12 grouse. Our Alder had 5 nice points on this hunt, but her handler (yours truly) got no shots from her points, and, predictably, missed a wild flushing incomer on his only chance. That's grouse hunting.

We have very spotty cell and internet service, but I will try to send another report or two...and hope that Harold and others will share their north country grouse hunts also.