September 1st approaches

Uplandhunter67

Uplandhunter67

Active member
September 1st is rapidly approaching. Are you ready?

For me September 1st will be West to the mountains to chase the elusive blue grouse. It has become a tradition. Work calendar gets penciled in as soon as it comes out.

It will be nice to walk the edges of the aspens and evergreens with the dogs working in front. The thrill of the flush and the excitement of pulling the trigger and calling the dog for a retrieve.

I think this year will be a good year. I have seen a large number of birds. I saw a juvenile rooster who looked to be 1st hatch and several broods which looked to be much later just last weekend. Actually have seen birds in places I haven't for many years. I am looking forward to 2017-2018.

Time again for pics of the big black dog... :cool:
 
Yup, getting close for sure!
I will be tuckering out my 4 year old yellow lab with some dove hunting on Friday the 1st.

I've only jumped Blue's while elk hunting 3rd season. Never during the summer, even while bushwhacking getting up to some secluded fishing. Maybe they are down lower eating grasshoppers?

Brute
 
For me this year September 1st means the beginning of the testing season. I have my dog registered for 2 tests in Cheyenne that weekend and then 2 tests down in Divide the following weekend.
 
Very proud of him. He is a 2X Grand Master Pointing Retriever. He has 4 more passes to complete his titles through the APLA. He is even better in the field. I love hunting with this dog!

Here is a shot of him and a buddy's dog locked up on a rooster that we thought had gotten away.

 
Nice photo... Expect to seem some more on this forum this year....

I love hunting with my dogs. Only real reason I go bird hunting. Even on their bad days, the days you try guessing what dog comes out of the box (either the super bird dog or the super bad dog) it is a good day. I wouldn't trade any of them. You really do get what you put into your dog.
 
Uplandhunter67 said:
September 1st is rapidly approaching. Are you ready?


I think this year will be a good year. I have seen a large number of birds. I saw a juvenile rooster who looked to be 1st hatch and several broods which looked to be much later just last weekend. Actually have seen birds in places I haven't for many years. I am looking forward to 2017-2018.
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I was hunting elk near one of our normal heavy bird producing spots last weekend and only saw one bomber male. They may be lower yet in that country (the elk are still very high).

To your point, though, I saw a brood on the road driving to another spot where the chicks were still VERY small. Same with fawns and calves this year - saw numerous fawns with spots still, as well as one still nursing. I think all the wildlife had a late drop this spring with the odd weather pattern.

I'll be packing 2 arrows in the quiver with bird points this weekend and hopefully toting the shotgun behind buddy's pups mid-afternoons when the elk are napping. My two old retired Britts will get the hearts when I get home :).

Good luck everyone!
 
Well folks it is nothing but a wake up and off to hit the mountains or the plains.

To all that go I wish you the best of luck. Shoot straight...

Lets see some photos!!!
 
cedahm said:
I should have listened to this part - flung a broadhead at one this morning and missed. Missing grouse with elk arrows is an expensive hobby :)
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Sorry you missed your shot. Better to miss a grouse than a bull.:)
 
September 1st was a great day. The weather was cool and the dogs were comfortable chasing the elusive dusky grouse. This year we took my neighbor who really would like to become a bird hunter. He has hunter pheasants but never grouse. Needless to say he was excited even though I told him it is more the miles you put under you feet than the birds you get shots at.
We got to the mountain unloaded and started our first walk. A few miles in my Springer got birdy. Worked the area but couldn’t locate the birds. We found out later a couple of guys drifted up that draw at daybreak and flushed two near there. We continued our walk and looped out about 6 miles or so without seeing a bird. We were headed back towards the truck when the first bird broke. My neighbor made a nice shot and the bird went down. My lab went over for the retrieve and brought back his first grouse. I went over and congratulated him. I looked at the bird and said it was a young bird and I don’t think it would be alone. I took the dogs back to the flush site and they immediately got birdy and started working the area hard. The both converged on a clump of brush and two birds jumped. Both birds went down. My neighbor was amazed that those birds sat so tight. They were mere feet from where we stood and talked about his first bird.
Unfortunately this was the only flush we’d see. We went another 7-8 miles under our feet without another flush. We were tired and the dogs were worn out so we headed home.
Glad my neighbor connected. Think he’s hooked now.

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Well hit the slopes for a second time on Monday. Figured giving the dogs a rest bit would be a good idea. We ran in to 8 birds in a 7 hour span. Should have bagged 5 but our shooting was not stellar. I missed some cake shots. The birds sat really tight including one that let my hunting partner walk by and flushed. The dogs did well even with the afternoon heat. Amazing how much water they can go through. Three dogs went though 1-1/2 gallons plus some misc drinking water I was carrying for myself(dogs first I can always wait)...
So the season has started well. I think it will be a great year. Sage grouse is next followed by KS prairie chickens then pheasants...:cool:

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How did everyone fair on the Doves? I have not seen very many around. Had a friend drive to Holly and then back towards Pueblo through great bird country and the Doves were non existent at best. Said there was a dozen on a fence at one point but counted a total of 3 doves flying across the road the whole way.
 
BleuBijou said:
How did everyone fair on the Doves? I have not seen very many around. Had a friend drive to Holly and then back towards Pueblo through great bird country and the Doves were non existent at best. Said there was a dozen on a fence at one point but counted a total of 3 doves flying across the road the whole way.
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I haven't seen many along the front range. On my trips to Kansas I only start seeing any real numbers when I hit the Cope area. They as thick as thieves in Western Kansas. I haven't seen numbers like that in years.
 
Worst dove opener for us in sixteen years!
I hunt up in the Keenesburg area and apparently there was a bad hail storm two weeks prior and cold overnight temps chased our fine feathered friends south. We had to wait for the fog to lift and saw roughly a dozen birds. Only harvested one bird after a few misses.

Good thing I brought the bumpers for the pooch to get some work done in the tall grass.
 
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