Great read! This line was particularly enchanting: I quickly looked down at my clean clothes, and wondered if I'd just thrown my luck into the laundry bag.
I just got back from a 7 day grouse hunt in northern Ontario, which looked A LOT different than yours! I hunted over my 8 month old small munsterlander, Arrow, for the first time and it really took the pressure off of getting birds. I never knew hunting with my dog would be so joyful, whether or not we bagged a limit.
The horseman was probably just toying with you. Because the problem has always been that they CAN be everywhere. Which means you may have to look everywhere to find one.
I have a place in Wyoming where I have hunted sage grouse for about 20 years or so. I have flushed coveys of them 100 feet out of camp and have walked and driven all day without a flush.
The best part of grouse hunting to me is the uncertainty and the fact that you need to apply boot leather to up the odds of crossing paths with a bird. Sage grouse in particular are fun that way for me - walking through an endless sea of sage puts me up close and personal with the landscape. The sage looks lifeless until you start working it on foot. I am always amazed at what I come across on those trips.
EXACTLY! I've hunted all of these birds except the sage grouse before, but only once each, so one of the things I looked forward to on this trip was getting to know their habitat better to understand where they want to be. And sure as shit, you are right - it's NOT and endless sea of sage - there's a lot of variation out there.
What a great read! It makes my heart sing for you…the country, the company, the birds! You go girl & thank you for sharing your stories! Best of luck on the remaining bird seasons.
Great read! This line was particularly enchanting: I quickly looked down at my clean clothes, and wondered if I'd just thrown my luck into the laundry bag.
I just got back from a 7 day grouse hunt in northern Ontario, which looked A LOT different than yours! I hunted over my 8 month old small munsterlander, Arrow, for the first time and it really took the pressure off of getting birds. I never knew hunting with my dog would be so joyful, whether or not we bagged a limit.
I almost always feel the joy! If I go ages without seeing birds it can get grim, but there's almost always something to enjoy out there.
Must have been a blast hunting over your pup!
Never met a grouse hunter with shiny boots. ;)
The horseman was probably just toying with you. Because the problem has always been that they CAN be everywhere. Which means you may have to look everywhere to find one.
I have a place in Wyoming where I have hunted sage grouse for about 20 years or so. I have flushed coveys of them 100 feet out of camp and have walked and driven all day without a flush.
The best part of grouse hunting to me is the uncertainty and the fact that you need to apply boot leather to up the odds of crossing paths with a bird. Sage grouse in particular are fun that way for me - walking through an endless sea of sage puts me up close and personal with the landscape. The sage looks lifeless until you start working it on foot. I am always amazed at what I come across on those trips.
EXACTLY! I've hunted all of these birds except the sage grouse before, but only once each, so one of the things I looked forward to on this trip was getting to know their habitat better to understand where they want to be. And sure as shit, you are right - it's NOT and endless sea of sage - there's a lot of variation out there.
What a great read! It makes my heart sing for you…the country, the company, the birds! You go girl & thank you for sharing your stories! Best of luck on the remaining bird seasons.
Thank you! My next goal is a California grouse. In the Sierra, they are VERY wary. It will take skillz. Or really good luck.