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Opening Weekend, Lake States Grouse

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Written By: Randy Lawrence. Junction City, OH It felt more like driving the getaway rig for a jailbreak than leaving for a hunting trip.  I would pull into the Honda plant parking lot just before 11, Lyle’s dogs and mine settled in their crates, Lyle’s gun and gear stowed behind the front seats.  I’d find a spot where I could watch the main door, idling the truck, listening to late-night Reds and Bengals talk on the 50,000 watt radio station out of Cincinnati.  It was always easy to spot my friend among the second trick autoworkers.  Lyle was the...

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Go North Young Man!

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Written By: Herb Evert. Cottage Grove, WI Camped on the bank of the Peshtigo river in far northeastern Wisconsin, that stream of deceitfully quiet water between stretches of tumbling rapids, my brother and I, with a quartet of Springers between us, relax as the setting sun closes out a spectacular Indian summer day. All day we tramped the forested terrain in search of thunder chickens and timber doodles and we are bone weary. The grouse families of summer have already dispersed and the woodcock have not yet begun their southward trek so flushes have been few and far between....

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Sunrise over Sagebrush

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Written By: Seth Owens. Grand Forks, ND I’m often frustrated by that prehistoric, instinctual, fight-or-flight response that all humans have in the 21st century. Not because it was crucial to our ancient ancestors, who were constantly at risk of being preyed upon by a big animal with pointy teeth, but because of the sinking pit in our stomach that we feel when anxious or excited. Here I was, walking through a sea of swishing sagebrush, feeling like I was about to vomit, and I couldn’t tell if it was from the excited apprehension or the 2:00 a.m. gas station...

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Beyond the Birds – How Habitat Benefits Us All

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by Greg Hoch The conservation community does a lot of habitat work that benefits wildlife. That wildlife may be prairie grouse in grasslands, ducks in wetlands or ruffed grouse and woodcock in forests. We restore, protect and enhance habitat. We fundraise and lobby to support these efforts. And, of course, the work we do for these birds benefits hundreds of other wildlife species. Some might see this as work we’re doing only for the birds, and so that our dogs can point or flush them each fall. However, that’d be a very shortsighted view. Conversations with friends and colleagues who hunt are easy....

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The First Time I Went Ruffed Grouse Hunting

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Written by: George Skakel. Staples, MN Within a year of our wedding, 35 years ago, my new father-in-law, a man of some means, invited me to go Ruffed Grouse hunting in Minnesota. I had never heard of or had ever seen a Ruffed Grouse; in fact, I kept talking about Ruffled Grouse until eventually corrected. I was all excited about hunting in the woods over trained dogs and in preparation for this new adventure I purchased a handsome new Orvis “hunting” jacket. In the first hour of the hunt our dogs, wearing special collars that emitted a particular sound when...

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Henry

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Written by: Scott Hill. Tecumseh, MI July 18th, 2001 was a very memorable day at the Hill house. Our setter Jazz along with my wife and two daughters delivered nine beautiful pups. There was a handsome male with a large black eye patch and a freckled nose that caught my eye almost immediately. Eight weeks later that same pup would not be leaving with his sibs but instead “Henry” would become our next generation grouse and woodcock dog. After the usual puppy stuff and adolescent obedience training, it was time for bird introduction. By spring, Henry was eight months old....

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