Monday, September 16, 2013
The Gospel Truth, or Did He Really Just Say That?
I was once the new guy in this outdoors/hunting/birddog world which for the most part consumes my life. As a newbie I eagerly gobbled down stacks of hunting and fishing magazines. I learned a lot from them. Some of it good, some not so much. In the end most of what I learned was learned by wearing out boot leather, and dog whistles. Lots of time was wasted, but even wasted time spent in the outdoors is time well spent.
Some of the mistakes, or misconceptions I had was in trying to absolutely know something. In the outdoors things are more fluid, always changing, and when it comes to dogs there are no absolutes. It is along this vein that today I write a little rant, after picking up, and reading a nationally published hunting dog magazine (which I seldom read). As I read the article that outlined the traits an ideal grouse dog should have I found myself shaking my head in disagreement. Not that the traits listed were bad, or would be a negative, but that they opinion presented as absolutes. Sure, writers are allowed to inject their opinion, but as I read the article I couldn't help but think that a newbie could easily think that the traits listed are mandatory requirements for a grouse dog. It's was just not true.
So what exactly is my point? It is this; question, question, question everything. Even what you read here. And if someone tells you that a dog must have XY&Z to be a good grouse dog, look around and I'm sure you'll find quality grouse dogs that have AB&C firmly planted in them. So question and learn.
Some of the mistakes, or misconceptions I had was in trying to absolutely know something. In the outdoors things are more fluid, always changing, and when it comes to dogs there are no absolutes. It is along this vein that today I write a little rant, after picking up, and reading a nationally published hunting dog magazine (which I seldom read). As I read the article that outlined the traits an ideal grouse dog should have I found myself shaking my head in disagreement. Not that the traits listed were bad, or would be a negative, but that they opinion presented as absolutes. Sure, writers are allowed to inject their opinion, but as I read the article I couldn't help but think that a newbie could easily think that the traits listed are mandatory requirements for a grouse dog. It's was just not true.
So what exactly is my point? It is this; question, question, question everything. Even what you read here. And if someone tells you that a dog must have XY&Z to be a good grouse dog, look around and I'm sure you'll find quality grouse dogs that have AB&C firmly planted in them. So question and learn.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Back On Track, And Getting It Done
While the keyboard may have layed dormant for the last few months here at ASO, things continued to happen, and dog training was my number one priority. Having committed to campaigning Ginger in some form of organized field event I further tailored her training, and exercise routine. I knew that before too long the time would arrive when she was entered in an event, heeled to the line, and cast on. The time came last weekend, and Ginger was entered in her first AKC hunt test.
The test was held at Hedgerow kennel and Hunt Club in Royalston, Massachusetts, and sponsored by The American Spaniel Club. A variety of flushing dogs, both field bred and bench bred, from around the country participated. In attendance were the usual Springers, and Cockers, as well as a Welshie, a Boykin, and a Flat Coated Retriever. Tests were held on both Saturday, and Sunday, and I registered Ginger in the Senior Hunter class for both days. I'm glad I did. My little girl didn't let me down, and passed with qualifying scores on both days.
The test was held at Hedgerow kennel and Hunt Club in Royalston, Massachusetts, and sponsored by The American Spaniel Club. A variety of flushing dogs, both field bred and bench bred, from around the country participated. In attendance were the usual Springers, and Cockers, as well as a Welshie, a Boykin, and a Flat Coated Retriever. Tests were held on both Saturday, and Sunday, and I registered Ginger in the Senior Hunter class for both days. I'm glad I did. My little girl didn't let me down, and passed with qualifying scores on both days.
Training throughout the year Ginger saw lots of cover, and terrain.
Then came test time.Ginger and I were ready to go.
Ginger was cast on,....
and a chukar went up,....
only to come down.
Retrieved quickly to hand like a proper spaniel should.
Then came the hunt dead test, and Ginger was once again cast forward.
And a bird produced for the judges.
A water mark was the final portion of the test,....
and Ginger made it look easy.
I'm proud of my girl, and look forward to future tests.
Two SH legs down, three more for the title, then we start all over again at the Master Hunter level.
Monday, December 24, 2012
A Friendly Reminder
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. What?! A mouse? Not in my house! Get the traps!
In the outdoors sometimes it's quite obvious when seasons overlap, and other times not so much. It's easy to see where bird seasons, and deer seasons converge, but not all pursuits are as clear. In most parts of the country those toting traps, and tending lines are barely visible, as are their tools of the trade. It is an unfortunate biproduct of the quest for fur that dogs can be accidentally caught, or worse, sometimes killed in traps. All states have their own special regulations, and rules as to how traps must be set. In many states, but not all, lethal traps must be set under water, or in a cubby to prevent accidental catches of domestic animals. All sportsmen that take to the woods with any kind of dog would be well served by learning what their regional trapping seasons are, as well as what traps are allowed, and potential trapping sights in their area. Learning how to recognize traps, and how to release them is a skill worth learning.
No trapper wants to lose time resetting traps accidentally triggered by a dog, let alone accidentally kill one. Trappers, however, have just as much rights to pursue fur, as other sportsmen have to pursue their chosen game. Furs are in their prime in the late fall, and winter, so there will always be an overlap in the seasons. Like all things in life, education is the key to understanding. I'd recommend anyone with a dog, whether they intend to ever trap or not, take a trapper education class in the off season. Trapper education will make the thought of hunting during the trapping season less of a scary proposition.
And,.....Merry Christmas everyone.
In the outdoors sometimes it's quite obvious when seasons overlap, and other times not so much. It's easy to see where bird seasons, and deer seasons converge, but not all pursuits are as clear. In most parts of the country those toting traps, and tending lines are barely visible, as are their tools of the trade. It is an unfortunate biproduct of the quest for fur that dogs can be accidentally caught, or worse, sometimes killed in traps. All states have their own special regulations, and rules as to how traps must be set. In many states, but not all, lethal traps must be set under water, or in a cubby to prevent accidental catches of domestic animals. All sportsmen that take to the woods with any kind of dog would be well served by learning what their regional trapping seasons are, as well as what traps are allowed, and potential trapping sights in their area. Learning how to recognize traps, and how to release them is a skill worth learning.
No trapper wants to lose time resetting traps accidentally triggered by a dog, let alone accidentally kill one. Trappers, however, have just as much rights to pursue fur, as other sportsmen have to pursue their chosen game. Furs are in their prime in the late fall, and winter, so there will always be an overlap in the seasons. Like all things in life, education is the key to understanding. I'd recommend anyone with a dog, whether they intend to ever trap or not, take a trapper education class in the off season. Trapper education will make the thought of hunting during the trapping season less of a scary proposition.
And,.....Merry Christmas everyone.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
That's A Wrap- 2012 Grouse Camp(s).
Sometimes it all comes together nicely. Like it has this fall. A young dog, some good friends, and a series of fortunate events meant writing got pushed to the back burner, and hunt moved to the front. And in moving it to the front burner I also turned up the heat, and kept it at a rolling boil for as long as I could. Now, however, I've begin to wrap up my grouse hunting season. It's not over, and I fully expect to spend a few more days in the woods with Ginger, but no more multi-day, no more camps.
I've been very fortunate this season, and went to 5 grouse camps for about 30 days in camp. With this being Ginger's first season 30 days in grouse camp is immersion learning, and she learned quickly having been given the opportunity to flush a few hundred grouse, a boat load of woodcock, and even a few hares. Naturally I was the week link in the process, my shooting suffering greatly. While I shot a few birds, and hares I should have pocketed double what I brought home. The sting of missing made worse by the fact that many of the misses absolute softball flushes, in the open, with few trees to intercept shot string, or obscure vision. None the less, my shooting percentage was high enough that Ginger was allowed to learn her trade, and begin to excel at it.
Both Ginger and I learned a lot this season. Ginger about hunting, and grouse behavior, and me about dog training. Ginger learned that the flush of a low flying grouse was much more exciting than the wind up toy like flush of a woodcock, and with that I learned that steadying a young spaniel on grouse wouldn't be as easy as I'd thought it'd be. So again it was off the the races, and back to a little dog training. As fate would have it, a little refresher yard work, and a little whistle work was all it took to her squared away.
Our travels took us to 2 camps in northern New Hampshire. The first camp with GW which I wrote about last month, and the second, a week long camp with BK and his Lab, Ruby, where we managed to put a dent in the local woodcock population. At one point BK and I found ourselves each with a limit of woodcock in about 30 minutes, and having to round up Ginger to hunt dead for 3 woodcock on the ground at the same time.
After a brief respite from hunting to attend some required training at work I was ready to go again when November rolled around. First Ginger and I made the long drive to Pennsylvania for our annual grouse camp with the ASO pro staff and some friends. While the area of Pa we hunted wasn't the best grouse cover, with 8 guys, 4 dogs, 3 bottles of whisk(e)y, and a huge fire place in the camp, we still had a great time. This, of course, goes without saying as anytime we get this crew together we have a great time.
Ginger and I soon found ourselves in the great north woods, thanks to the extreme generosity of some friends who allowed me open door privileges at their camp. It was then that I took a bit of time to do some refresher yard work with Ginger that quickly resulted in having a dog steady on not only woodcock, but ruffed grouse too. The open door policy of the camp gave me nine more days up north, and allowed me the opportunity to enjoy the company of some new people and dogs. More often than not dogs out numbered people in camp, and their variety was stunning. I was able to spoil and tease 3 English Setters, 2 Red Setters, 2 French Brits, 2 English pointers, 1 German Shorthaired Pointer, and a Lab. And as much fun as that was, sharing a beverage with their owners was equally enjoyable.
Ginger and I will be spending a day in the woods later this week. While we've got good grouse cover within driving distance of the house we know that it will pale in comparison to the camps we've had the pleasure to attend. But we'll make the most of it.
**A special thanks to Tim, Ted, Al, and Russ for letting me take over their grouse camp.
I've been very fortunate this season, and went to 5 grouse camps for about 30 days in camp. With this being Ginger's first season 30 days in grouse camp is immersion learning, and she learned quickly having been given the opportunity to flush a few hundred grouse, a boat load of woodcock, and even a few hares. Naturally I was the week link in the process, my shooting suffering greatly. While I shot a few birds, and hares I should have pocketed double what I brought home. The sting of missing made worse by the fact that many of the misses absolute softball flushes, in the open, with few trees to intercept shot string, or obscure vision. None the less, my shooting percentage was high enough that Ginger was allowed to learn her trade, and begin to excel at it.
Both Ginger and I learned a lot this season. Ginger about hunting, and grouse behavior, and me about dog training. Ginger learned that the flush of a low flying grouse was much more exciting than the wind up toy like flush of a woodcock, and with that I learned that steadying a young spaniel on grouse wouldn't be as easy as I'd thought it'd be. So again it was off the the races, and back to a little dog training. As fate would have it, a little refresher yard work, and a little whistle work was all it took to her squared away.
Our travels took us to 2 camps in northern New Hampshire. The first camp with GW which I wrote about last month, and the second, a week long camp with BK and his Lab, Ruby, where we managed to put a dent in the local woodcock population. At one point BK and I found ourselves each with a limit of woodcock in about 30 minutes, and having to round up Ginger to hunt dead for 3 woodcock on the ground at the same time.
After a brief respite from hunting to attend some required training at work I was ready to go again when November rolled around. First Ginger and I made the long drive to Pennsylvania for our annual grouse camp with the ASO pro staff and some friends. While the area of Pa we hunted wasn't the best grouse cover, with 8 guys, 4 dogs, 3 bottles of whisk(e)y, and a huge fire place in the camp, we still had a great time. This, of course, goes without saying as anytime we get this crew together we have a great time.
Ginger and I soon found ourselves in the great north woods, thanks to the extreme generosity of some friends who allowed me open door privileges at their camp. It was then that I took a bit of time to do some refresher yard work with Ginger that quickly resulted in having a dog steady on not only woodcock, but ruffed grouse too. The open door policy of the camp gave me nine more days up north, and allowed me the opportunity to enjoy the company of some new people and dogs. More often than not dogs out numbered people in camp, and their variety was stunning. I was able to spoil and tease 3 English Setters, 2 Red Setters, 2 French Brits, 2 English pointers, 1 German Shorthaired Pointer, and a Lab. And as much fun as that was, sharing a beverage with their owners was equally enjoyable.
Ginger and I will be spending a day in the woods later this week. While we've got good grouse cover within driving distance of the house we know that it will pale in comparison to the camps we've had the pleasure to attend. But we'll make the most of it.
**A special thanks to Tim, Ted, Al, and Russ for letting me take over their grouse camp.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Firsts and Seconds, North Woods Bird Hunting
The great north woods are a magical place. Well, at least for me they are, though I doubt I'm the only sportsman who feels this way. Whether it's fin, fur, or feather there is game to be had in the great north woods. Its for this reason that I routinely make the long drive several times each season. Couple the great sport of the north with a young dog in need of a quality education, and my desire to go north increases dramatically. This year I had the great fortune of having my vacation from work fall right in the prime of grouse season, so off I went to spend 12 days wingshooting. The first five days would be accompanying G.W. who was headed up to cap off the trout season. Then, after a four day regroup I'd head back again to spend 7 days in camp with B.K. and his lab, Ruby.
If I was to experience any difficulty on my adventure it was of the nature that warrants no true complaint; traffic slowed my departure from the city. Before too long I was zipping past the multitude of leaf peepers clogging the roads. As the local traffic had put me an hour plus behind schedule I decided I stop and hunt at least one of my coverts near the halfway mark to camp. This would allow me to blow the dust off my reflexes, and serve as Ginger's grouse and woodcock debut. Mid-morning would be the prefect time to slip into the abandoned orchard, and it's surrounds. I did not regret this decision. Ginger quickly found her stride, quartering the thick under brush between the long forgotten trees. Soon she'd catch a scent she found irresistible and launch a woodcock skyward. It wouldn't be until the third flush that the 20gauge side by side would bark loudly, but it wouldn't register a kill, and Ginger would have to wait a bit longer to get her mouth on some feathers. To my surprise Ginger held steady, planting her but on the ground with each flushing bird as we'd trained for, not moving until sent on. We worked the edges, before moving deeper into the cover. A few more birds were flushed, and a couple of misses registered before my eye, hand, and the 20 found the rhythm needed, and knocked down a fleeing timberdoodle. The bird flushed late, pinched between me and the dog, requiring Ginger to be stopped on the whistle, and sent on a hunt dead for her first retrieve, as she'd not marked the fall. Enthusiastically she took the cast and scoured the area until nosing the bird, and looking at me quizzically with a "You want this?" expression. A moment of coaxing, and the bird was delivered to hand. Five minutes later the scene would be repeated only this time the bird would be flushed on her nose, the fall would be marked, and the retrieve made without hesitation. We would work our way deeper into the linear cover, and then around to our starting point with couple more woodcock flushes, but only a lone, distant grouse flush. With two woodcock in the bag Ginger and I continued our trek north.
The north woods would provide the action I was looking for, and the education Ginger needed. Woodcock were abundant and provided plenty of sport. Grouse numbers are up too, which presented Ginger with tricky situations. To that end I shot not only Ginger's first woodcock, but her first grouse, too. Ginger's first grouse came in the midst of some heavy woodcock shooting. As Ginger quartered, stretching slightly further to the windward side to my left a grouse was pinched between us. Like her first woodcock the grouse's flight and fall on the shot went unmarked by Ginger, so I whistled her to a stop, and moved her forward to hunt dead. The Grouse, with a broken wing put some distance between us, but wasn't able to avoid a keen nose, and was retrieved nicely to hand.
Sometimes, however, it's not a young dogs firsts that you remember, and proudly reflect on, but it's second that shows a dog's potential, and willingness to please. Ginger had begun making game on a thick stemmed hillside. I followed her to the edge of the cover where she continued to make game below me even though the cover had thinned and looked more of a likely place to flush a hare, than a grouse. Suddenly the young dog made a quick move to the base one of the few trees spread across the area, and a grouse flushed explosively on her nose presenting me with a left to right slightly quartering away crossing shot. My first shot failed me, but on my second shot the grouse dropped from the sky, and landed somewhere out of sight over the edge of a slight drop off. My attention then turned back to the young dog, who was sitting staunchly at the base of the tree the flush produced from, casting glances from me, to the mark, and back again. I walked towards the mark about 5 yards until I could see the area of the fall, then released Ginger on her name. She raced to the mark, where she ran a couple of quick, tight, high speed circles before picking the grouse from the underbrush and presenting it to me. My little girl had flushed a grouse on her nose, stayed steady throughout the entire flush, shot, and fall, marked the fall, and retrieved to hand as if she'd been doing it for years. I couldn't have been more proud. I'd learn later that not all birds would be handled as nicely, but we were off to a great start.
Woodcock would rule the day on my second trip to the great north woods. B.K. and I would find out quickly a number of woodcock could test a young dog, as well as multiple tricky grouse flushes could. For the most part Ginger's manners stayed intact thanks to the woodcock's nature of flushing skyward. Grouse were becoming a problem, as their tendency to flush horizontally before gaining altitude was too tempting for Ginger, on may occasion requiring me to steady her with the whistle. Thankfully through it all she still remembered what a long blast on the whistle meant, and heeded the signal.
On our second or maybe our third day in camp B.K. and I made a quick trip through one of our usual spots with Ginger. Right out of the gate we moved a couple of woodcock, and a grouse, but none were put in the bag. An hour in and things had slowed until we wandered into a cut thick with head high alders, and B.K. secured a woodcock. We'd moved barely 20 more yards and suddenly all hell broke loose. Ginger flushed (and failed to stop on) a woodcock that I rocked on the shot. Not being well hit, nor marked by my now out of control dog, I stood still and directed B.K. to the area of the mark so we could then reign Ginger in and have her hunt dead. We were soon to understand Ginger's unbridled excitement.
As B.K. reached the area of the fall another woodcock got up, but it's straight away flight line was no problem for B.K. who easily stoned it. With two down, and a seemingly unhinged spaniel I would surely be needed at the area of the fall to regain control of the dog and recover our game, however on my first step in that direction another woodcock flushed at my feet offering a straightaway in the opposite direction, and I killed it easily. Now with three birds on the ground and who knows how many holding around us, it was time to get busy, and I whistled Ginger in to hunt dead.
We elected to recover the last bird I'd killed first, as B.K. was already in the area of the other two. Ginger, now in control made short work of this bird, and we turned our attention to the other two. Working the area B.K. had marked Ginger began to make game slightly off the mark, and after a minute or two presented us with a winged woodcock. At this point I'd begun to think that I'd actually missed the first bird, and that the one B.K. had shot was a reflush of that bird, and that was what Ginger had just retrieved. But B.K. insisted that he'd clean killed his bird, and that the winged bird had to be the one I'd shot. So off Ginger was sent to find yet another bird. The search wouldn't last long as B.K. quickly notice that the dead woodcock was laying a mere 6 inched in front of his right foot as we stood there watching the dog. We now had 4 woodcock in the collective game bag. And while it took me a good few minutes to recount this story, and you a bit less time to read it, in real time it all happened real quick, with all three shots happening withing 60 seconds, and the recovery of the birds taking only a couple of minutes.
We weren't done. With Ginger reeled in we moved forward and killed two more well handled woodcock within 50 yards of where we'd picked the last three. Two limits of woodcock were killed and in the bag in about 20 minute of what was a 2 hour hunt. That many birds, that much scent, and that much shooting in such a small area did present a problem for the young dog, but nothing that couldn't be recovered from.
Throughout the week many woodcock were shot and retrieved by B.K. and I, as well as some grouse. Both dogs saw their fair share of birds, and time in the woods. Ginger and I both learned a lot about grouse and woodcock hunting, and what is expected. An additional highlight of my second trip north was sharing camp with a contingent of spaniel people. In total there were 19 springer spaniels spread between three cabins and an RV. It made for some interesting, enjoyable, and educational conversation. I was relieved to hear that I wasn't the only spaniel owner having difficulty with steadiness in a young dog when dealing with the excitement of a grouse's horizontal flush. In my opinion one of the most exciting thing in the grouse woods is when a dog flushes a grouse back at you, and several times Ginger did just that.
Life being what it is B.K. had to depart camp early because of a business trip he was required to make. On his last morning before heading south he and Ruby went out on a solo trip while Ginger and I explored a covert we hadn't touched yet. We returned to camp to find that Ruby had guided B.K. to another limit of woodcock. A nice way to part.
We did some things differently this year. Gone are the days of feeling the need to beat the brush all day long. Instead we hunted from about 9am to about noon, enjoyed a leisurely lunch, then got out again late in the day, hunting the last hour or two. This tactic showed us lots of grouse, however most often they were flushing from trees. Still, having multiple flushes, 10-11 grouse from two trees, is quite exciting.
Reflecting on the trips later I easily knew what I need to work on, and what the successes were. Like always my shooting proved to be a weak link, and birds that should have fallen flew on. The weather didn't cooperate, but over the years we've learned what we can handle and how to deal with rain. So we made the best of the opportunities we had, and had the right equipment for the times it was needed. Ginger was a success, too. Though there were moments when her youth, and excitement got the better of her, the work I've put into her was apparent. All in all I give her performance a B+, improving as her steadiness improves.
If I was to experience any difficulty on my adventure it was of the nature that warrants no true complaint; traffic slowed my departure from the city. Before too long I was zipping past the multitude of leaf peepers clogging the roads. As the local traffic had put me an hour plus behind schedule I decided I stop and hunt at least one of my coverts near the halfway mark to camp. This would allow me to blow the dust off my reflexes, and serve as Ginger's grouse and woodcock debut. Mid-morning would be the prefect time to slip into the abandoned orchard, and it's surrounds. I did not regret this decision. Ginger quickly found her stride, quartering the thick under brush between the long forgotten trees. Soon she'd catch a scent she found irresistible and launch a woodcock skyward. It wouldn't be until the third flush that the 20gauge side by side would bark loudly, but it wouldn't register a kill, and Ginger would have to wait a bit longer to get her mouth on some feathers. To my surprise Ginger held steady, planting her but on the ground with each flushing bird as we'd trained for, not moving until sent on. We worked the edges, before moving deeper into the cover. A few more birds were flushed, and a couple of misses registered before my eye, hand, and the 20 found the rhythm needed, and knocked down a fleeing timberdoodle. The bird flushed late, pinched between me and the dog, requiring Ginger to be stopped on the whistle, and sent on a hunt dead for her first retrieve, as she'd not marked the fall. Enthusiastically she took the cast and scoured the area until nosing the bird, and looking at me quizzically with a "You want this?" expression. A moment of coaxing, and the bird was delivered to hand. Five minutes later the scene would be repeated only this time the bird would be flushed on her nose, the fall would be marked, and the retrieve made without hesitation. We would work our way deeper into the linear cover, and then around to our starting point with couple more woodcock flushes, but only a lone, distant grouse flush. With two woodcock in the bag Ginger and I continued our trek north.
The north woods would provide the action I was looking for, and the education Ginger needed. Woodcock were abundant and provided plenty of sport. Grouse numbers are up too, which presented Ginger with tricky situations. To that end I shot not only Ginger's first woodcock, but her first grouse, too. Ginger's first grouse came in the midst of some heavy woodcock shooting. As Ginger quartered, stretching slightly further to the windward side to my left a grouse was pinched between us. Like her first woodcock the grouse's flight and fall on the shot went unmarked by Ginger, so I whistled her to a stop, and moved her forward to hunt dead. The Grouse, with a broken wing put some distance between us, but wasn't able to avoid a keen nose, and was retrieved nicely to hand.
Sometimes, however, it's not a young dogs firsts that you remember, and proudly reflect on, but it's second that shows a dog's potential, and willingness to please. Ginger had begun making game on a thick stemmed hillside. I followed her to the edge of the cover where she continued to make game below me even though the cover had thinned and looked more of a likely place to flush a hare, than a grouse. Suddenly the young dog made a quick move to the base one of the few trees spread across the area, and a grouse flushed explosively on her nose presenting me with a left to right slightly quartering away crossing shot. My first shot failed me, but on my second shot the grouse dropped from the sky, and landed somewhere out of sight over the edge of a slight drop off. My attention then turned back to the young dog, who was sitting staunchly at the base of the tree the flush produced from, casting glances from me, to the mark, and back again. I walked towards the mark about 5 yards until I could see the area of the fall, then released Ginger on her name. She raced to the mark, where she ran a couple of quick, tight, high speed circles before picking the grouse from the underbrush and presenting it to me. My little girl had flushed a grouse on her nose, stayed steady throughout the entire flush, shot, and fall, marked the fall, and retrieved to hand as if she'd been doing it for years. I couldn't have been more proud. I'd learn later that not all birds would be handled as nicely, but we were off to a great start.
Woodcock would rule the day on my second trip to the great north woods. B.K. and I would find out quickly a number of woodcock could test a young dog, as well as multiple tricky grouse flushes could. For the most part Ginger's manners stayed intact thanks to the woodcock's nature of flushing skyward. Grouse were becoming a problem, as their tendency to flush horizontally before gaining altitude was too tempting for Ginger, on may occasion requiring me to steady her with the whistle. Thankfully through it all she still remembered what a long blast on the whistle meant, and heeded the signal.
On our second or maybe our third day in camp B.K. and I made a quick trip through one of our usual spots with Ginger. Right out of the gate we moved a couple of woodcock, and a grouse, but none were put in the bag. An hour in and things had slowed until we wandered into a cut thick with head high alders, and B.K. secured a woodcock. We'd moved barely 20 more yards and suddenly all hell broke loose. Ginger flushed (and failed to stop on) a woodcock that I rocked on the shot. Not being well hit, nor marked by my now out of control dog, I stood still and directed B.K. to the area of the mark so we could then reign Ginger in and have her hunt dead. We were soon to understand Ginger's unbridled excitement.
As B.K. reached the area of the fall another woodcock got up, but it's straight away flight line was no problem for B.K. who easily stoned it. With two down, and a seemingly unhinged spaniel I would surely be needed at the area of the fall to regain control of the dog and recover our game, however on my first step in that direction another woodcock flushed at my feet offering a straightaway in the opposite direction, and I killed it easily. Now with three birds on the ground and who knows how many holding around us, it was time to get busy, and I whistled Ginger in to hunt dead.
We elected to recover the last bird I'd killed first, as B.K. was already in the area of the other two. Ginger, now in control made short work of this bird, and we turned our attention to the other two. Working the area B.K. had marked Ginger began to make game slightly off the mark, and after a minute or two presented us with a winged woodcock. At this point I'd begun to think that I'd actually missed the first bird, and that the one B.K. had shot was a reflush of that bird, and that was what Ginger had just retrieved. But B.K. insisted that he'd clean killed his bird, and that the winged bird had to be the one I'd shot. So off Ginger was sent to find yet another bird. The search wouldn't last long as B.K. quickly notice that the dead woodcock was laying a mere 6 inched in front of his right foot as we stood there watching the dog. We now had 4 woodcock in the collective game bag. And while it took me a good few minutes to recount this story, and you a bit less time to read it, in real time it all happened real quick, with all three shots happening withing 60 seconds, and the recovery of the birds taking only a couple of minutes.
We weren't done. With Ginger reeled in we moved forward and killed two more well handled woodcock within 50 yards of where we'd picked the last three. Two limits of woodcock were killed and in the bag in about 20 minute of what was a 2 hour hunt. That many birds, that much scent, and that much shooting in such a small area did present a problem for the young dog, but nothing that couldn't be recovered from.
Throughout the week many woodcock were shot and retrieved by B.K. and I, as well as some grouse. Both dogs saw their fair share of birds, and time in the woods. Ginger and I both learned a lot about grouse and woodcock hunting, and what is expected. An additional highlight of my second trip north was sharing camp with a contingent of spaniel people. In total there were 19 springer spaniels spread between three cabins and an RV. It made for some interesting, enjoyable, and educational conversation. I was relieved to hear that I wasn't the only spaniel owner having difficulty with steadiness in a young dog when dealing with the excitement of a grouse's horizontal flush. In my opinion one of the most exciting thing in the grouse woods is when a dog flushes a grouse back at you, and several times Ginger did just that.
Life being what it is B.K. had to depart camp early because of a business trip he was required to make. On his last morning before heading south he and Ruby went out on a solo trip while Ginger and I explored a covert we hadn't touched yet. We returned to camp to find that Ruby had guided B.K. to another limit of woodcock. A nice way to part.
We did some things differently this year. Gone are the days of feeling the need to beat the brush all day long. Instead we hunted from about 9am to about noon, enjoyed a leisurely lunch, then got out again late in the day, hunting the last hour or two. This tactic showed us lots of grouse, however most often they were flushing from trees. Still, having multiple flushes, 10-11 grouse from two trees, is quite exciting.
Reflecting on the trips later I easily knew what I need to work on, and what the successes were. Like always my shooting proved to be a weak link, and birds that should have fallen flew on. The weather didn't cooperate, but over the years we've learned what we can handle and how to deal with rain. So we made the best of the opportunities we had, and had the right equipment for the times it was needed. Ginger was a success, too. Though there were moments when her youth, and excitement got the better of her, the work I've put into her was apparent. All in all I give her performance a B+, improving as her steadiness improves.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Calling An Audible; Camp Cooking
Last week I had the pleasure of sharing a camp up north with G.W. for 5 days. I was out with Ginger in pursuit of grouse and woodcock, and G. W. was getting in some quality fishing the last few days of the trout season. Naturally we ate quite well, grilling some woodcock I'd taken for an appetizer with our steaks, and eating an Oktoberfest type meal of kielbasa, and sauerkraut. Burgers, and cold cuts filled us during the day when we'd have rather not been in camp, but out in the sunlight. The last night it was decided that a fish and game feast was in order, so we set out to create a feast with our rewards. I had a brace of grouse to contribute, and G.W. a couple trout, but we'd not considered the possibility of cooking game in advance, so we were restricted to the meager contents of the camp kitchen. It was time to call a culinary audible.
I decided that the best thing for fresh grouse would be to take advantage of a couple of apples I'd brought along as snacks. Melting a 1/2 stick of butter slowly in a pan I sauteed the salted, and peppered grouse breast over a moderate heat, allowing the butter to begin to brown, When it was time to flip the grouse breast I added the pealed slices of two apples to the pan, and let them brown beside the grouse breast. After a few minutes and a few shakes of the pan I added about a 1/2 cup of white wine and simmered slowly while the white thickened. After about 5 more minutes with a slotted spoon I plated the grouse breast, and apples. Next I added more wine to the pan, raised the heat, and cooked it down until it was a thick syrupy sauce which I poured over the grouse and apples.
I decided that the best thing for fresh grouse would be to take advantage of a couple of apples I'd brought along as snacks. Melting a 1/2 stick of butter slowly in a pan I sauteed the salted, and peppered grouse breast over a moderate heat, allowing the butter to begin to brown, When it was time to flip the grouse breast I added the pealed slices of two apples to the pan, and let them brown beside the grouse breast. After a few minutes and a few shakes of the pan I added about a 1/2 cup of white wine and simmered slowly while the white thickened. After about 5 more minutes with a slotted spoon I plated the grouse breast, and apples. Next I added more wine to the pan, raised the heat, and cooked it down until it was a thick syrupy sauce which I poured over the grouse and apples.
G.W. is no stranger to the kitchen, and has cooked up a few nice dishes in his day. His decision to poach the trout he'd caught came quite easily to him. Like my dish G.W. started by melting butter, and seasoning the fish with salt and pepper. He then proceeded to brown both sides of the fish in the butter before adding about 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 1/2 cup of white wine, and 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic to the pan. The trout was then left to poach over a medium-low heat until tender. During the cooking of this dish G.W. flipped the fish several times to insure it was cooked evenly, and even added more wine as it was needed. To say this dish was delicious is an understatement.
It doesn't take much to create a delectable camp feast if you've prepared and brought the appropriate spices and herbs along. Sometimes however, one must rely on a bit of cook sense.
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