According to this Gun Advisor from across the pond, I've been doing it wrong for several decades....

Bloomberg

Should my new silk tie match those $541 Wellies?

I never really considered "driven" Grouse or Pheasant shoots to be much more then that, a "Shoot". Not much hunting really involved other then hunting up the like minded folks & coin to do it. Not a knock at all on their hunting, just an observation. I'd rather follow one of their setters along with a good handler through the highlands looking for coverts to point and then try my hand at shooting...

I'll bet my little AL-48 grouse gun would do it jest fine and costing less then a grand.

Redd

Oh and make those handled setters - Red Setters!

Hunting is for the rich across the pond. I wonder what kind of hassel you'd have bringing your own guns there?

It may be easier to hunt iran for Chuckar then England for Grouse.

Have left innumerable boot tracks on either side of the Cascades while toting a nimble 20-bore for resident pollo de trueno. Adding a fine springer spaniel and pleasant company to the equation, multiplies the resultant fond memories. For the price of what was being sold across the pond, I'll pass.

Guess that may make me a snob as well, but for different reasons....

I'll bet a good Springer that knows the Grouse game would be a kick in the arse to share a hunt with! We do it with our Labs as well, but the little Wiggle Butts with all their spaniel energy would add some high energy fun to a day in the woods.

Just a few more days to wait till it opens. I hope the rain comes in for a cooling off and relief of fire danger in the woods.

Redd

Chasin' grouse is a good excuse to go look at what the elk game might hold in a few months hence....

Have had lots of fun with labs of various colors, and made many a memory with one memorable Chesapeake. Have fun cuttin' feathers in a few....

I like grousin because its a good way to work out some of the stupids the dogs may have developed over the summer. Gets em back into the swing of things so they're ready for the upland and duck openers.

I use grouse hunts as a way to scout for deer.

Did someone say Springer Spaniel?






http://youtu.be/zgmd3q02cYQ

Last year's deer scouting effort/grouse hunt.
Before:



After:


Same deer.

Was this Springer one of your pups?


Redd

Winston is my dog's brother. I lost my dog in the divorce and my buddy Trent had asked me to help him with a couple challenges he was fighting. Both dogs were great companions, house dogs and hunters. We wanted to field trial them both but were never invited after complying the application process. After watching half a dozen events I think both dogs woul have done well.

Short of raising kids, training Lola (my dog) was possibly the most rewarding experience of my life. Most of that success stemmed from
her willingness to learn and her drive to please.


Thanks for asking Redd.

JTD,

Nice dogs there, and those Springer trials are a blast to watch. We have never had a Springer, but my uncle back in the day had a couple, and watching those little dogs work Wild Phez back in Montana when I was a kid, showed me just how much better bird hunting could be with a great bird dog.

My daughter has a new Boykin Spaniel and working with that little guy on birds this summer really reminds me of the old hunting days with my uncle and his Springers. Way different then our Setters and Labs on birds, but a kick in the butt with all their animation and buzz'n little tails. Great Stuff.

Take Care
Redd

If either of you guys want to work your dogs over some birds, I'll probably have a kids pheasant hunting event in late October or early November. I'll have the pheasants and one dog.

Last year's event was a bit hard on Cedar, putting up 20 birds in a day was a bit much.

Tye would love to help. He got up 12 yesterday at Cook Canyon.

We would love to help with a kids phez hunt. We can bring a little Lab and a Setter that really enjoy put'n up a bird or two for some kids shooting. Let us know when you get close to picking a day and place.

Scott

i'm sure my pair would love to work, too!



willy

Andy, what you do for so many folks is amazing. Thank you.

+1,000,000