My favorite configuration...16 "O" frames..

[ArtS]

I don't have much hope for the birds in Eastern KY any more. Between strip mining (and reclaiming as flat fescue meadows, all before the mountaintop mining issue and rules) and farming practices there now, the quail and grouse don't have much of a chance. The DFW puts all its efforts into stocking the public areas but there isn't much benefit there. They do a good job with turkey and elk, with turkeys going from not here to being almost a nuisance as the deer have become. The elk program to re-establish (they were the primary prey for both Indians and settlers in the days when we had prairie grasslands, but disappeared. They are doing so well that the several hundred permits each go mostly to the thousands of applications from out of state.

When I was a kid, the grouse were everywhere. We would go up the hill behind our house on the edge of town, make a loop around a couple of small watersheds where the farmer's didn't care, and get grouse, quail, squirrel and rabbits (often 2 or 3 species on the same day). We lived in an outdoor paradise and didn't realize it. Peeople didn't even glance at someone in a canvas jacket and brush pants walking through the middle of town with a shotgun.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Arthur Shaffer

I don't have much hope for the birds in Eastern KY any more. Between strip mining (and reclaiming as flat fescue meadows, all before the mountaintop mining issue and rules) and farming practices there now, the quail and grouse don't have much of a chance. The DFW puts all its efforts into stocking the public areas but there isn't much benefit there. They do a good job with turkey and elk, with turkeys going from not here to being almost a nuisance as the deer have become. The elk program to re-establish (they were the primary prey for both Indians and settlers in the days when we had prairie grasslands, but disappeared. They are doing so well that the several hundred permits each go mostly to the thousands of applications from out of state.

When I was a kid, the grouse were everywhere. We would go up the hill behind our house on the edge of town, make a loop around a couple of small watersheds where the farmer's didn't care, and get grouse, quail, squirrel and rabbits (often 2 or 3 species on the same day). We lived in an outdoor paradise and didn't realize it. Peeople didn't even glance at someone in a canvas jacket and brush pants walking through the middle of town with a shotgun.

Gosh, for those days (as you describe) again! I did run into elk on my grouse hunts, the first time I "flushed" one was quite the surprise. I hunted older clear cuts (could fine no recent ones) and some grapevine ravines, but even in the short time I hunted Kentucky, those coverts all grew past even the older acceptable (to grouse, that is) age structure. So, I guess you've not checked out any of the newer habitat projects. I was thinking I might, but...

[Harold Pickens]

Although Ohio grouse season is closed, I ran my setter Doodle today thru some old strip mine/spoil bank cover that still looks as good as when we were flushing 25 birds/day there. I just wanted to get out with the dog and look for shed antlers and future sites for deer stands. In between 2 spoil banks she pulled up into a point. I thought it might be an early woodcock arrival, but was a big cock grouse. I had heard a bird drumming in that area both this spring and fall. Doodle pointed it again about 100 yds ahead as we moved around the hill. Strip mining sure created alot of great cover back in the day despite it's negative impacts.
I came across this old bucket from a shovel close to where I flushed the bird. If any body wants to help, we could get a few bucks for scrap--probably would weigh over a 1000 lbs.

[Harold Pickens]

Doodle and bucket.

[Harold Pickens]

Art, I have a German hammer 16 also, cant read the name of the maker. Has .metric 29.5 in barrels cyl/F, and weighs less than 6 lbs. It's a little off face, but shimmed it up. Only paid 250 for it.