Post by HighCotton on Oct 2, 2010 8:53:28 GMT -5
I just got back from a week in the north woods of Michigan. I never dreamed a hunt could be so meaningful. My Dad, my Uncle (his brother) and I spent 3 days hunting woodcock and grouse in the forests and brushlands north and east of Petoskey. My uncle and I have hunted a lot through the years as he has raised and trained bird dogs for 35-40 years. However, I have never hunted with my Dad - just not really his thing.
Until this last week...and what a blast we all had! I'll never forget the look on his face as my Uncle released a dog and it took off into the thick underbrush. He was like - we're goin' where? He just couldn't fathom that it would be humanly possible to walk through this jungle. And at the end of the first day (after 5, 6, 7 miles - who knows?) we couldn't stop talking about how thick the woods were. I learned so much on this trip:
1. This kind of hunting is about fellowship and making memories.
2. Dog work is more important than harvesting birds.
3. The best dogs are mature dogs that work close and don't get in a hurry (including the ones carrying a gun).
4. I'm not sure that 100 years of shooting clays would prepare me for this kind of hunting the woodlands.
5. Most grouse don't hold long and are simply a "sound" and then a "blur" but you point and shoot anyway because you never know if you'll get lucky.
6. Porcupines are a real pain as Duke, my Wirehaired (WHP) found out.
7. At the end of the day, the hunt is even more about the fellowship and memories (even at 70+ yrs. old)...and oh yeah, a GPS is your best friend.
Over 3 days, the dogs pointed and/or flushed 14 grouse, 12 woodcock and 1 porcupine. We only bagged 2 woodcock and 1 porcupine...but that's not what the hunt was about.
My first woodcock taken with 28 ga. SxS
My Dad (right) and Uncle with Ike (WHP) and a woodcock
Duke (my WHP) with another Timberdoodle retrieved
Ouch...one less porcupine but not before inflicting some pain on Duke
Until this last week...and what a blast we all had! I'll never forget the look on his face as my Uncle released a dog and it took off into the thick underbrush. He was like - we're goin' where? He just couldn't fathom that it would be humanly possible to walk through this jungle. And at the end of the first day (after 5, 6, 7 miles - who knows?) we couldn't stop talking about how thick the woods were. I learned so much on this trip:
1. This kind of hunting is about fellowship and making memories.
2. Dog work is more important than harvesting birds.
3. The best dogs are mature dogs that work close and don't get in a hurry (including the ones carrying a gun).
4. I'm not sure that 100 years of shooting clays would prepare me for this kind of hunting the woodlands.
5. Most grouse don't hold long and are simply a "sound" and then a "blur" but you point and shoot anyway because you never know if you'll get lucky.
6. Porcupines are a real pain as Duke, my Wirehaired (WHP) found out.
7. At the end of the day, the hunt is even more about the fellowship and memories (even at 70+ yrs. old)...and oh yeah, a GPS is your best friend.
Over 3 days, the dogs pointed and/or flushed 14 grouse, 12 woodcock and 1 porcupine. We only bagged 2 woodcock and 1 porcupine...but that's not what the hunt was about.
My first woodcock taken with 28 ga. SxS
My Dad (right) and Uncle with Ike (WHP) and a woodcock
Duke (my WHP) with another Timberdoodle retrieved
Ouch...one less porcupine but not before inflicting some pain on Duke
