doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com New York Hunters, how was opening day

I sit here in Afghanistan and it is now 1 october here. First day of bird season in NY. How was it. What do the bird numbers look like for Grouse??

Too warm down in southern NY Brian, we're still chasing striped bass & bluefish!

Way too much rain during the summer months and the lack of an early frost made for very dense undercover and near total leaf retention in the Tug Hill area for the early season opener. Terrible scenting conditions as well, but moved a fair number of birds in the four days I hunted. Ahhhh, but never a bad day in the 'pat' woods. At least I got the old legs and my old lab limbered up a bit. "We'll be Back" with a new (for me) young lab pointing pup in a few weeks who has had roughly 200 pheasents and chuckers shot over him and hopefully will love the pursuit of ole ruff. Wish us luck!(with the dog) It doesn't matter much whether I kill birds anymore, just being out and seeing a happy dog at work will 'get-er done' these days. Take Care, be safe, and keep a low profile, we'll keep the light on for you.

Brian,
I don't have any grouse to show, so you're stuck with another foliage report and a dog story.

We didn't expect our old english cocker to be here this season, but chemotherapy and spirit are strong allies, and she got another day in the woods (a short one, but we were hunting!). The leaves are still up, and about 2 weeks from peak. We got three wild flushes, but no shots taken with the RBL.

Keep safe over there, Brian.

Morning Views
Looking east to the fog lined Hudson valley and the Berkshires beyond.


Southward to the closest Catskills


Southwest toward Roxbury


Going up


Dog and woods


Dog, afternoon