NH Upland Bird Hunting Update: 10/6
That's one and a half year old Bella, with a fine point on a woodcock from yesterday morning in New Hampshire. She's making strides in the grouse woods over the first week of our season, handling very well for me and pointing a number of grouse and woodcock for my clients. It should just get better too, as the weather conditions improve for scenting game birds.
George walks along a carpet of cornflakes earlier last week. It was hot and dry back then, but it looks like cooler and wetter weather is on the way.
Sometimes the lunch table is the spot to relax and regroup before the rigors of the afternoon hunt.
The first week of the season saw warm temperatures, particularly in the afternoons, making the conditions very difficult for dogs and humans alike. There is relief on the way this week, as it appears as though several cold fronts will be coming through, bringing some rain to soften things up out there. Last week, the leaves were very crunchy, and needless to say, we weren't surprising too many birds as we strolled along through the coverts. Still, our number of contacts were good (better than last year), and the work by the dogs was admirable.
Rain moved through our area on Friday night, and that definitely seemed to help the scenting conditions yesterday. Bella's run was our high point, as she pointed a number of grouse and all four woodcock we encountered yesterday. A couple of the grouse and all of the woodcock provided opportunities for my hunters, but unfortunately the shots were missed. That's grouse hunting ... even when the dog points and the birds hold, the last piece of the puzzle (the shot) needs to come together to harvest a bird.
Bella ran hard for all four of her hours however, and her progression in to becoming a grouse dog continues. Rocky ran for two hours in the afternoon yesterday and he has also been ascending in his grouse dog training. He ran hard and was responsive to my commands, and even managed to have two points on grouse, one of which was textbook, except for the flush of the bird.
He locked up not far ahead of us and I had the hunter walk past Rocky to an opening where he could get a shot. I then circled around Rocky and the hunter in an attempt to flush the bird through the opening. Great plan, but I forgot that grouse don't read. It ended up flushing out behind me after it watched me walk by through the woods, and my hunter had no shot.
As for the other dogs, Millie had more good moments on our last hunt in Vermont and Bode managed to get his first work of the season and pointed a woodcock that was missed. Rosie remains on the shelf due to her broken toenail, and another week of rest should allow her to fully heal. Most of our upcoming trips will be in New Hampshire, and hopefully the cooler weather helps the dogs point and the hunters shoot ...
Rain moved through our area on Friday night, and that definitely seemed to help the scenting conditions yesterday. Bella's run was our high point, as she pointed a number of grouse and all four woodcock we encountered yesterday. A couple of the grouse and all of the woodcock provided opportunities for my hunters, but unfortunately the shots were missed. That's grouse hunting ... even when the dog points and the birds hold, the last piece of the puzzle (the shot) needs to come together to harvest a bird.
Bella ran hard for all four of her hours however, and her progression in to becoming a grouse dog continues. Rocky ran for two hours in the afternoon yesterday and he has also been ascending in his grouse dog training. He ran hard and was responsive to my commands, and even managed to have two points on grouse, one of which was textbook, except for the flush of the bird.
He locked up not far ahead of us and I had the hunter walk past Rocky to an opening where he could get a shot. I then circled around Rocky and the hunter in an attempt to flush the bird through the opening. Great plan, but I forgot that grouse don't read. It ended up flushing out behind me after it watched me walk by through the woods, and my hunter had no shot.
As for the other dogs, Millie had more good moments on our last hunt in Vermont and Bode managed to get his first work of the season and pointed a woodcock that was missed. Rosie remains on the shelf due to her broken toenail, and another week of rest should allow her to fully heal. Most of our upcoming trips will be in New Hampshire, and hopefully the cooler weather helps the dogs point and the hunters shoot ...
