September Scouting
The season is now less than a month away (actually, it's 24 days away, but who's counting?) and we are starting to hit the woods with a bit more regularity these days. Sharpening the dogs for the rigors that lie ahead, improving my own "grouse woods" conditioning, scouting new areas for this season, and just getting back in the swing of things generally.
While there were a few ragged sessions back in July and August, the dogs are starting to round in to form. Of course, no one is perfect (that includes hunting dogs), so there have been some mistakes here and there, but the transgressions seem to be decreasing in frequency lately.
While there were a few ragged sessions back in July and August, the dogs are starting to round in to form. Of course, no one is perfect (that includes hunting dogs), so there have been some mistakes here and there, but the transgressions seem to be decreasing in frequency lately.
Last Friday, we scouted in Vermont and while Rosie encountered one grouse and four woodcock, she was only able to establish point on two of the woodcock. She ran hard, but the rising morning temperature seemed to take its toll - it was 60 degrees when we were out there. Bode ran next and had a tough go of it, bumping three grouse and two woodcock in about twenty minutes. Thankfully, he redeemed himself before we made it back to the truck, pointing a solitary woodcock ...
Yesterday, Bode ran first in the chilly 48 degree air and he had a great session. He first pointed a woodcock and then proceeded to point four grouse - a single, then a pair of birds, and finally a beautiful point in a thick area of softwood on a grouse that might've paid the price during the season. It was night and day from two days before, and much appreciated on my end.
Yesterday, Bode ran first in the chilly 48 degree air and he had a great session. He first pointed a woodcock and then proceeded to point four grouse - a single, then a pair of birds, and finally a beautiful point in a thick area of softwood on a grouse that might've paid the price during the season. It was night and day from two days before, and much appreciated on my end.
This morning brought more good dog work in three areas that were previously unknown to me. Monty got first shot out of the truck and it took us a while, but eventually we flushed a group of four grouse (flushed, as in Monty did not point them). Shortly afterward, Monty had a point on our only woodcock find of the day, and then shortly afterward had points on three separate grouse. Not bad for an hour of scouting in this "new" area that will be part of our rotation this fall.
Rosie was next and immediately pointed a grouse, not two minutes from the truck. We would then have two wild flushing grouse, and while the cover in this area looked great, we weren't apparently in the right spots where the grouse were. It still looks promising however, so we'll check it out again and draw a conclusion from there. Rosie shows a lot of energy out of the truck, but remains very responsive to my commands.
Bode was the anchor for today, in an area we had never been in. The cover looked pretty good, and it bore fruit after a bit of exploration. He was very birdy in an area not far from the logging road, but nothing was there. As he is not a dog that has unproductive points very often, it was surprising ... We made our way back to good looking cover near the road edge when a bird flushed off to my right. Then Bode went on point to the left of the road, facing left. Suddenly, two more grouse emerged from the cover, flushing ... and then it was on. A series of grouse flushed, sometimes one or two at a time for the next twenty or so seconds. It was hard to keep count, but I'm calling it a dozen, but it surely could have been more. Probably two family units sharing some cover and a food source, but it rivals any of the largest groups of grouse that I've seen.
Bode was the anchor for today, in an area we had never been in. The cover looked pretty good, and it bore fruit after a bit of exploration. He was very birdy in an area not far from the logging road, but nothing was there. As he is not a dog that has unproductive points very often, it was surprising ... We made our way back to good looking cover near the road edge when a bird flushed off to my right. Then Bode went on point to the left of the road, facing left. Suddenly, two more grouse emerged from the cover, flushing ... and then it was on. A series of grouse flushed, sometimes one or two at a time for the next twenty or so seconds. It was hard to keep count, but I'm calling it a dozen, but it surely could have been more. Probably two family units sharing some cover and a food source, but it rivals any of the largest groups of grouse that I've seen.
Right place, right time, for sure. The total for this morning was 22 grouse and 1 woodcock moved in three hours - it will be a great season if numbers keep up like that. As evidenced from the picture of Bode above, it is incredibly thick out there, as you would expect. Every step through the woods lately has me dreaming of late October, when most of the greenery will be gone and the going will be easier ...
