Grouse Camp 2011 Photos

     What is it, really, that brings us all to grouse camp each fall? It must be something truly special to motivate one to pack dog, gear and gun into a cramped car, and turn north to the farthest reaches of New Hampshire. I've got it easy, only driving up from Boston, but others make the trip from more southerly points; New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania,.....and in past years, even from as far away as Colorado. Perhaps it's the thrill of sneaking away from civilization, and staying in a rustic camp?

Or the view it provides?

Maybe it's the thrill of getting to hunt and share camp with this guy? But I doubt it.

   I think it's about covers filled with potential,.....

 and the vistas travelled between them.

But even more, I think it's about good friends, and gun dogs.

Sterling & Tim

Steve & Lula

Myself & Bryan

Lula

Often the surprises we encounter along the way become cherished memories,......*

Woodies flushed from a creek

but mostly, it's the birds that bring us together.

Special thanks to ASO Pro Staffers Bryan, and Sterling for providing the photos.
* If you ever have a chance to meet Sterling, ask him about his cherished memory of a Black Bear surprise in Pennsylvania.

Land Owner Relations; Advanced Studies

The new edition of Northwoods Sporting Journal found it's way to my mailbox yesterday, so today as I ate breakfast I cruised through it and found an interesting article, the subject of which needs to shared. Columnist Peter St. James wrote about a lawsuit in New Hampshire revolving around land use, and land owner relationships. The result of the lawsuit could have a terrible effect on outdoorsmen, and access to public land. Here are the main points of the article.

The set up.

*A land owner grants permission to a couple of hunters to use his land.

*Permission is contingent on the hunters shooting as many coyotes as possible.

The Issue

*One of the hunters falls out of a treestand on the property, and sues.

The Laws

*New Hampshire does not hold land owners liable for others lawfully using their land, provided a) the land owner warns others of dangerous condition on the land, and b) the land owner receives no compensation.

The Rub

*The injured party is claiming the treestand was unsafe, while the land owner claims no knowledge of said treestand.

*The injured party is claiming the contingency of shooting as many coyotes as possible is compensation.

*The injury was never reported to the Fish and Game, which means there is no record of it ever happening.

*There has also been allegations that the injured party had consumed alcohol before hunting, and may not have had a hunting license at the time of the accident.

The way I see it there are lessons to be learned here. Aside from the possible ethical violation of hunting without a license, basic safety conventions were ignored. One can not fall from a treestand if wearing a safety belt. One should also thoroughly inspect any stand they will be using. I won't even get started on the alcohol allegation. Land owners need to pay attention, too. How things are worded, as we may find out, could make a difference. An enthusiastic "shoot as many as possible" could be misconstrued, and received as "if you shoot as many as possible". Hopefully this litigation will not end up being the motivator in posted signs going up across the state; a state that traditionally has allowed access to lots of fantastic privately held lands.

The Last Grouse

     I ate the last grouse today. Not "the" last grouse, but the last grouse in my freezer, so you can relax. My appetite hasn't been responsible for placing Bonasa Umbellus on the extinction list, and even if I could eat that many grouse my shooting would surely never allow for it.

     Today's grouse was sauteed in olive oil, drizzled with a bit of a Dijon pan sauce, and served with some ratatouille I whipped up. I like the taste of grouse, and pretty much every other game bird I've eaten. In fact I thoroughly enjoy eating all manner of big game too. Today, however, the grouse didn't taste so good. Not only was this the last grouse in my freezer, but also the last grouse my English Setter, Austin, will have pointed for me.

      

     In December, Austin started suffering from painful lameness in his front right leg. I didn't hesitate taking him to the vet. After six weeks of tests, and awaiting lab results our worst fears were realized. Austin had bone cancer. Our time together is now limited, and we've had our last grouse season together. Austin doesn't know this, though he knows he's got a painful leg, and he knows he gets treats twice a day now, because I learned a long time ago that a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. And though I'm not 100% on this, I suspect he knows something is going on, because just like I know him, he knows me, and I'm not too good at hiding that this situation bothers me.

     I remember the day, and the place I shot that grouse really well. We'd been at our annual grouse camp in upstate NY. For more than a decade I've been travelling to hunt with the same rabble every year. Originally we held two big camps in NH each fall, but over time families, and job transfers changed that. We decided to hold camp in Pa a couple times, but eventually settled in NY. Austin pointed this bird along the edge of a small stream lined with wrist sized dogwoods. He had pointed 4 birds in the last hour, but I hadn't had a shot opportunity. This time I did, and the bird tumbled dead. It was a beautiful, healthy bird. The kind of bird one shows off, and I did, a little.

     I wouldn't eat that last grouse without giving my pal a taste, so as I sat in front of my plate, Austin sat by my side with his own plate of grouse. I know he earned the privilege of eating by my side, and I hope the grouse tasted good to him. Today, I found it to have the rather bitter flavor of mother nature's cruelest joke, taking our dogs from us too soon, and the saltiness of tears.