DIY Sage Grouse Wyoming

[Scott Chapman]

Finally back from a 2500 mile whirlwind road trip to Wyoming...

My friend and I were able to pickup our dogs from our trainer, who recently relocated from Texas to Wyoming. We then spent a day and a half hunting sage grouse on a public hunting area that was over 74,000 acres!

Talk about looking for a needle in a haystack!

First thing in the morning on the first day, we had a covey of about 10 birds flush wild from the top of a ridge. "Parker" was locked up solid but I was about 200 yards away in the bottom of an arroyo, trying to get up on the point, when the birds busted. Those things fly a LONG way. They must have gone a mile.

On the fourth run of the day, we found a small group of sage grouse spread out feeding along the edge of a dry creek bed. They held tightly and I was very fortunate to make a double with my grandfather's Trojan 16 gauge. My buddy scratched one down.

The RST 1 oz. copper plated #6 did their job and Parker made a fine retrieve. I was thrilled to say the least.

Wyoming limit is two per day so I was done for the day, but we made a couple more runs trying to find another bird for my buddy. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful the rest of the day.

The second day we hunted hard all morning. We found plenty of sage grouse droppings, so I knew we were at least in the right area code, but the birds proved to be elusive.

All in all it was a great trip for a special bird in beautiful "BIG" country!

[Scott Chapman]

great day!

[stumpstalker]

Scott:

Thanks for the account and photos. A brief but very memorable-sounding hunt.

And, congratulations on making a double.

What are some details or specifics of that legacy 16 gauge; and, what and where did your grandfather hunt with that gun?

[Bruce Day]

A little north of you yesterday.

[birddogdoc]

I just love to chase sage hens with pointing dogs. Great hunt and photos!

[Scott Chapman]

Originally Posted by Russell E. Cleary

Scott:

Thanks for the account and photos. A brief but very memorable-sounding hunt.

And, congratulations on making a double.

What are some details or specifics of that legacy 16 gauge; and, what and where did your grandfather hunt with that gun?

My Parker was my grandfather's only shotgun. He presented to me in its original Redhead LOM case when I graduated from HS in 1984. It is a Trojan 16 gauge with 26" barrels. It was made in 1924. Pop was born and lived in Cheshire CT for most of his life. He was a pro hockey player back in the day and family legend has it that my grandmother purchased the shotgun used from Parker Brothers in Meriden for him for $19.

He traveled on the train to play hockey and he took the shotgun with him to hunt wherever he happened to be. He told me that he hunted pheasants in the Midwest and even honkers on the Eastern Shore. He and my Dad shot lots of grouse and woodcock and put and take pheasants at a hunting club.

Pop's older brother, Uncle Chap, was a dentist and Pop told me that Chap was hunting buddies with one of the Parkers that owned Parker Brothers. I remember Pop mentioning Charlie Parker but I can't remember if it was Charlie or one of his sons. He said they shot birds together at the Quinnepiac Rod and Gun Club. I have an old silver ashtray dated 1951 that Pop's setter won in a Derby Stakes at Quinnepiac. Chap is the one who facilitated the Trojan purchase for my grandmother with his connection with the Parkers.

[stumpstalker]

You are privileged to have some special Parker history on that Trojan, even if it is not fully documentable provenance. Maybe there are some revealing hunting photos out there of your grand-father, his brother and other significant personages. If never checked, you might remove the butt plate to see if anything unique is cached there.

That gun has traveled widely and for a variety of game birds.

Thanks for relating that engaging vignette.