Michigan Grouse and Woodcock

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

On a recent and very wet weekend in central Michigan four noble nimrods escaped from their otherwise ordinary lives to share camaraderie and thick forests of young aspen. The leaves were just starting to turn to gold on those aspens. Had the sun shown their beauty could have been appreciated. A blanket of thick, low clouds instead provided a somewhat steady light shower of rain throughout an otherwise perfect weekend.

The Ruff Grouse or “partridge” and woodcock were found by a vizsla named Gypsy who locked up in staunch points. Those and other birds were bumped into flight and later retrieved by Dash the Chesapeake and my faithful Chesador named Radar. In one hunt a grouse dozen woodcock flushed with the grouse and 9 of the smaller birds falling to a GH 20 gauge Parker, CE Fox 16 with barrels bobbed long ago for just this type of hunt, a Lefever Nitro Special 12 gauge bought new by Joe’s grandfather, and some new fangled thing with a barrel camera hanging underneath. Its shooter is young but we are sure that in time he will come to appreciate a pair of barrels in proper alignment to the eyes.

Not captured in photos were the duck hunts in which Kurt with a Damascus 32" GHE 12 gauge, Matt with another funny gun, and I shooting a 32" Sterlingworth all bagged opening weekend ducks. Joe was good enough to forego early morning duck hunts and have a hearty breakfast prepared for all upon their return.