Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game The King of Gamebirds

Battue: You are certainly correct that the second season starts after deer is done. For some reason, I always think of it as that month that follows Christmas.
Happy to see that you had success.
That four birds after three hours is pretty much what the Game Comm. reports for grouse in PA....about one an hour.
Sigh.
Pete

Not sure where Dutch Mt. is, however we usually have a much better flush rate up in the NW part of PA. Long drive home if we don't stay at a Bud's camp or motel.

Around home you have to gun your covers with an eye for tomorrow, but there are enough places to move around. However, posted land is a problem that gets bigger each day around home.

Give Belle an ear rub and good luck.

It takes a fast spot shooter to kill ruffed grouse in thick cover - congrats !

People are still amazed I hunted and shot those things, of course the first couple you hear explode on take off then to scare the crap out of you. AAfter that you start remembering to start pulling up. Now you are using a dog. - That's cheating!

Awful fun though.

Spot

Look at the Bird and hit the trigger is about all you can do most of the time. Let hands and brain do the calculations. Much like Yogi Berra's reply to the question:
"What are you thinking about, when getting ready to hit a pitch?" His reply was: "How can you think and hit at the same time?�

Ya a Dog helps, but a flushing Cocker/Springer doesn't allow one the leisure of strolling up to a point.

Since I don't hear as well as in years past, they don't scare me like they used to. But that isn't a good thing.

I'd be using a dog if I. Had been lucky enough to have one back then. I guess you know how I got my login name now.

I agree they're tough to hunt, enjoy em !

Mike

They are not all that tough to hunt when their numbers are up. When down, they make few mistakes.

As far as the hitting, easy shots are not all that uncommon; however for most of us, it is just something you have to do a lot to get a hold of the handle, and it can easily slip away and leave one wondering where it went.

Pheasants are striking in their coloring. Wild Quail are cool, but in todays world not many of use get too experience the thrill of hunting them.

Ruffed Grouse are the everymans upland bird. They can't be stocked, and it takes a specific forest habitat for them to prosper. A pointing Dog that masters how to handle them on a consistent basis is something special. They are rare.

When you hold one in your hand, I don't think there is a more beautiful game bird than an Appalachian Ruffed Grouse.

Nice photos, and a lovely dog...also nice to see someone hunting the King with pumps...this fall while visiting relatives, I worked in some grouse hunting...my best season in Pa. in many years..one morning, I hiked up an old farm road...I flushed 5 grouse from underneath ONE APPLE TREE...couldn't believe it. Not only that, but the old 870 managed to knock one down...have some photos if I ever figure how to post them....nice work all around..congradulations...

Found some new Pa. mountain clear cuts today. Hooooot!!!!
And Toby the flushing Cocker decided he would switch gears and point two birds.

One of which I flat out missed. However, he dug this one out of the clearcut in the background and sent it over my head.

That a boy Battue. Give Toby an ear rub from me.

98 miles each way for 7 flushes, and it was worth every minute.

Found bunches of new covers. Would do it again tomorrow if work didn't get in the way.



Ok, I would have stayed in a motel.

Awesome Harry!!! Great pic of Toby & nice bird also. Looks like Grouse Heaven...

Going back next week. You and Gunner are invited.

what dates do you have in mind? Fri-Sat hunt would be best for me.. Let me know. Jared & I both seen nice bucks today but could not get good shots with the old smoke poles...

Saturday is good. Brian will probably be going also.

I'm guessing there is something better than bird hunting with a dog, but I don't know what that could be.

I'm 32 years, grew up in central SD, hunted pheasants just about every day of the season after I turned 12, but we never owned a dog. 2 1/2 years ago my wife's uncle gave us a Weimaraner pup for our anniversary (I've always wanted a dog to hunt with, dad wouldn't have one in town). This fall was her first real good season of hunting, and I now know exactly what you're talking about. It's no longer about limits, it's about watching her work birds.

17 flushes today and I didn't fire a shot and it rained for most of the day. However, a Bud shot once and knocked a bird down about 30yards into a thick clearcut. Toby was on it and brought it back within 2minutes.

Great day!!!!