Well I made the trip back up to "The Hill" for a guided hunt for three clients. The beginning of this hunt was made possible for two lucky hunters that bid on our auctioned hunt for "Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation". Although I won't make any money on this hunt, it made us feel good that we could provide some funds for the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation. In total Steady Point raised 830.00 for the Hunt of a Lifetime Foundation. I was contacted earlier by the winner of the hunt and questioned as to adding a hunter to the package. After the price was settled and the scouting completed, it was time to prep at the cabin.
My clients arrived at about 700 AM and they were treated to a large breakfast at "The Hill". Paperwork was filled out and it was off to the first covert. Upon arrival the pups were tearing the dog box apart. The crisp air was a welcome relief from the warmer air of the early season. After strapping the pups up, safety brief and talking over the game plan, the hunt began.
The first grouse flushed from the pines and leisurely crossed over where I had put Brad. Brad fired and missed. I completed the push with the pups and turned to the north. My hunters repositioned themselves and we pushed to the north. Briar was the first to go on point then a bird erupted from the hemlocks. Stan shot and missed. Then a second bird busted as Ticket rounded a hemlock blow down. I watched in anticipation as I saw the cock grouse burning toward myself and my awaiting hunter, Dan. I ducked down with Briar and called for Dan to shoot! He did and a miss was registered. Knowing that more birds lay in front of us, we pushed on. Seconds later a bird busted from yet another Hemlock, where Stan promptly missed. Knowing that grouse are very tough animals, I asked my hunters to mark the last place they saw their birds go down and we returned in an attempt to recover a wounded grouse.
The dogs were brought to the area the birds were seen going down and commanded to hunt for a down bird. Nothing was recovered. We then pushed on with no re flushed. Thinking the grouse had gone to the trees, I returned to do a push back to the truck. I positioned the hunters for an easy open shot. As we began, a bird busted close to the barberries and no shot was presented. We gathered at the truck for a bit and then off to the next covert.
We hit another spot but no birds were found. I was still in a state of bliss, knowing that the Steady Point Pointers put up four grouse in 30 mins. Not bad. But my shooters were unaccustomed to hunting grouse, so we had to push on. We pushed through the next covert and the birds were running well ahead of the dogs. They had the advantage, as the barberries were in most parts 6 to 7 feet high. Even the dogs couldn't keep up to the fleet footed birds as they ran and busted 60 to 70 yards in front of the hunters. We signaled defeat here, but there was another part of this covert to push. We crossed a game land road and pushed the opposite direction. The dogs did have a quartering wind so I felt comfortable they would scent the birds before they busted. No birds were marked.
As we walked back to the trucks, I conversed with my hunters about the years I've hunted this covert. "I then remembered a hunt with my dear cousin John, my close friends Jesse and Joe. As we walked down the road, I explained that we did exactly what we had just done, with no flushes and then Ticket went on point." Just as those words exited my mouth, I watched Briar lock up, backed by Ticket. I yelled at my hunters to make ready. I moved in and a fine hen grouse busted from the barberries. Brad shouldered his scatter gun and made a fine killing shot on the bird. The bird was promptly fetched by Briar.
We headed to the top of the mountain for the next covet. We made our way down to the swamp that was a secret hide away for the "Kevlar wearing pheasant". We moved about a hundred yards when Ticket went on point just behind Brad. I slowly moved in looking for a bird, but I could see nothing. Then it happened. A fat cock pheasant busted from the blow down. Brad shot and missed, but was back by Dan, who winged the bird. Ticket made quick work of the bird and Dan was presented his prize with a hand shake!
We were not done, there was much work to do. I casted Ticket and Briar into a covert that screamed a grouse and bunny hide out. Soon Briar put her nose down, ground scenting and sounding. I yelled at my hunters that the dog was on a bunny.Then Ticket joined in on the fun. The bunny made a few short hops from its blow down. Then Ticket cornered it in another blow down. He went on point, with tail waggin'. The bunny soon busted and went past my hunter. Brad didn't shoot, so we left the bunny go. No need in running the dogs ragged if the hunters weren't shootin' We pushed on with no results.
We ended the day with a few cold ones and thanks for all the good memories.
Steady Point Upland Guide Service
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