Fox Collectors

Here are a few photos from a trip to Maine earlier this week, which included a stop at Julia's auction preview on Sunday and two days of upland bird and duck hunting farther north. I couldn't get all my photos to load here, and the ones that did load are cut off a bit on the right side...my error I'm sure...but there's enough here to give you a taste of things in the vast wilderness of central/northern Maine. I'll try to post additional updates as the season unfolds.

Conditions were poor at best - extremely dry. Fall colors are well underway, but foliage is a week or more late in dropping, so these were the worst shooting conditions for grouse & woodcock I've experienced in many years. The marsh we hunted was loaded with woodies, mallards and teal, but with warm temps they are resident ducks and can be quite fickle. Several woodcock moved at dawn and dusk around this marsh, with one almost hitting me in the face.

When the full moon arrives resident woodcock will likely head south and flight birds should move down from northern Maine and Canada to replace them. We found one cover quite full of resident birds...mostly big hens...an excellent opportunity to get dogs tuned up for more action ahead. Several other good covers were just too dry to support any birds at all.

Several grouse were moved each day on this trip, but shooting conditions for them are near impossible. So far I'm not seeing the banner numbers of grouse some folks were predicting, but we'll learn the truth soon as the temps fall and leaves drop.

Best of luck to all of you in your outdoor experiences this fall. Please share what you can here on the forum. Phil

Nice timberdoodle.

The swamp near where I grew up was thick with them in the fall.

I can still see them dancing in their pirouettes spiraling up and them breaking away in my minds eye....

I never realized how good I had it back in the 70's.

Beautiful pictures, and thanks for sharing your experience with us. I have one mounted woodcock in my house, and several pictures of them hanging on the walls. I think they are one of the most beautiful games out there.

Phil,

Thanks for the report. Maybe a little disappointing for you but that's hunting. And you got out and "got the stink blowed off". That's a good thing.

The season is just getting started.

Jolly

........ nice pic of the timberdoodle. Yeah, the leaves here in Central New York at just starting to turn now...way behind. I was in Maine last week and the color was far ahead of us here. Yes, the season is young, but short.
tjw

Thanks Jolly, normally I don't hunt the first week of October. The primary reason for this trip was to visit Julia's to see and learn about the Fox guns on display during the preview period, and for a newcomer like me it was a true educational experience and well worth the trip.

My hunting camp is about an hour north of Julia's. I needed to go there anyway, and with hunting season open it would be a shame not to put a dog or two on the ground and try to stir something up. I'm not disappointed. I got that one done and it can't be taken away from me now!

Phil, thanks for the report and posting the pics. I'm looking forward to hitting the coverts and water as well. Leaves are just starting to turn here in northern PA. I just read a report from the PA Game Commission that grouse numbers are down and not to expect much this year. But my bird scouting is encouraging so time will tell. And I'm finding plenty of mushrooms while out in the woods.

Please let us know how your season progresses. Thanks again Phil for taking the time to post. frank

Beautiful pictures, Phil. Thanks! Well, tell us how many Foxes you bought during the auction and some pictures too. Jim

Thanks Jim. I didn't buy any Foxes this time. I stopped in for the preview on Sunday, but didn't participate in the auction. I'm tempted to buy many of the Foxes I'm seeing, but I'm going to keep doing my homework and try to hold out for one that's just right.

Maine is one of my favorite states. What an outdoor paradise!

Great stuff! Thanks! Is that an early Utica gun? Has the "Fox Sterlingworth" stamp with what sure looks like a Philly forend and lever.

Sorry I was up north again...good woodcock numbers, but only a few grouse...will try to post a few more photos soon.

Yes, that's an early Savage Sterly with Philly style safety button and lever. It happens to be 32in 12ga gun. Not a gun any of us would normally use for upland hunting, but I do like the way it shoots and wanted to try it out. I used a spreader load, and killed that woodcock high overhead and going away through a complete wall of yellow & orange leaves...lucky shot.