10/25/2013
The pendulum swung the other way today. I saw lots of birds but could not hit one.
We ended up going to our second choice. The same pickup has been in our number one choice the past 3 weekends. The nice thing is that he usually leaves by 2 o’clock so we can park there for late afternoon hunt.
Within 50 yards of leaving the car I saw a grouse flush wild about 20 yards in the woods. After a short walk we got to a wide spot in the trail and I was thinking "this is such a good looking spot but I’ve never seen a grouse here" just then Tasha bumped one and it came flying at me. I missed a shot while it was flying at me and then one while it was flying away. If the GoPro was working right I should have a good video of “how to miss a grouse”. A little farther up the trail I saw a bird flush, as we approached the area Tasha went on point. I figured she was pointing the one that flew. Again the phrase “ always trust your dog” proved true. As I was walking up and thinking that there was nothing there any longer up came another bird and another miss was tallied.
On our 90 minute hunt we moved 7 grouse, 3 of which were pointed by Tasha, none of which did I connect on.
I swapped dogs hoping that Tina could turn the tide. We hunted for 2.5 hrs and moved 9 grouse and one woodcock. I shot at 3 of the grouse and the woodcock and missed all of them. At one spot Tina went on point and I saw something run in front of her. I was thinking it was a rabbit as she likes to point them and we’ve seen a number of them here. I walked towards her and a grouse got up low and straight in front of her. I held off of shooting as I didn’t want to hit her.
On our way out we bumped into a couple of hunters. One of them was wearing the same hat as I was. It was a for the kennel, Northwoods Bird Dogs that both of my active dogs are out of. We chatted a bit and one of them was a guide that works out of the same lodge that Jerry, the trainer / breeder, guides out of. The grouse woods can be a small place sometimes.
We moved to a different parking spot in the same area and I gave Tasha another run. She got 2 more points and just to keep everything on the same track I didn’t hit either one. I did have one take off from about 10 feet up a tree. This is the second week in a row that this has happened. Neither time did it seem like it was close to roosting time.
5 hours hunting. 19 birds moved. 18 grouse 1 woodcock. 8 shots taken. No hits.
I’m switching guns and hats tomorrow. I mean it couldn’t be me that is the issue...
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