NH Grouse Hunting Update: 11/8/2013
Less than stellar weather conditions in Pittsburg, New Hampshire's grouse woods over the last two days. Yesterday was really tough - driving wind and rain in the morning, with gradual clearing by the afternoon, and the high for today was right around 32 degrees, but it felt much colder with the gusty northwest wind that we were hunting in to most of the day.
While the bird hunting was definitely challenging yesterday, we got in to some birds along road edges today as the birds were probably anxious to resume their daily routines. Once again, spruce clumps and tangles of blowdowns seemed to hold most of the grouse, where they were trying to stay out of the cold wind.
While the bird hunting was definitely challenging yesterday, we got in to some birds along road edges today as the birds were probably anxious to resume their daily routines. Once again, spruce clumps and tangles of blowdowns seemed to hold most of the grouse, where they were trying to stay out of the cold wind.
Matt Sisk, Jim MacWalter and I were fortunate to get out there to enjoy the birds and the work of our dogs - Jim's two gordon setters and my two shorthairs. They all worked hard, and seemed to have their greatest success when we were hunting in to the wind, naturally. Monty in particular excelled with some staunch points on grouse - some of them held and provided Matt and Jim with good opportunities, but quite a few of them ran away to fly another day.
It's still exciting whether we have shooting chances or not - I never get tired of watching a dog doing what it was bred to do!
It's still exciting whether we have shooting chances or not - I never get tired of watching a dog doing what it was bred to do!
