doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Any reports from the Great White North?

Yesterday I couldn't hit anything, today I couldn't miss. Could have killed two limits if I had tried. Saw 15 birds, ranging in size from fairly small to big and mature. Beautiful fall day here, first nice day in weeks. Still...water everywhere and lots of nearly impassible roads. Tomorrow is another beauty and then...who knows.

Sitting at Fargo airport waiting on my flight. Not a great trip but good just the same. No fishing but...lots of other good stuff, lots of time in the woods with a good gun and nice trails to walk. I could have shot a bit better but...I still got my share. Had to buy some good modern rubber (Lacrosse?) boots because of all the water. My Russels would've been perpetually soggy if I'd used them regularly. Big changes coming to my world up at LOTW will mean very different modes of operating but...it should still be a great destination for many years to come. A lesson learned today is that you can't carry on home-made jam anymore. If you freeze it, evidently that's ok, but otherwise, youll need to check it. Also, empty out all of your shells from your hunting coat even if you do check it. When they load your jam into your checked luggage, they'll take your "loose" 16-gauge shells. Cost me 4 RSTs.

Lloyd,
Coulda� been worse-I have visions of the TSA breakroom fridge, packed with Ron�s preserves, and your RSTs.
The jam is very good, by the way. Thanks.

Best,
Ted

Much of the Great White North is now white. Likely only temporary. Not sticking to pavement, and we're supposed to be high 30's by noon--so a lot will likely melt. I'll wait until afternoon to take the dogs out and see if the woodcock have moved as a result of the weather. It was very windy in addition to the snow, but the wind wasn't out of the north--so I'm thinking the weather change probably hasn't sent all the doodles hurrying south. (Or, if it has, maybe it's chased UP doodles down our way.) And the forecast for this week shows warming temps.

Mr. Brown: I had two land on the road in front of me while driving out of the woods last Tuesday night. It was almost dark and they really showed-up in my headlights. Beautiful russet- brown, w/big eyes & beaks! The road was the only dry place to land for quite a stretch and I'm guessing my light's heped them find a spot to put-down. I left them be and kept heading back to camp.

Totally snowed out of the Interlake area MB. Sharptails seemed up quite a bit, but still low numbers of Ruffed and Spruce. One dry day, then rain turning to heavy snow by Thurs. Lost power at the cabin Fri AM and got only 50 miles south before being snowed in. Two nights in motel waiting for roads to clear. Millions of acres of soybeans and corn now sitting in 8" of wet settled snow in a huge area extending from W. MB to South Dakota and W. Minnesota. None of the locals could remember this much snow this early. We got about 22" where we were. Sure ruined the Thanksgiving weekend for a lot of Canadians. But our dogs had a good time and made the trip worthwhile.

Another dusting of snow overnight here in northern WI. But temps will rise to mid-40's today and basically continue that pattern (getting even warmer) before the end of the week.

Moved 5 woodcock in a little over an hour yesterday. All pointed, but only 2 offered shots, 1 of which connected. Male showing hardly any excess fat. I'm guessing they're going to be around for awhile. Will do more field research today. Rain forecast for tomorrow. The dogs--or at least setter Chester with gimpy hindquarters--can use a day off. He overdid it a bit yesterday, but the bird we bagged was the only one he found.

"Had to buy some good modern rubber (Lacrosse?) boots because of all the water. My Russels would've been perpetually soggy if I'd used them regularly."

Lloyd3 - I think you're talking about these type boots. Every person hiking or hunting in Belgium that I knew in the 1980's wore these boots.....the sun only shines 60 days a year in Brussels. And these boots are absolutely waterproof.

Eis and I just returned from the U.P. where it was really wet with a couple of rainy days thrown in. The bird numbers seamed to be down from previous years, but with an abundance of Turkeys. We managed to get into Woodcock when we moved to the Lower Peninsula. I hope to get back out soon, as the Woodcock Moon is upon us!
Karl

Karl: like you, I thought there were less grouse in the UP than last year. Got home Friday after 5 days of hunting. Leaves were still as thick as ever....I�m guessing the UP is a week to ten days behind most other years in terms of fall. Food was everywhere for the birds. Gobs of acorns, viburnum (wild raisins) , cherries, thorn apples, hazel nut catkins, holly, etc. We probably had 25 flush days. Blew lots of holes in the sky and several trees jumped in front of the shot charge, but we did manage to harvest a few grouse. Had a good time, but bird numbers were down, I think. Or, maybe it was just hard to find their kitchen with food being everywhere?