I was out today and for the first time in over twenty years, jumped Ruffled Grouse, twice.
I am thinking that this may be a very good year for the hunters here in New Hampshire on the Maine line.
You know that I love to share a story (old farts talk when they can do nothing else) and here is one.
When I decided to move from S.C. to New Hampshire, I bought a Sex Linked Chocolate Lab pup. One of highly recognized hunting stock and pointing qualities to boot. I thought that since New Hampshire was loaded with "Partridge", we would be golden. Choc had two points before we retired. One was an Oak leaf that was shaking in the breeze and one burst from a snow bank and scared him and me almost to death.
As much as he and I were out, we never saw another "partridge". He was with me for 15 years.
Today is the first time I have seen a bird in this area of New Hampshire. I am North of Portsmouth and East of Wolfeboro.
Best,
John
PS---Hundreds of turkeys seen and often.
PPS---I fear for the deer herd. I am seeing no acorns. Period. They are usually a great plague for a gardener and an important food source for deer. They are simply not here this season. I fear that next year and three years hence, there will be little harvest as no fawns will be birthed next spring. The does cannot carry a fawn when she cannot feed well.
Places like Mass. will see mass starvation and those nuts in such places as Hamilton will not allow shooting. If all is well with the world, the deer will eat every ornamental shrub in that odious State.
Rant over !!
