Grouse Opener

[gjw]

Hey all, well our grouse opener was today

It wasn't the best for us. My two son's and myself only got three. The morning started out cool, low wind and very wet. We had fog that left a very wet prairie. We saw some in the short cover that flushed wild.

We had better luck as it dried out some. My son Will managed two and I got one. It got pretty hot by afternoon that took its toll on man and beast

Our GSP Addie did very well, very happy with her.

My son Will's wife Kait and their son Willy came with. So, this was my grandsons first time out hunting

I used my 16b John Wilkes and Will his BSS 2oga

So.......how did you folks fair?

Best Regards

Greg

 

[MN guy]

Hey all, well our grouse opener was today

It wasn't the best for us. My two son's and myself only got three. The morning started out cool, low wind and very wet. We had fog that left a very wet prairie. We saw some in the short cover that flushed wild.

We had better luck as it dried out some. My son Will managed two and I got one. It got pretty hot by afternoon that took its toll on man and beast

Our GSP Addie did very well, very happy with her.

My son Will's wife Kait and their son Willy came with. So, this was my grandsons first time out hunting

I used my 16b John Wilkes and Will his BSS 2oga

So.......how did you folks fair?

Best Regards

Greg

View attachment 8675

Greg
We had almost identical results as you did. Coveys held good, but saw a number of singles (adults) that flushed wild.

 

[gjw]

The other problem we had, is the places where we hunt still had a lot of standing flowers. You can bet your bottom dollar, that's where they were when it got hot, not to mention when the grass cover was soaking wet.

Guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Stay well

Greg

 

[Chessie 67]

Hey all, well our grouse opener was today

It wasn't the best for us. My two son's and myself only got three. The morning started out cool, low wind and very wet. We had fog that left a very wet prairie. We saw some in the short cover that flushed wild.

We had better luck as it dried out some. My son Will managed two and I got one. It got pretty hot by afternoon that took its toll on man and beast

Our GSP Addie did very well, very happy with her.

My son Will's wife Kait and their son Willy came with. So, this was my grandsons first time out hunting

I used my 16b John Wilkes and Will his BSS 2oga

So.......how did you folks fair?

Best Regards

Greg

View attachment 8675

What a great 3 generation photo! Good luck for the rest of the season!

 

[roadscholar]

Thanks for the report. We're heading that way in a few days. Instead of hunting the opener, we decided to move our trip back a week this year, hoping for cooler weather. Looks like that'll be the case, the forecast is showing lower temps after Wed/Thur.

 

[Foggy1956]

The other problem we had, is the places where we hunt still had a lot of standing flowers. You can bet your bottom dollar, that's where they were when it got hot, not to mention when the grass cover was soaking wet.

Guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Stay well

Greg

Flower harvest running late this year Greg?

 

[gjw]

Flower harvest running late this year Greg?

No, they won't harvest for at least a month, most of the times in Nov.

 

[gjw]

Hay all, was only able to hunt for a couple hours after Mass, got a big family dinner today.

Did manage a single, my son Will jumped a bunch but, didn't connect.

Got pretty hot, and Addie was showing it.

Used my 16b Charles Hellis today

Stay well my friends

Greg

 

[Foggy1956]

No, they won't harvest for at least a month, most of the times in Nov.

Ouch, glad they're not many up in our area.

 

[gjw]

Hey all, my son and I went out again today a different area. Saw a few birds, but not many. Did jump a couple groups, but only a couple singles.

The weather wasn't bad in the morning, but hot this afternoon.

I managed to get two, should have got one more, oh well! Will did get one

Addie did well, but she's a tired pup now!

I used my 16b Charles Boswell and Will his 16ga Sauer Royal

Stay well my friends

Greg

 

[NDPheasant]

It is good to be in the field again. The photos are from our first walk. Strange feeling to only be hunting with Willow who is 4 yrs old. Ellie 7yrs old is on the bench following an ACL repair. She will miss this hunting season.

We started by hunting a shelter belt next to an alfalfa field. I hung out about 25 yards from the tree row and let Willow work it. She quartered into the alfalfa field. She instinctively worked out into a low spot in the alfalfa about 150 yards from me and spun and locked up. I double timed as she held the birds. I worked past Willow and flushed a covey of partridge and shot twice missing my first shot and connecting on the second. I watched the covey of huns land a few hundred yards in the opposite direction and decided to work that on my return to the truck. We finished working into the wind and at the end of the alfalfa we worked a lone shrub where Willow locked again. I flushed a lone sharptail that I got with my first shot. I was surprised by the lone flush and let Willow explore a little more thinking others would be nearby. It was the only one so we turned and worked some grassland with more bushes and buckbrush that bordered the alfalfa. We flushed a few pheasants and took a water break at the truck (and a photo op). I then headed towards the covey of partridge that we flushed earlier. We got another flush and one more partridge. We went to one more spot and flushed pheasant after pheasant which makes me even more excited for October. That walk was enough for both Willow and I for the first outing.