Under 60 days

B

bones

New member
Under 60 days until we can shoot birds. Doves, then blues, and then the big day in November. Chomping at the bit already; my first season with my own dog!!! She'll be in training until the Pheseant opener but I'll have her back for that. Will hunt my buddies weimi until then. Hope this is at least half as good as last year. Hope I can find some doves this year. Also really hope to meet some more folks from the board this year as well. Really like to say thanks in person and share some places I have found to everyone who has helped me out so much.


Have a Good 'Urn,
bones
 
Cleaned the shotguns twice, gone through shells three times, visited just about every bird dog site there is and thats just today. I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas.
 
60 days, that is like waiting for a kid to be born
Click to expand...

True, but even figuring vehicles, guns, dogs, ammo, and everything else hunting is still less expensive than having kids in the long run, lol. Training dogs is easier, too . . .
 
September 1st falls on a Saturday this year. Sure it is going to be a busy one. I'm sure the lack of Winter has boosted the grouse population. I'm going to chase Sage grouse this year along with Sharpies....

Bones,
Congrats on the new dog..... The dog will make a tremendous difference in your pursuit of grouse.... I want to see some pictures this year.

Can't wait until September 1st ..... Hurrah!!!!!
 
Yep looking forward to working the dogs this year. Shoulda worked my buddies weimi earlier but was a little worried if she would pay attention to me. Had her the second half of pheseant season while he was down and out from surgery and she did better for me :rolleyes:. My pup will come back from training the beginning of November. She's pointing great in the yard even when she can't see 'em can't wait to see what she''ll be able to do after she has some hunting basics and is gun broke. I'll have both dogs with me some that will be a real blast.

With the lack of winter I'm sure populations are up for grouse as long as we can get some rain in for the birds and to grow the berries and such they feed on.

I got to show you where I found the grouse, 67. Pretty close to both of us and had enough birds they were out strutting on the roads.

Already seeing wild sunflowers up here hope it is the same further east.
 
It was pretty green and wet on top of Guenella Pass Wednesday.... Even saw a young moose at the summit wallowing in the lake. I think it will be good year for the grouse population. The prior years snow really did a number on the ptarmie population. Still might spend a day or two trying to find a few.

Tough running somebody elses dog. My lab has been around my hunting partner since he was a puppy. Ty won't really hunt for anybody except me. He'll range out in front of other people but if a bird gets knocked down he brings it to me. It'll be a great feeling the first time she points and then retrieves a downed bird. Nice thing about grouse is if it has feathers it is legit. Ty still looks at me funny when I don't shoot when a hen flies up.

Good job finding grouse close to home.... You'll have to pm me when it gets close to season and we can meet up and walk the guns. Are you chasing dove opening weekend or gouse?
 
Doves on the 1st if grouse comes in a week or two later like it did last year. If it comes in on the opener I'll seek the less pressure and cooler mountains for a more substantial bird.
 
Blue / Dusky grouse starts on the 1st. They switched it over a couple of years ago. Sage grouse opens a couple of weekends after. Kind of nice that way because it really breaks up the crowds.
I have pretty much given up on dove. Really don't want to risk the chance of getting the dog snake bit. Had a bull snake hit me last year when I was stalking turkeys at Bonney. Scared the hell out me.... Ran into a big rattler in the road earlier that day so that didn't help the issue.
A guy that I would hunt with once and a while had his GSP tagged in the face and of all places right here in the Southend of town. Cost him a boatload of money and since then she doesn't quite hunt right.
Really think my first priority is to my most important hunting partner and not to endanger him.
 
Could have sworn the season started on the 10th last year for blues. Oh well I missed out if the 1st is the case. May do doves on the opener if my place in Flagler works out. Theres a lot of fast gunning around there mourning doves and TONS of eurasians. Grouse have a greater pull though.

It maybe without the dog now; if I head that way. Had no idea there were that many snakes here in Colorado. Thought I left most of the buzz worms in Texas and Kentucky. Guess I have been fortunate not to have run into them. Have seen plenty of big bull snakes out on the prairie though and few garters up in the high country.
 
I love shooting dove but would much rather chase grouse. It is my primer for pheasants. Plus grouse taste alot better. Really enjoy the walking, the scenery, and time with the dog.

They are around. Some places more than others. Saw one swimming in the Arkansas just below Salida. In the many years I have been fishing that stretch I have never even glimpsed a dead one. My wife did take to kindly to seeing it either as I continued to fish near by. Told her not to worry if it came my way I'd stop fishing and move aside. She wasn't very amused... LOL......
Don't want to seem like chicken little but always keep your eyes peeled when you're on the prairie.
 
Looking forward to grouse season as well. My big motivation is that they are up in the mountains, with cooler weather and no snakes! Not a fan of snakes ... I grew up in southern Alabama ... rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins ... not to mention all of the other non poisonous snakes that would scare the life out of you. :eek:

I took the boys up for a romp in the woods last weekend near Leadville to get a break from the heat. Blitz, the puppy, was such a pest in the morning, that he had to do something other than run for 20 min in the heat, rest and resume his life of "crime" in the cool basement. :laugh:
 
Not sure what I'll do. Pretty confused but heck another 50 something days to go to figure it out in. Maybe a mess of us could get together and chase some grouse down. I'll have some time then as I start clearing out of the Army in August.
 
Love the criminal comment..... They are such incorrigible criminals when they are pups.... When Ty was a pup he pulled a potted plant off a stand in the kitchen. After pitching him out the sliding door I swept up the remains of the plant. I turned my back and grabbed the dust pan only to turn around and catch him peeing on the pile of swept dirt.......
Bones,
Finally retiring from the Army? My hunting partner and I are ging to do an overnighter to chase some Sage bombers by Steamboat.... depending on the bird count might turn into a three dayer. Friday afternoon jump off and come back sometime Monday.
Can chase Blues at that same time.... We're going to camp and do it in style... I want to hunt Sage grouse before are favorite people put them on the endangered list. Maybe we could link up for that one...... Not quite like a good old fashioned pheasant hunt. Lots of walking but when you get into a covey it makes it all worth while....
 
Welcome aboard... I will touch base with you about details mid August then.... Good to have the weimie along but I hope you don't mind too much when my lab crashes the party.... He does point once and awhile but otherwise he is a bull in a china shop when it comes down to chasing birds.... He gets after them and puts them to flight....
 
Why not get into the sharpies if you are gonna be up that way???? Tripple header!!!!:cheers:
 
Already gave it some thought on how to make it a triple play.. Sharpies would be nice to cross off my bucket list.
 
I too would be interested in teaming up for some grouse.

I took a trip to Gunnison with a few friends and my dog last fall. I could not believe the numbers we ran into. We strictly walked, no road hunting, as we were elk scouting/conditioning as much as we were hunting. Each day we had our limit for four guys by noon! We honestly did not expect to do near this well. That tip made up for all the long miles I have walked on other trips without so much as a flush.

I am more than happy to head west September 1st when it seems everyone else is headed east!
 
I have found after living here (to include all my active duty time, now retired from active duty and I am a slimy contractor, but making good money, so I am thankful and blessed :10sign::thumbsup::p

Dove hunting compared to where I grew up hunting doves, Texas, is a bit challenging. For one the doves are smaller, in Texas they are as big as pigeons. Second, there are TONS AND I MEAN TONS :eek::eek: of other hunters out if you are hunting a public SWA.

I have never grouse hunted here. I did plenty of spruce grouse and ruffed while stationed up in Alaska at Elmendorf. I may give it a try this year. Convince my son to go with....

Also, guys do not seem to have much respect for other hunters while dove hunting. I would love to find a place (used to have one, but it isn't anygood anymore due to the state lost the land or something like that) that I can go, maybe a few other folks, but not like Guns at Navaron.

I plan on taking out my 13yr old son dove hunting (he couldn't go last year, broke his left wrist and dislocated right elbow riding BMX) for the first time. Also going to take him out on youth waterfowl day.

Both he and drew Bull Elk tags for 511, so we will be doing that and of course shooting some cockbirds....

Good luck and yes, I am getting antsy also.

Greg
 
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