Kind of a trying day especially for Toby, with snow up to my shins in the low spots, and often over Toby's belly. Birds were buried in the snow and were not coming out unless you almost stepped on them. Toby was balled up bad with snow and after three hours it was time to head to the truck. Almost there when this one came up out of a snow cave right at my feet. Great end to the day.






He came down close to this Buck rub. This cover has a pile of Deer, but I only have
permission to hunt Grouse here. The weather is breaking and the Deer were up and moving.

Battue: Nice! Nothing like late season birds!How late does it stay open?

Is that one of those glass barreled Winchesters? M53 I think?

Bob,

I agree, love the late Ruffed Grouse season. Fresh tracks in the snow is an advantage. Problem is we have a lot of snow further North were our best hunting now is located and they have over a foot of snow in a good part of it. Need some of it to melt down in order for Toby to get around and I would appreciate it also.

Yes, that is the fiberglass wrapped Model 59 Winchester. Not much for looks or a classic Grouse gun, however Frank Woolner was right when he said there are few more perfectly suited for Ruffed Grouse. I've been told it was highly thought of by more than a few serious New England area Grouse hunters back in the day.

Oh forgot: The season stays open till January 26.

Addition: Frank Woolner, wonder how many here are familiar with his work?

Great post!

I like to use my Mdl 59 for grouse and all other upland hunting.

Wasn't it one of Olin's favorites, too?

Since I got this one from JB here on the Campfire, my very good, but heavier, steel receiver Browning 12ga B-80 has been idle.

I'd like to find a 26" I/C barrel for it sometime.

Now, warm that dog up.

Thank you. Coming from another Bird Dog man it is appreciated.

Not sure re: it being an Olin favorite, but if I come across an IC barrel I'll give you a heads up. Knifeman here on the fire and a good Bud, recently found one with the Winchoke option. This one was originally one of his.

Addition: Would have never had this bird in hand if not for Toby. He came down alive and either fell or ran into a snow bank. Toby was in past his chest when he finally found
It and dug it out.

I get a very special feeling when they do their job like that. It is symbiosis, more than it is just a working relationship.

Battue the M59 it is! Forgot my numbers....yes I have seen a few of those here and there but never owned one.But I have handled them,and they were a great light upland gun for those breaking tradition from the classic doubles.Another "sleeper" was the old "Browning Double Auto"...when's the last time you saw one of those!

If ever there was hard core New England outdoorsman,it was Frank Woolner; stripers and blues on the surf during the summer,grouse and deer in the fall...used to read his stuff and very enjoyable;unlike a lot of the techno babble we have to endure these days.He used to gun the south shore,Cape Cod,and various places throughout the state.

Late season grouse hunting in Massachusetts can be surprisingly good,NH as well, and when the season ran into mid January we used to have good days out near Great Barrington.But they shut it down,the biologists saying we killed too many which is BS....I never saw another soul except myself so who was killing them I have no idea...I think the biologists were doing their bird counts inside Route 128.

Nice thing about late season.....no on else out there...

Nice!

The more I see of that little dog, the more I like him.
And that's from a pointer man.

Stay after em.

FG,

You made his day I sure.

I hunt him often with my friends who run Setters and English Pointers. When they go on point, I hit the whistle and he hups or stands back so as not to run in and ruin their point.

However, when the guns go off he is off. I should have stopped that early, but it works out well. When hunting with them, he does the bulk of any retrieving.

Nothing wrong with that.
Steady to wing is nice, but as impressive as steady to shot is, I'm not near as anal as I once was about it in the field. Some even prefer a dog that breaks at the shot, and I'm not so sure they're wrong.

My first real bird dog was a Springer so I'm partial to Spaniels, but just like allot of the breeds, the show folks and back yard breeders have made it hard to find one worth feeding these days. Looks like you did your homework on that little guy.
Well done.

Nice Harry! Love the snow for chasing Grouse.. Gunner looked like toby on our Monday hunt here in Ohio, all snow balls!
We were pushing a foot of snow also.

Nice photos of a beautiful little dog..thanks for the story and pic..s.Hope to get in some late season bird hunting in the Basin next week..Sounds like you have lots of snow in that country now..No a lot of snow here in Wy. but it has been cold...

Nice looking dog, especially the "snow balls" side view.

At the risk of exposing my ignorance (ha! That has long been exposed here!), I have to ask what breed this is? Cocker spaniel? Boykin spaniel?

John

Toby is an English Cocker who fell into my lap. Have always had English Springers and Cockers from good blood lines. I was looking for another English Cocker to follow Abby when an acquaintance asked what I thought about the breed. I said as long as they were from a hunting strain they were one of God's dogs.

Turns out he knew of a litter and I asked for the breeder�s info and went to see the pups. When I looked at the papers I knew I was going to take a pup. The lines are probably better than Prince Phillips.

Toby is big for a Cocker and would make a solid Springer. He has so much potential, but unfortunately we just don't have enough birds close enough for him to ever reach it. He knows what a good cover looks like better than me and if no scent is hanging around will go straight to the best looking spot. Nice thing he is starting to do the circle trick and attempt to place the bird between the two of us.

He goes with me almost everywhere and when I show up and he isn't with me everyone asks where he is at. They would rather see him than me.

I actually don't train my dogs to be steady to a flush or shot.

We often knock a chuckar so far down a steep mountain and see the buggers get to their feet after bouncing off a dozen boulders, that I like them there when they hit.

I'm in agreement. There are times it is best to get on a downed bird as quickly as possible.

Having a good Spaniel hup to flush is one of the final rubs of the polishing cloth and with the good ones being excellent retrievers few birds hit solid will escape. Runners can be something else, but Grouse tend to find the first log or bit of thick cover and get in it.

Takes a lot of work, and truth be told I'm probably not up to it without perhaps stepping on a good Spaniels spirit. One of the things I love about the flushers is their go to hell enthusiasm for ramming Birds out.