Two Weeks Away ...
We've had to get our scouting sessions in early, prior to the rising of the sun. Hopefully conditions will be much cooler once October hits.
The foliage (right) is changing fast in some of our northern Vermont and New Hampshire coverts. The woods are extremely dry too, with no relief in sight. Will the leaves drop earlier this year because of the lack of rain?
So, we are now technically less than two weeks away from the grouse and woodcock hunting season opener in Vermont, and fifteen days from now will be the opener in New Hampshire. My pack is in crunch time in preparation for handling the cover and the birds, so we're getting out there as much as the hot temperatures allow.
Yes, it's been unseasonably warm in the north country, and right now the majority of our scouting has been ending at 10 - 11 AM when we go out. It's simply been too warm to run the dogs after that and hopefully it cools down quickly once we reach October. In the meantime, frequent water breaks have kept the dogs fresh and ready to keep going.
As for the scouting, it has been mostly productive lately, as the dogs have been working hard and seeing (and pointing) some birds over the last few days. The picture above is from Rosie's run this morning, and she got in to a pile of grouse and woodcock in a short time out there. She contacted four grouse and six woodcock in 1.5 hours and pointed the vast majority of them.
As for the scouting, it has been mostly productive lately, as the dogs have been working hard and seeing (and pointing) some birds over the last few days. The picture above is from Rosie's run this morning, and she got in to a pile of grouse and woodcock in a short time out there. She contacted four grouse and six woodcock in 1.5 hours and pointed the vast majority of them.
While most of the birds were in close proximity to each other, we didn't bump in to any grouse broods, perhaps signaling that the fall breakup has occurred. As you can see in some of the pictures, it is still incredibly thick out there, and most of the birds that we've been seeing are not visible for too long. They are quickly behind a screen of impenetrable foliage and gone after that.
Speaking of the foliage, it is changing quickly in many of our coverts, and it should definitely be at its peak in a couple of weeks from now. As for the other dogs, Millie managed to point a grouse that ran uphill from us before flushing, and then bumped another shortly after that, while Bella had a good run yesterday morning. She contacted one or two grouse (neither pointed) and four woodcock (three pointed). She worked well and was responsive to my commands and hopefully she can keep her good work going during the season.
Speaking of the foliage, it is changing quickly in many of our coverts, and it should definitely be at its peak in a couple of weeks from now. As for the other dogs, Millie managed to point a grouse that ran uphill from us before flushing, and then bumped another shortly after that, while Bella had a good run yesterday morning. She contacted one or two grouse (neither pointed) and four woodcock (three pointed). She worked well and was responsive to my commands and hopefully she can keep her good work going during the season.
Any "rust" that Rosie may have had appears to be gone. She was a pointing machine this morning and is ready for another hunting season.
