VT Grouse Hunting Update: 11/3/2017
More rain over the last two days has transformed parts of our grouse woods from what seemed to be deserts to areas resembling swamps. The woods are wet right now, which is usually good for us hunters - we're not making as much noise as when the woods are dry, so we're usually able to get pretty close to birds prior to flushing.
The abundance of moisture has also helped the scenting conditions for the dogs, adding to the enjoyment of our grouse and woodcock hunts. I never get tired of watching good dogs work, whether they be my own or those of my clients, so we've had a good stretch of hunting over the past two weeks now.
We hunted in Vermont today, and Monty got the call on an abbreviated rainy day hunt. We were supposed to do a full day, but it really turned in to a long half day hunt, and Monty did not disappoint. My victims on this day have hunted with me in the past - Todd, Dave and Tom have all been dragged over hill and dale in search of grouse and woodcock, and usually it has been Monty responsible for the dragging.
Over the years, they have not only adjusted their approach to grouse hunting ("when you hear the beeper, get to the dog, quickly!"), but they have also witnessed the maturing of a true grouse dog. Monty, now 8-years old, hunts much more deliberately than he used to - he has mastered the "economy of motion", and doesn't seem to waste his energy locating where I am, something that I have noticed in the younger dogs. I trust him when he goes out, whether it be near or far, and am confident in his ability to find and hold grouse and woodcock.
The abundance of moisture has also helped the scenting conditions for the dogs, adding to the enjoyment of our grouse and woodcock hunts. I never get tired of watching good dogs work, whether they be my own or those of my clients, so we've had a good stretch of hunting over the past two weeks now.
We hunted in Vermont today, and Monty got the call on an abbreviated rainy day hunt. We were supposed to do a full day, but it really turned in to a long half day hunt, and Monty did not disappoint. My victims on this day have hunted with me in the past - Todd, Dave and Tom have all been dragged over hill and dale in search of grouse and woodcock, and usually it has been Monty responsible for the dragging.
Over the years, they have not only adjusted their approach to grouse hunting ("when you hear the beeper, get to the dog, quickly!"), but they have also witnessed the maturing of a true grouse dog. Monty, now 8-years old, hunts much more deliberately than he used to - he has mastered the "economy of motion", and doesn't seem to waste his energy locating where I am, something that I have noticed in the younger dogs. I trust him when he goes out, whether it be near or far, and am confident in his ability to find and hold grouse and woodcock.
Monty was at his best today in some pretty wet conditions, getting bird scent and often slowing in to his points. We would contact 19 grouse and 1 woodcock in our four hours of hunting today, and he was responsible for pointing quite a few of them. Some of the birds we just couldn't get to in time, and a few others we heard flushing over fifty yards away. There were even a couple of others where Todd, Dave and Tom were in position for good chances, but the shots were missed. The boys managed to bag four grouse, two of which were directly on his points - the other two were taken with his assistance and three of them were retrieved by Monty.
We had a good day and the guys had one like this coming - we've taken a couple of birds over the years, but we've had our share of goose eggs too, so it was good to have some success and for the guys to witness a true grouse dog in action. Two more days of guiding for us and then our season is at an end - it seems like these are our best conditions of the year, but we'll be taking some time off and give the woods to the deer hunters for a couple of weeks.
We had a good day and the guys had one like this coming - we've taken a couple of birds over the years, but we've had our share of goose eggs too, so it was good to have some success and for the guys to witness a true grouse dog in action. Two more days of guiding for us and then our season is at an end - it seems like these are our best conditions of the year, but we'll be taking some time off and give the woods to the deer hunters for a couple of weeks.
