Steady Point is back!

When the economy tanked in 2008 and the last of my line died, I thought Steady Point Upland Guide Service was finished!

Well we are bringing the next generation of Steady Point's GSPs. Introducing Chesham's Jasper "Blitzen" aka Blitzkrieg. 

Hunting the fall of 2019!

WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED?

I have been hunting grouse for over 24 years. I have been pursuing this bird with the help of pointing dogs since 2000. I would tell you that over those many years, I have learned every lesson of  life, that is possible. Through my life, I have known love, hate, pain, disappointment, exhilaration, perseverance, loss, gain, pride and most important LIFE!

These things might seem mundane to those that live in the city, but for us that exist in the mountains, these things matter to us. These are the building blocks of life, that form everything, including success. So I suffer you to listen to my ranting for just a bit. I know that its not my most picturesque writing but you know, sometimes you just have to express and impress your feelings on folks! 

Why hunt grouse to learn anything, instead of killing grouse? Well I guess if you go through your hunting career feeling that way, if you think of hunting as a diversion or sport. But for me and many of my friends and clients, HUNTING is a way of life. It is our life! Work for me is a passion, as I would hope is for most, but hunting, especially hunting grouse is my obsession. Without it, I am not Russ!

So let me break it down for you, if you will allow me. Love? Love of my sport, love of a bird that I have pursued over decades. Love of the habitat that it calls home. The smells, the sounds, the distinction of the landscape. All these things that I can equate to life, unlike many that call the city home. Love, that assist me in dealing with the dailies of life, when I am not on the mountain. Love of my dogs! Love of my family, that I get to spend time afield with. The love of the smell of spent shells on a autumn day and the same but different smell amongst the hemlocks in the heart of winter. The  view I get of many places that exist that most don't even think or get the chance to see. One thing that comes to mind as I write this. Have you ever come across a bobcat, seen it run up thirty feet of fallen trees to cover that distance in a matter of 2 seconds? Well I have and I am a better man for it! I think I have so many things to say reference love of the wilds and the things that I have learned from it, I could fill a book ( Which I am sure some day I will). So lets move on!

Hate? Well I don't like using that term in both my Christian life and to include my Guiding and hunting life, but with all things come unpleasantries! What could you possibly hate in the grouse woods? I can tell you that I hate walking through my favorite covert and seeing the first signs of striped maple. I hate it because I know that that invasive species has nothing to give my covert, except some cover in the spring and late fall. I would much rather have those maples be replaced by cherries or beech. I hate coming across a pile of grouse feathers, that I know have been created by a coyote/wolf cross that now haunts my coverts. I know that the animals have to eat, but it pains me that the settlers of our area corrupted the woodlands and eliminated the natural predators that roamed our woods of Penn and that opened the flood gates! I hate clients that even though you put all you have into your hunts, people still want more! That's all I have to say about that!!!!!!

Strevig's Bar??? NOT!

You know that over the years, many places have come and gone for Steady Point. Coverts are constantly in a state of flux. Clients come and go! Friends for years, get distant or pass away. Businesses change hands or sometimes just fade away.

Now recently we had family and friends up to Hittle's Half-A-Hill camp for our annual deer hunt. Upon arriving at camp early on Sunday morning and unpacking, I was thrilled to know that soon my friends and brother would arrive at camp. When we scouted some spots and got ourselves settled into camp that night. We enjoyed a bite to eat at the camp. We all decided that we would hit a few of our normal watering holes just to enjoy the whole deer camp experience.

We first started at the Jamison City Hotel, right outside of Central, PA. After a beer, I soon learned that my friend Henry Schumacker had just left the restaurant. After a brief conversation with the owner of the bar, Jody, we decided that we would stop at another place that we always had a great time, Strevig's Restaurant and Bar. Now the Bar part is very important to this story.

We entered the bar, to the familiar sight of the fine oak bar, made from hardwood flooring, which always seemed really cool to me. We sat down, with visions of our past times at Strevig's, but it was not to happen. Halfway through my first beer, I was quickly told by the bartender "Keep it down!" "We have folks in the dinning room!"

Well, shocked that one, I was addressed in reference to the volume of my group, in which no profanity was used or unorthodox jokes, just friendly conversation! Two this is a bar, correct? It isn't Steady Point's fault that you have a small place. I just felt that the issue one could have been handled a bit better and in a more courteous manner. Now although, I have been know to have some fun, when I am with the Steady Point Bunch, I can assure all of those that follow my blog and have been clients, that when I enter an establishment that I frequent with Clients, I am on my best behaviour.

That being said, we were then snubbed by the tender. While my boys sat with empty beer mugs for over 5 minutes, I refused to have my people treated in this manner, with my reputation as a hunting guide and business operator, in the area that we operate our service. So that being said the rude tender got a pittance of a tip, when I usually tip well over 25 % for our drinks and meals. As we headed out, I felt it necessary to get a hold of a waitress that has waited on me in the past and share my disappointment with her. I pulled her aside in a professional manner and explained to her my issue. I mean this place is listed as a bar and during Deer Season, you mean to tell me , as a business owner, you are that well off that you can talk to customers in this manner? I was totally disappointed with her answer, as I came to find out that the tender was the owner's daughter. Well, guess what, Steady Point's business will be brought elsewhere from now on!

We then were so happy when we saw the soft red glow of the sign for the Rickett's Glen Hotel, right outside of Red Rock, PA. We were quickly greeted as if we were family. Treated with the utmost respect, so much so that the owner, Scott came out and greeted us and welcomed us to his establishment. The bar was packed with locals. We quickly made friends at the bar because all the guys from the Steady Point bunch are just like me, personable! I bought a round of drinks for the bar and we enjoyed our first night at deer camp, making new friends, business contacts and acquiring hunting land to hunt in the area that we operate in. That is what a business is about!!!!

We visited Rickett's Glen Hotel again later that week and once again, were greeted like family, only this time the folks knew who we were and that we were there to have fun and spend money! That night ended at early closing, but we were invited to stay later and enjoy the company of Scott, the owner, and Romain, the tender. What a bunch of great folks.

We didn't kill a buck in the camp, had some close calls, but hell its hunting. But the business contacts I made during my time there were priceless. One bit of advice, " When you operate a business, you need to pay attention to all your customers, not just the locals you know.  You never know if that person right there spends alot of money or has a business himself!!! It doesn't matter what a person looks like or if his face is familiar to you. Hope you learn your lesson, I know I did!!!

Steady Point Upland Guide

What it's ALL about!

Why do I run 2 and a half hours north. Why do I care for four dogs? Why would I walk right into a maze of Barberries and Green Briar? Why would I burn through a pair of upland boots a year? Why would I leave my family for days on end, after a long work week? Money? Hardly! This is why. A father and son, spending time, telling stories, walking the coverts of the outback and making memories that will last until they take their last breath.

SUNDAY AFTERNOON:
I left the homestead at about 4pm, burning fuel to get up to the "Hill". Dropped off my gear and headed up to Rickett's to meet with Mike and Gary Ewell, my clients for the next too days. Right from the first meeting, I knew that Mike, Gary and I would get along quite well.Talk about two guys that are cut from same cloth as me. Senses of humor and funny stories that never ended.

MONDAY MORNING:
The next morning, I chose to take Briar and Ticket to hunt the first of many coverts. I decided on a piece of cover that had produced for the Steady Point bunch many times over. I casted the dogs out and began to feel the pride of a dog handler. Through conversation with Gary, I came to find out that he was a guide for quail and pheasants in Delaware many years ago. This did add a bit of pressure, as I wanted the dogs to perform well for my clients.

First bit of game that was made was a woodcock busted by Briar. The presentation of the bird was a sight to behold. A beautiful flight path from left to right, just above the swamp oak and cherry stands. Two shots were fired by Gary's Red Label, but misses were all that registered.  We continued to pursue grouse and woodcock in the covert, but none were to be had. I quickly moved to the next location, which would be the "Slashings". Ticket made game straight off!

Ticket ground scented for a bit and a wild flushing grouse rocketed through the tangles. No shot was presented to Mike. Mike then saw how fast grouse really are! I took the guys down through a spring fed swamp, down in the hemlocks and swamp oak. Gary and Mike commented on the cover and how good it looked. They were right, the cover was exactly what the haunts of the ruffed grouse look like. Despite the dogs best efforts to locate and pin the birds down, the warmer weather was not working for us. The birds were running and busting wild. We had several trails, but the birds would escape undetected.

We worked back, against the wind. We even tempted fate and attempted to go thru a swamp that I hadn't traversed in about 3 years. After we entered, I remembered why! The swamp oak had grown in and amongst itself so much that, Gary spoke of it as cover he was used to hunting sika deer in Maryland. We finally made it through the cover and decided to push out to the old loggin road. You see although I enjoy hunting new terrain every once and a while, nothing beats pushing cover that you know every bend and fallen log. You see as we stubbled out on the road and I mean stubbled, a cock grouse busted and flew to the next swamp to the west. I promptly fell to my knees, partly from exhaustion and partly due to disappointment. If I had my hunter up by me, or had a gun myself, that bird would have or could have been brought to bag.

We quickly headed down the road to the Homestead for a bit of woodcock. Although none were seen, we did manage to bump out a lone hen pheasant from the homestead. Surviving the first day of pheasant season, this little nook must have been her only saving grace. She quickly ran and flushed to the adjacent swamp, where hunting pressure is usually nill.

From there I took Gary and Mike back to their cabin for a short lunch and the chance for me to switch out dogs. Ticket had earned his keep for some many years, I felt that he deserved the rest. Gunner on the other hand, hadn't made his first point and kill as of yet, so maybe today would be the day. I swapped dogs and Ticket made a bee line for my room. He quickly curled up on the dog bed and fell asleep before I kenneled Gunner. After some whining and moaning from the egar puppy, we were back off up the mountain.

When I picked up my hunters, Gary was a tad bit disappointed as I disturbed his afternoon nap. No time for that, we had birds to find and kill. I took the guys to a undisclosed piece of Game lands in 13, that has produced for me in the past. After some great work by the dogs and better work by the birds, we meandered back down the rutted up cindered road. The warmer temps were really screwing up my dog handling. I could see that Briar and Gunner, both, were making game, but the birds spend most of their days on their feet. Thus they run until they feel safe flying and they are off.

After that we made way for the dynamite shack. This spot has produced more birds for me then I care to think of. If you entered any of our local watering holes, were hunters are gathered and mentioned its name, you could expect one of two things. Absolute silence or some drunk spouting off about how the grouse love that place! You see it is a staple in the area we hunt. The birds always collect there, just to feed on the abundance of apples, tea berries and barberries. Even though the dogs and the hunters gave it a healthy go, it was not to happen on either side of the Dynamite Shack. As that result presented itself, I began to think that the flooding had really eliminated this spot for the first part of the season. A quick look at the banks of the often shallow Fishing Creek, an amature guide could see that the level of the creek had moved so high that log jams were seen 15 feet above the creek banks. Well time to move on.

We proceeded to make a run to Cherry Ridge in the hopes that the higher elevations would provide some action. Our first run was through a cherry stand with some sparse growth of beech, a favorite food of the ruff in these parts. The push its self was not fruitful. The ominous clouds made the late afternoon look as if it would soon be dark. Determined to get my guys some birds, I made another run up to Painter's den to see what I could. Stopping at Hogs Run, I could see that there were a bit more beech trees than anywhere else, so I strapped up the dogs and we began to walk. About 300 yards in, we moved into the mix of cherry and beech. The small saplings made great cover for all matter of wildlife. About 50 or so yards in, the first flush was heard, towards our 11 o'clock. Then another, but no shot was heard. I encouraged my hunters once again, that if they saw the bird, needed to shoot.

A few more steps, then another flush, then another. By this time, my hunters were seeing what this was all about. Flush after flush, shot after shot. Finally as walked up to the edge of a old overgrown logging road, I saw him. He was crouched under a cherry stand. Not having the wind and being in an area saturated with bird scent, the dogs were trying to make sense of the may lay and pin down a bird.

This bird was having non of that, I called "Bird" just as the grouse flushed. Gary unloaded two shots, then Mike. After a follow up on the bird, with no recovery we moved back to the road. 8 flushes in a beech stand was a great way to end the day.

TUESDAY MORNING:

I was greeted by more warm temps, in the morning. I packed up Briar and Gunner for the trek up Red Rock Mountain. I met Mike and Gary at their cabin for their last day of the hunt. Gary was so excited from the action the day before. I was just hoping that we could nail down the same birds for a repeat. It was not to happen. We must have put on 30 or 40 miles on my Dodge huntin rig and another 10 to 15 miles on our boots. We headed back to where the birds were the day before. To narrow down the possibilities, We ran both ends of the road. The dogs worked great, but the birds were running again, due to the heat. We left Hogs Run and headed toward Nordmont. We managed 1 wild flush back in the northern portion of 13. The cover looked so good I felt like I was getting birdy.

Lunch was had on the back of the Dodge where we laughed about our day, past hunts and family similarities. After lunch and hanging with the dogs, we headed out of Lopez to pursue the grouse we busted the day before in the "Slashings". It was not to happen. Either they were pushed in further or another hunter had hit it in the AM and busted them out. That's what happens in the outback.

We moved into 57 to the "Lakes". No sooner did we unload the truck, a grouse busted from the hemlocks and we were off. We ran that bird for a great distance, until Briar came to point under a pine, backed by Gunner. It was a sight to behold. Gary moved up for a shot, at a run. When both my hunters were in place, I commanded Briar to flush. She and Gunner moved in, but the bird had vacated the property prior to their arrival. I called "Running Bird", my hunters now accustomed to it, started off at a trot. Gary soon saw why we do that. Gary soon sees the running bird on a outcrop of rocks. We pursued it to no avail. A grouse can flush into a large Pine and sit all day. They usually just sit and watch you walk past.

We pushed till we hit the blue berry thicket and turned back. No more birds were to be had. As we walked back down the logging road, a point was made. Gary and Mike made ready for the shot. In a whirl of wings, the young grouse exploded from under a pine. Several shots were made. I was in location to judge the hit. Mike came down the hill with his first grouse! More so Mike killed the bird with his second shot from his Nova Pump. A feet for any grouse hunter that chooses to take a pump gun into the woods.

I got to watch the father and son embrace that I had been part of so many times as a youngster. Now it was Gary and Mike's turn. It was a good trip! Not because of the flush count or the birds brought to bag, but because of that moment. I will hunt with those boys from Va and Del any day and twice on Sunday!!!!

It is HERE!!!

Most of my friends and clients are chasing the white tailed deer. Although I have put my time on stand, saw a shooter or two, no shot has presented itself. This past week we headed up for a scouting trip. Finding new coverts because my old reliable spots were shut down by closed roads from flood damage. It gave me time and a reason to explore new coverts and press on for an expanse of grousy cover. The plus was during our trip we would be hunting with a young grouse hunter in the making. Young "Jake" was up for the challenge and learned how easy it was to get twisted up in the coverts of Upstate PA! Although I had my bearings, I made the fatal mistake of forgetting my compass back in Berks County. Atleast if I forgot my ammo or gun, I could go back for it! Thankfully, Mike, one of the select of the Steady Point Bunch brought his fancy cell phone that has a GPS capability with it. With its aid, although I was headed in the right direction to get out, it just added that bit of confidence that I needed. Note to self don't forget Compass again!

We moved birds! My young GSP "Gunner" was working fabulous. He would get into the grousy spots and I would see him scan the area and check blowdowns for birds, just like his mother and uncle do. On a side note, this is why we stick with the same line of GSP. For some reason, be it their line, tendencies to scent from long distances or the ability to switch from air to ground scent, they make game in short order. Although he worked really close, Gunner did a great job and I'm sure My clients will be pleased to see him work as we move from covert to covert.

We trailed numerous birds, myself purposely breaking the dogs off the scent, as to move to other locations. My friends not knowing this were some what disappointed, but really this is about my business. If the dog makes game straight off, then good for us. But if the dogs push the birds, it will make them that much harder to get come hunting time. Sorry Mike and Jake. No doubt we could have killed some of those birds, but warm temps, wild flushes and floods are out of my control.

It is amazing how a burst of rain can change the landscape! I think we passed 5 or 6 brooks that must have moved so much water that the road was washed out. God is great, not some times but all the time! I pray that His deluge put in place some seed or grouse in other spots so they will be productive for me and the boys in coming years.

You see my kids are my greatest push. They motivate me to keep on going with our service. Although folks portray guides as top dogs and money makers, they are far off mark. I "pay" a ton of money to guide hunters. What little I make goes into the dogs and their care. I think by the end of the day, for a two client hunt I make less than 10 dollars an hour! Money what! Plus on most hunts, I take vacation time to do it.

Either way, I have my game plan for this week and my hunters, who will be staying in the comfortable cabins at Ricketts Glen. Before first light we will be on our way to 66 for some pheasants, grouse and maybe just maybe some woodcock if the temps stay down. Get those dogs birdy first off and it will be a good day. Looks like after lunch we will hit the northern most portion of 13. We will see. For all the followers of Steady Point Huntin, I wish you "Good Day"

What to do in this HEAT!

Was sitting here at the Steady Point Homestead, under the weather, wishing for a cool spring day, instead of down right summer temps. I wish for a 50 degree morning, out on that Wyoming County Back road, collaring up the Steady Point dogs and hitting that logging road that I found last year. Lots of birds back there. A chance to put the two young dogs on gobs of grouse to fire them up! The chance to see them work in the cherry stands. The sound of their very distinct bells ringing and then the silence. "A Point" As I walk closer to get to them, I hear the rush of wings and the bells start to go. Briar gives me her familiar bark to move up to where she is, as the feathery thing has left and it went this way.

I know lots of folks think I'm nuts cause I think I know what my dogs are thinking and they know what I'm thinking. Well being a man, it doesn't take much. I'm thinking about killing a grouse. Multiple if I can. Woodcock too! I know there were a few thinking I was thinking of the female of the our species! There will be enough time for that, when I return home to the Steady Point Homestead, after the dogs are taken care of and the truck is unloaded.

Oh I wish for cooler days. I think of times when my wife will join me once again in the coverts. Seeing her holding my grandfather's 20 gauge SxS, slowly moving up on a brace of dogs on point near a barberry bush. The Point, the flush, then the shot! In a puff of feathers, a bird is down. Oh how I wish for cooler days.

NEW SPRING TURKEY/ BROOK TROUT COMBO!

Steady Point Upland Guide Service is a full service guide service, for the hunter who wishes to challenge the Prince of the Uplands, the Ruffed Grouse, on his turf like a gentleman.

New for 2011 we will be offering Spring Turkey Hunts in the same woodlands that we pursue all matter of upland game. We also offer a half day hunt and half day guided trout trip in the OUTBACK.

When guiding fisherman in the Outback, we will transport you miles back in state lands to streams that are seemingly untouched by fisherman, Except me! You will have the chance to stretch you line against some of Pa's Native Brook Trout. Be your tackle fly rod or light spinning, you'll have a BLAST!

If you never hunted the Eastern Wild Turkey, this is a great beginner Hunt as we can even provide you with a "No Frills" Turkey gun that many a bird has fallen to!!!! If you have developed a knack for calling, you are more than welcome to bring your calls, as we can set up, to imitate an entire flock. This technique has worked for me in the past and I'm sure it will continue to bring birds to bag.

We give you 110 % on every hunt and to finally put your hands on a true Mountain Trophy is tough to earn but well worth the hard work. Give us a call!

Steady Point Upland Guide Service