First grouse hunt of the season
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:48 am
Here’s a short photo essay of the first bird hunt yesterday at a familiar area out in the nearby mountains. It was 37-degrees when I topped the rise and met up with a friend at the cabin. Our PA Game Commission Biologist Lisa William had forecast a “modest grouse season” (Thanks again Terc for the info) and this first outing is pointing that way. 
Ms. Williams reports that total grouse sightings were down 26% in June as compared with the long term average, and down 68% in July. Also that July sightings of both broods and total grouse were the lowest recorded in 36 years. But at this point I’ve still got my fingers crossed because I heard quite a few drummers while at the cabin this spring. 
And it was really windy yesterday, usually not the best for spooky grouse. We just couldn’t find any real food sources, the birds are probably scattered. Had only one random flush that wasn’t a good shot so the guns didn’t need cleaning at day’s end. Also saw one nice buck. No turkey sightings yesterday but we weren't really hunting for them. Today is the turkey opener in this area; the mountain cabins were starting to fill up as we left at the end of the day.
Sometimes when it rains it pours, literally. Very heavy rains last week washed out a bridge to three good coverts. Rats! It's about a 30 mile ride to come in from the other end.
First off we hunted the “Bubble Up” named for a mountain spring that’s been the source of mix water for spirits while at the cabin for almost 40 years now. Rainwater is still draining and has overflowed the spring run in this pic.
Our Game Commission puts out pheasants for a short youth hunt at a nearby reverting strip mine area, and afterwards guys will work the fields incessantly for the survivors. Kind of like a free preserve deal. Yesterday there were 6 vehicles with dog boxes and some of the birds got pushed into the woods. Actually there were three hens here on the road but by the time I got the camera out of my game pouch, the last one was ready to book it into the laurels. Mostly “tame” birds this soon after release, we let 'em go.
Getting into one of my favorite coverts I call “Red Dog” because of the red ash from mining over 100 years ago. No birds yesterday.
Strange that leaves are mostly off in many areas but just a short distance away they’re still green as on these beeches.
Lefever A-Grade Skeet gun and a Fox Sterly. Both are good honest 20 bores and loaded with regular hunting loads. Just an aside, I've given up on factory so-called low pressure loads that while pleasant shooting on the clays course, are often low velocity and lack game killing penetration at moderate to longish ranges. I'm not trying to get anyone upset but I've just seen too many shallow wounds on "The King".
Ms. Williams reports that total grouse sightings were down 26% in June as compared with the long term average, and down 68% in July. Also that July sightings of both broods and total grouse were the lowest recorded in 36 years. But at this point I’ve still got my fingers crossed because I heard quite a few drummers while at the cabin this spring. And it was really windy yesterday, usually not the best for spooky grouse. We just couldn’t find any real food sources, the birds are probably scattered. Had only one random flush that wasn’t a good shot so the guns didn’t need cleaning at day’s end. Also saw one nice buck. No turkey sightings yesterday but we weren't really hunting for them. Today is the turkey opener in this area; the mountain cabins were starting to fill up as we left at the end of the day. Sometimes when it rains it pours, literally. Very heavy rains last week washed out a bridge to three good coverts. Rats! It's about a 30 mile ride to come in from the other end.
First off we hunted the “Bubble Up” named for a mountain spring that’s been the source of mix water for spirits while at the cabin for almost 40 years now. Rainwater is still draining and has overflowed the spring run in this pic.
Our Game Commission puts out pheasants for a short youth hunt at a nearby reverting strip mine area, and afterwards guys will work the fields incessantly for the survivors. Kind of like a free preserve deal. Yesterday there were 6 vehicles with dog boxes and some of the birds got pushed into the woods. Actually there were three hens here on the road but by the time I got the camera out of my game pouch, the last one was ready to book it into the laurels. Mostly “tame” birds this soon after release, we let 'em go.
Getting into one of my favorite coverts I call “Red Dog” because of the red ash from mining over 100 years ago. No birds yesterday.
Strange that leaves are mostly off in many areas but just a short distance away they’re still green as on these beeches.
Lefever A-Grade Skeet gun and a Fox Sterly. Both are good honest 20 bores and loaded with regular hunting loads. Just an aside, I've given up on factory so-called low pressure loads that while pleasant shooting on the clays course, are often low velocity and lack game killing penetration at moderate to longish ranges. I'm not trying to get anyone upset but I've just seen too many shallow wounds on "The King".
