September Scouting

Pup and I walked a familliar cover this morning, feels good to be back in the brush after an unusally warm summer here. The soft maples are turning red, Chestnuts are dropping leaves and apples are on the ground. Gravity always prevails.


Looks like the fruit bearing trees and shrubs profited from the high humidity this year.


Tons of Honeysuckle

The edges have filled out nice as well

Apple Bottom. One of our favorites.

Trailhead marker
Someone's feeble attempt to spook me out of the cover,it almost worked.


Cedar had several grouse finds this morning and a pair of nice points. Steady to flush? Not even close, but boy it sure is a pretty three seconds. Guess I'm going to have to walk fast this season. Seven young birds got up out of here like bottle rockets, blew his little mind to pieces and scared me half to death.
He did manage to relocate one of them, had to use the zoom on this one.

Heading home.

Tired Setter.

Adirondacks

Always look forward to getting up to the 'Dacks a couple of times each year. It was great to have the pup along, he had a blast...think he actually summited twice. Was in my teens the last time I did this climb, I swear the mountain has become steeper over the last dozen years. Good times indeed.




A little drowsy on top.

Holding down the fort.

Sleeping in the dirt.

Maine - "The way life should be"

Ran up to Maine a few weeks back to visit some old friends. We stuffed ourselves with lobster and other assorted shellfish. Spent a day on the coast throwing sand eel patterns for Stripers and then pushed North for a bit of Trout fishing. We were able to capture some nice imagery...A spectacular place indeed. Nice editing and great tune J-bone...see you in the fall!

Partners in Crime

Seeing that the weather was mild today we decided to take the boys out for a romp. We took care to avoid the birdy tangles and stuck to the hardwoods to give the broods some breathing room. Caddis is my good friend Nate's Golden. At 15 months he is showing great potential from the duck blind and displayed quite a propensity for scaring up grouse last season!

Upper Delaware River

I surmise you have to do something in the off season other than field work with setters. Like so many others, I choose to fly fish. It seems as if fly fishing, double guns and upland hunting are synonymous within the tangled web we weave.

Summer stroll

It is hard to believe the little guy is 12 months old and his first grouse season opens in 65 days. Can't wait.




Snapped a few photos this morning.

NYS Cooperator Ruffed Grouse Hunting Log

A great resource full of invaluable data compiled by New York State grouse hunters over the past five seasons. The new report for the 2009-10 season should be available by late summer.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/9351.html