Crunch Time
We're getting down to the nitty gritty just before the ruffed grouse and woodcock hunting seasons start in New Hampshire and Vermont. If you're a dog owner, you might be sharpening up your pup's bird handling skills and conditioning, as well as honing your own dog handling skills and conditioning. We strive for progress in compliance with our commands, to hopefully have a productive and pleasurable hunting season ahead.
Our scouting has yielded some good results in our proven grouse coverts, but has been less than stellar in new spots. These "new" areas are recent cuts which should get better with a little age, and while there are birds in and around these cuts, the walking is difficult, to put it mildly. Lots of slash that will take a few years to decompose litters the paths through these cuts, and I could not, in good conscience, drag clients through areas like this. A few more years ...
The good news for grouse and grouse hunters in northern NH and Vermont is that there is still a good amount of recent logging activity up here. There's a saying that the best sound for ruffed grouse and woodcock is that of a chainsaw buzzing through the woods, so the birds should be happily repopulating some of these areas in the near and hopefully longer term future.
As for the dogs, my pack has been doing all that I ask, more or less. Rosie's been performing at a high level in her limited time out there, and Bode has been pointing grouse and woodcock on his trips in to the woods as well. His conditioning is a concern, but he should shed a few pounds and gain better stamina as the season goes along. He will be getting his share of work in the next couple of weeks. Monty has been enjoying his semi-retirement, though I can tell that he wants badly to ride on the truck and run the woods again. He'll get out there in these next couple of weeks, and will hunt this fall on a limited basis.
Millie has been running every day that we venture in to the woods, and most of her work has been good. While she has had her share of bumped birds, she also is pointing at least once (usually grouse, and it could be singles, pairs or more) every session. She is running hard, sometimes a little further off than I like, but I'd rather have that than a dog that is at my heels. She shows great desire and compliance with my commands, so she will be a part of this season's guiding operation.
Of course, getting your dogs and yourself ready is only part of the equation in preparing for the upcoming season. How is your gear? Boots? Jackets? Pants? Guns? Electronics? First Aid kits for humans and canines? Ammo? Yes, there's plenty to plan for the serious upland bird hunter. Never mind scouting out old favorite coverts as well as a few new ones, and sharpening up on your shooting form ...
A week left before the Vermont opener now and New Hampshire is just two weeks away. The grouse woods have that wonderful smell of spruce and decaying leaves right now, and there are some trees turning colors. The most brilliant time of the season is nearly upon us ...
Our scouting has yielded some good results in our proven grouse coverts, but has been less than stellar in new spots. These "new" areas are recent cuts which should get better with a little age, and while there are birds in and around these cuts, the walking is difficult, to put it mildly. Lots of slash that will take a few years to decompose litters the paths through these cuts, and I could not, in good conscience, drag clients through areas like this. A few more years ...
The good news for grouse and grouse hunters in northern NH and Vermont is that there is still a good amount of recent logging activity up here. There's a saying that the best sound for ruffed grouse and woodcock is that of a chainsaw buzzing through the woods, so the birds should be happily repopulating some of these areas in the near and hopefully longer term future.
As for the dogs, my pack has been doing all that I ask, more or less. Rosie's been performing at a high level in her limited time out there, and Bode has been pointing grouse and woodcock on his trips in to the woods as well. His conditioning is a concern, but he should shed a few pounds and gain better stamina as the season goes along. He will be getting his share of work in the next couple of weeks. Monty has been enjoying his semi-retirement, though I can tell that he wants badly to ride on the truck and run the woods again. He'll get out there in these next couple of weeks, and will hunt this fall on a limited basis.
Millie has been running every day that we venture in to the woods, and most of her work has been good. While she has had her share of bumped birds, she also is pointing at least once (usually grouse, and it could be singles, pairs or more) every session. She is running hard, sometimes a little further off than I like, but I'd rather have that than a dog that is at my heels. She shows great desire and compliance with my commands, so she will be a part of this season's guiding operation.
Of course, getting your dogs and yourself ready is only part of the equation in preparing for the upcoming season. How is your gear? Boots? Jackets? Pants? Guns? Electronics? First Aid kits for humans and canines? Ammo? Yes, there's plenty to plan for the serious upland bird hunter. Never mind scouting out old favorite coverts as well as a few new ones, and sharpening up on your shooting form ...
A week left before the Vermont opener now and New Hampshire is just two weeks away. The grouse woods have that wonderful smell of spruce and decaying leaves right now, and there are some trees turning colors. The most brilliant time of the season is nearly upon us ...
