doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com On a brighter note....120 days to Grousmas!

I can barely watch the news anymore. I get all worked up over crap that I can do very little about, so I've about quit. I vote my conscience, argue a conservative point-of-view as kindly and cogently as I can to all who will listen, and live my life in accordance with my values. I am extremely grateful for the blessings this country has bestowed upon me and my family, and I pray for guidance (divine and otherwise) for myself and my fellow countrymen. In the time I've got left to enjoy this wondrous existence, I'm going to focus on the good stuff. Grouse is good stuff.



Trout is good stuff too....

I agree with much of your sentiment, Lloyd and I love grouse hunting too. My hunting buddy and I are going to cook up some ruffies on Memorial Day. Yum.

I'm headed to Pennsylvania with my family for a funeral over Memorial Day (funerals tend to give one a certain perspective on things!), but I'd much rather be eating some grouse and planning for something wonderful.



But...I will be fishing in some of my boyhood haunts while I'm back there, so it won't be all bad.

I have been thinking about going to look(buy) a new Lab puppy. Given 15 months he might have me fully trained up by hunting season next year. Life is short and few things make hunting better than taking a kid or young dog with you so you can watch them learn what you were taught many seasons ago.

Lloyd,
Your post is a truly refreshing, thank you for it. I believe as you do, and I'm getting tired of all the news lately. Yes Grousemas is just around the corner, and I'm looking forward to it. New Year's day is the last day of our season, and I'm going to make the most of it. No one really ever knows their expiration date!
Karl

I have an older Browning hat just like yours, Karl (can't remember when I got it but it was awhile ago). Grouse hunting is a bit rough for me at the end of the season. I've done it before, but yikes, is it ever cold. I'm more of a fair weather grouse hunter now....Sept, October and MAYBE early November. After that, I'm off to west Texas for the bobwhite quail. We have a few Blues too but mostly Bobs. West Texas is a very, very pleasant place to spend the winter, Dec-Feb. if it gets cold, it's only for a day or two then right back to pleasant weather. I hope you guys have a good season! I know you are all chomping at the bit, just like me....only a little bit more than 3 1/2 mos til the opener, glorious Sept 15th.

Lloyd,
Good to hear from you, I hope all is just ducky. That your SLE? Don't recall seeing it, in person or pics.
Looking forward to the usual stuff, did I impress the in-laws enough to share an evening this
year?
I actually hope for cooler temps this season-I was worried about the pooch on that long, hot, dry, last jaunt through the woods. I'll bring more water, this time around.


Best,
Ted

Mr. Graebner: you are most welcome.

Since we (thankfully) don't know our own expiration dates and since I'm convinced that sitting around is the absolute worst thing you can do....I daydream occasionally about how I would operate if I was ever untethered from most of my adult responsibilities. Hmmmm.....

If that was ever to come to pass, I'd like to travel with the seasons, hunting and fishing my way through the year. Haven't worked it all out yet but...off of the top of my head: Dove opener (someplace good) September 1st, then Colorado blue grouse and spawning Rainbows though mid-September, then all thru October would clearly be in Minnesota for grouse, ducks and walleye, early November in the Upper Mid-west for pheasant, late November thru December in Colorado for elk & deer (and maybe Christmas), then south to Arizona for the three species of Quail (and perhaps javelina?) through middle February. Here's where I'm stuck, what does one do in March? Time off? April is turkey hunting, then maybe salt-water fishing in some lovely climate (Florida or Alabama?) thru May? Then back to Colorado to flyfish for trout, with perhaps a few side trips back East for more trout. Then.....high-country summertime dog (and human) training with maybe some old car stuff thrown in, and finally back to where we started. Still needs work, but I'm quite flexible. My wife, on the other hand......

Howdy Ted: all is good here. Yep, my old SLE (557 Arrieta). Your stock is in good shape in LOTW county for all I know, so plan accordingly. I'll be a little later this year, got a wedding I must attend on like September 30th (the nerve!). I agree, cooler would be nice (but no rain please).

Buzz,
I got that hat and vest back in the 90's. Rarely wash it to keep it's "patina". Something about going afield with well used hunting attire I suppose. The reason I went out last year on New Year's day was because I met someone during the Holidays that had end stage cancer. He informed me that had only a couple of weeks left, and that he wanted to enjoy every possible moment he had left without wasting any. Instead of wakeing up New Year's day and lying around in my warm PJ's, I called a buddy and enjoyed the day afield in spite of the cold.
Lloyd,
I think that you are enjoying your outdoor time to the fullest! We could all take a lesson from you to make all of our time count. I bide my time in the off season going to several SxS shooting events. Can't wait for that great smell of the October woods here in Michigan.
Karl

Great photo Karl. I've lived a few mornings like that.

I've read somewhere that God does not subtract the time from a man's life that he spends birdhunting! I get out all that I can to build up my day bank.
Karl

That is a great picture and I at first thought that it was a painting. Maybe it should be.

Beautiful Spaniard Lloyd!!!!

Thankyou Sir. I don't use it as much I used too. Mostly a pheasant gun now.

That's a great photo Karl, we'll have to see if we can find sometime in Oct to put a hunt together.

I might be available for something at the end of October.
Keep the idea bouncing about.

Ah yes! Making plans already for October. CZ, I plan on getting to the Tunnel of Trees shoot this year to actually shoot!
Karl

It looks like you have lots of fun chasing Bonasa Umbellus, Karl. You have German shorthair dogs, I guess? I love hunting grouse on those real foggy days....seems like the birds 'hold' better on foggy days. Maybe they feel more protected and safe? Shooting is more difficult because of the low light conditions, plus the added bonus of threat for rain is always real. If it's real foggy all day, rain is close by, if not imminent, has been my observation (however, I'm not a meteorologist, just a Grouse hunter). PS: The gloves are Browning too, suede or I think pigskin? Ever tried the Orvis deerskin gloves? I love them!

Buzz,
The picture wss taken on the first Monday morning of my retirement, which happened to be in October. What better way to spend the first working day of retirement than to chase woodcock! The dog is a German Wirehair that belongs to one of my hunting pals. The gloves are an old pair of Browning pigskins. I bought two pairs of them some time ago and these are the second pair. After these wear out I'll probably look for the Orvis or Filson ones.
A bad day afield beats a good day at work!
Karl