Sooo... I'm headed to Maine tomorrow morning to go bird hunting with my buddy Jon, and Rowdy. I'll be gone for a week. I'm not sure what kind of cell service I'll have. I'll try to keep things running, checking in as often as possible, but if it make the beast with two backss up and I don't have service... you're on your own.
We'll survive. Enjoy your trip.
Cool - what kind are you looking for?
Quote from: stopintime on September 25, 2025, 03:07:32 PMCool - what kind are you looking for?
We're looking for Ruffed Grouse, and maybe some American Woodcock, but the trip is for Grouse.
Jon and I are just along for the ride. It's all about the dog, and he's a maniac when it comes to hunting, He hunts everything...bees, bugs, mice...but when he's in the field for birds, it's special.
He's a pointer, and he points everything he hunts, but his point is different when he's hunting birds. It's hard to explain.
I've seen the dogs do that. The quite popular grouse hunting dog here, is the English/Irish setter. Here, grouse is usually (always?) hunted in the mountains - around the elevation where trees stop growing. One of my favorite foods, if not THE favorite. Lower down they hunt larger birds - orrbird (correct?) forrest pigeon and such.
Enjoy!
Quote from: stopintime on September 26, 2025, 02:19:32 AMI've seen the dogs do that. The quite popular grouse hunting dog here, is the English/Irish setter. Here, grouse is usually (always?) hunted in the mountains - around the elevation where trees stop growing. One of my favorite foods, if not THE favorite. Lower down they hunt larger birds - orrbird (correct?) forrest pigeon and such.
Enjoy!
Rowdy is an English Setter. Ruffed Grouse live in successional forests. Thick brush that is difficult to move through. The area is mostly timber company land that's already been logged. They've moved on so it's great bird habitat.
Thanks! It's going to be a great time.
Back again?
Got any? Nice time?
Quote from: stopintime on October 05, 2025, 11:38:55 AMBack again?
Got any? Nice time?
Yup...back again. It wasn't a productive trip wrt to harvest, but it was great wrt the development of the dog.
I got into trouble with the heat...almost died...seriously.
"Heat"? Sounds scary either way.
Quote from: stopintime on October 05, 2025, 11:20:45 PM"Heat"? Sounds scary either way.
The temp on Monday was well over 80 degrees. I was wearing my normal hunting gear which keeps me warm down to 40 or below when we're moving. We decided to hunt a spruce planting that looked pretty clean wrt slash. It was clean close to the road, but as we got deeper into it it was apparent this ground was nasty.
Long story short, My buddy and I got separated, and I got disoriented and was moving parallel to the road, as opposed to moving towards it. I suffered from heat stroke and couldn't walk, or even stand. My dog stayed by my side, and for whatever reason my buddy found me and got me out of that hellhole.
It wouldn't have been the worst way to go, but I'm glad I didn't.
Conversely, when we woke up Thursday morning there was a layer of ice in our dishpan.
I'm glad you made it. Dehydrated too maybe?
Would you have behaved differently, dress/breaks/drink/manouvering if you were alone?
Quote from: stopintime on October 07, 2025, 11:16:40 AMI'm glad you made it. Dehydrated too maybe?
Would you have behaved differently, dress/breaks/drink/manouvering if you were alone?
Definitely dehydrated.
I can't honestly say. I've always worn the same gear because it protects you from the brush. I took breaks every 4 or 5 steps once I got into the thick stuff. I gave the dog all the water. He moves 6 times as far as me.
I've never hunted alone, and never will.
It was definitely a life lesson. Odd how, at my advanced age, I am still learning.
All in a lifetime.
Just getting caught up here. Damn, man. I'm glad this worked out and you're buddy was there to help.
I've found that as I've gotten older I'm MUCH more sensitive to dehydration and getting over heated.
For me, I start making bad decisions. That scenario almost lead me to get killed by a car while riding a motorcycle. I made a turn and shouldn't have. I thought I had the green turn arrow.
Hard to say but I'm still here. Glad you are too.