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  1. #91
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    09-21-12
    The weather is cooling down. Our nightly walks are becoming more regular. The sidewalk on the main road leads us to a new apartment building complex. Where there use to stand two homesteads, approximately ten acres was clear cut about seven years ago. Phase One was complete about 5 years ago. Phase Two is just completed and it looks like move in has started. In the back about three acres is still undeveloped with thick raspberries and lots of new growth. It has bird cover written all over it.

    When I was a kid those homesteads were occupied. By the time I became a hunter the land was abandoned. In the early 90's I met a gobbler out there that would not gobble but would come to the call. I got busted by him two times before I formulated a plan. I sneaked into his roost at O' dark hundred. He only gobbled a few times from the tree. I remember he spoke way after it got light and I wondered if he was even there. After one of his gobbles I clucked a couple times on my Lynch Foolproof and did a fly down cackle. Then the call went behind my back. I heard him fly down. I never called...he never gobbled. He almost busted me again when a short time later I saw him step out behind a big boulder into the hardwoods. In an instant he saw me. His mistake was to turn and run straight away from me.

    He weighed over 21 pounds with inch plus spurs.

    I tell you this history because where the undeveloped three acres are, is the hardwood flat he stepped out into.

    A week or so ago on our walk is when we saw the four turkeys there and Bay flushed them. Since that time we have been back once. When we got to the edge of the cut it was too dark to continue. Bay voiced her displeasure we did not finish our walk into the woods.

    Forward fast to tonight. Before we got to the end of the hard road Bay's nose was in the air and she wanted off the lead. I looked to where she was pulling me and there stood turkeys in the cut.

    We did an end around and then blitzed up the middle. Bay put five turkeys into flight. Two of them went by as close passing shots. I dreamed of the bobwhite double a couple weeks ago.

    Some birds flushed to the wood line. We followed. The trail enters the woods into hardwoods. The white oaks have acorns. The ground is rolled under their boles. There is a four foot wide dust bowl. I know this piece supports more turkeys.

    There is no pictures with this post. The image I see in my head is hunting Bay behind camp during Maine's fall shotgun turkey season and seeing the shot opportunity afforded me tonight.

    I love walking behind the Yellow Dog.

  2. #92
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    09-23-12
    Just like any good team sport it is always nice to get in a couple scrimmages before the season starts.

    Today Cory and I teamed up to do just that. By 0830 Field #4 was stocked with a dozen pheasants while a pointing dog and a flushing dog took the field. Our hunt today was a repeat of a couple weeks ago…..good wing shooting.

    Cory’s GSP, Rose, is a star. She works very close. It was cool watching Rose hold point while Bay moved in for the flush. We flushed twelve pheasants and brought home eleven. Yours truly missed the only bird.

    The highlight of the day was a rooster who surprised us all. He got up and Cory fired then I fired. It looked like a clean miss but I saw that bird flinch. We visualized the line and went in search. About a hundred yards later in that general direction Rose goes on point. No flush? We looked in the brush and there is the bird stone dead. From the evidence at the scene it looked like he just fell out of the sky. It pays to follow up.

    Last night I cooked some clams and lobsters. Drained the water out of the pan, put them in the fridge and after our hunt today we feasted on Great Bay Bounties.

    Thanks Cory, Rose and Bay for the memories.

    Field 4 parking. Can you see Bay in the front seat? She wasn’t happy. I made her stay in there while they stocked the field.



    Some of the shots were classics.



    Our shellfish feed was better than any fine wine. Cheers to the upcoming bird season.


  3. #93
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    Bay and Birds 2012

    10-05-12
    Tomorrow the firing pin meets the primer.

    I am blessed to have a multiple species dog and the woods to find our quarry. I never knew how much I loved to bird hunt until I got this lab.

    The past two birds seasons we have started with ducks at the Family Grounds Beaver Pond. Bay has the natural instinct to fetch. My poor shooting ability has delayed the pride of Bay's first retrieve. On our walks to the pond this summer we discovered the beaver are gone. Compared to last year there is only half the water flooding the brook. The recent rains have raised the water level. Our shooting position from shore has always been minimal at best. It was time to rectify.

    This afternoon we were on a mission to find a place for a blind in the open marsh where birds have been avoiding me the last couple seasons.

    When the canoe launched so did the ducks flush that were already in the pond. Mallards and wood ducks took to the air.

    We paddled around the corner in the flooded meadow and found the old beaver hut.



    The lodge is elevated over the most open spot of the brook. The mature white pine behind the blind is where we launch.



    Nine mallard decoys were positioned just off center to the left of the hut in a little cove in order to leave a landing zone directly in front.



    Straight away view from the blind.



    This open water is to our right.



    We stayed until about 1730. Bay is listening to the chorus of wood ducks that began to sing from the secret channels of the flooded marsh.

    We are ready to roll.



    Bird Season 2012............here we come.

  4. #94
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    10-06-12 AM
    We were in the canoe at 0530. By the time we got to the first corner we had the whole gaggle of ducks very nervous. The sound of their wings as they lifted up and set back down had Bay almost jumping out of the canoe.

    I had visions of sugar plums dancing in my head.

    At 0545 we were on the hut. By 0600 the ducks had calmed down and the whistling and quacking was deafening.

    Along comes 0610 and the roar of wings started. And by the 0617 shooting time the pond was mostly empty.

    I had two shots at a hen woody doing about a hundred. Why break our streak now. Both clean misses.
    Three drake wood ducks buzzed the pond but every time I blew on the call Bay was in my face checking the sweet noise out. They flared and my opportunity for the day was done.

    There were hundreds of ducks there this morning. This is a roost. Sunset is at 1813. Leaving now for the pond with just a camo tee shirt on. Indian summer is here.

    I hope our luck changes.

    10-06-12 PM
    Back on the beaver hut at 1630. Dressed for Indian summer when I left. Where did the wind and rain come from? By 1700 the rain was sideways. I wasn't dressed for it but committed to stay.

    The woodies sure did fly............and land about a hundred yards out of range in the flooded swamp. Couldn't catch a break.

    It was really sad to flip the canoe upside down and stow the paddles and preservers for what might be another year of my failed marksmanship to get Bay her first duck.

  5. #95
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    Aroostook County, ME Partridge Camp 10-08 to 10-11-12

    Once again this year I was granted permission to go to our traditional Aroostook County, ME deer camp to hunt partridge. Arrived with my friend Dale Sunday evening.

    Camp chores took first preference.



    After making camp warm and cozy we took a drive around the back roads to check out the partridge population. We were not disappointed. We saw over a dozen grouse, three snowshoe hare and three deer. One cock partridge was in full display in the road. What an awesome October sight.

    We stole his picture after he flushed to a tree. It would be the most mature bird we'd see all week. And of course we never did see him again.



    Monday's hunt was a milestone for Bay. When the first grouse finally succumbed to our flying lead. Bay made a flawless retrieve. This may sound like normal bird hunting but in Bay's three short years of life she has never retrieved a dead bird. Personally I think she was just showing off for my friends.

    But never the less it was new chapter in our bird hunting career.



    From the time she picked the bird up until after the picture was taken she held that bird. It was only when I asked her for the bird did she drop it in my hand.

    Bay is now an official bird dog. She retrieved every downed bird to hand. I am very proud of my little princess.



    Partridge camp is only made better by the company you share it with.



    Lots of memories were made.



    There is just too much to say and too many pictures to post about the rest of my hunt on Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll take this back up when time permits.

    Stay tuned it only gets better.......................................

    Tuesday 10-09-12 AM
    Due to my fellow bird hunters have prior commitments Bay and I would hunt alone for the next couple days.

    Today we started back where we left off Monday. It was a wise choice. It rained most of Sunday night. We found that the soggy conditions kept the birds in the roost long after they should have flown down. Lots of flushes Monday were wild from the trees as we walked the roads. This morning the birds were back to their normal getting grit routine.

    In no way did that improve my shooting skills. Only Remington and Winchester were richer for our efforts. It didn't take long to confirm that hunting wild partridge was a whole lot different than shooting preserve birds.

    This morning reinforced my trust in Bay's nose. I can't count the times when she was out ahead of me on the road, caught wind of a partridge and charged into the woods. Many, many birds escaped without a shot and the ones I did shoot at showed no signs of pellet contact. Only one bird made a fatal mistake. Bay did one of her exits stage left and a grouse flushed up into a tree. At the moment of landing it saw me and flushed across the open road.

    Our diary reads, "6.7 miles, 18 encounters, 13 flushes, 3 shots, 1 bird." On the drive back to camp we saw another 6 birds in the road. Two were doubles. Lunch tasted very sweet in anticipation of our afternoon pursuit.

    Just before these self photos were taken I dropped the camera in the wet grass. Hence the blurriness.





    10-09-12 PM
    I decided to take the four wheeler this afternoon because we had passed a few roads that looked a little soft to traverse with my truck. That was a mistake. Every time we'd see a partridge in the road and slow down Bay would jump off the ATV and flush the bird. By 4PM were at the entrance of a road that looked like virgin ground. There was no sign anybody had been there recently. We parked and started our quest.

    I'm sure glad I'd brought plenty of ammo. The birds on this road were supersonic. The travel way had many twists and turns. Many times Bay would be just ahead of me at a corner, I'd see her ears and eyes lock up, she would start a sprint and I would hear the flush. This happened more than I liked but it sure kept Bay's interest up.

    The afternoon diary reads, "Hunted the other side of the brook. Lost count at over 25 flushes. One brood was 6 strong. Shot more than 10 times, 2 birds in bag, 1 loss. This place is partridge nirvana."



    It's whats for supper.



    Stay tuned for Wednesday's hunt. Can it get any better?

  6. #96
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    10-10-12 AM
    After all the action Tuesday afternoon on the new road it was easy to decide where to start today. No motor vehicle required today. We walked from camp.

    We reversed direction from the previous evening hunt and did the road backwards. It started misting light rain. It made our footfalls very quiet. The action was hot. My shooting was poor. The gun was shouldered at every flush but poor shooting lanes prevented touching the trigger. More than once a bird would flush low with Bay in hot pursuit. Nice straight away level shots. But fearing for the dog another encounter was logged without any gunfire.

    Another milestone for Bay this morning. While walking the edge of a logging yard I heard a bird flush wild in the woods, followed by an unseen second. Before my frown was complete a bird busted right under foot and offered a going away banking left for the woods shot. At the sound of the muzzle there was a puff of feathers while the bird flipped and fell in the woods.
    Bay saw the whole thing and was already in hot pursuit. She returned to the road with a live partridge in her mouth and offered it to hand.

    Our Wednesday morning log read " Other side of the brook this AM. 8.1 miles, 25 encounters, 2 shots, 1 bird.

    10-10-12 PM
    The saying don't leave fish to find fish was all the encouragement I needed to head back across the brook for our afternoon hunt. Finally a ray of sunshine returned to my shooting skills. In one hour we had 15 encounters, 9 flushes, 6 shots and 3 birds. This completed our second limit in as many years at partridge camp. On the way back we continued to flush grouse.

    I also abandoned the single 20 for the O&U 12. It was a wise choice.



    While it may be hard to beat the weather and success of Partridge Camp 2012 plans for 2013 are already underway.

  7. #97
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    10-13-12
    Yesterday was the opening of Maine's autumn shotgun season for wild turkeys. Bay and I traveled to the central part of the state and met up with a couple friends. Having never been to this piece of woods I was directed on which trail to walk in search of our quarry.

    Up, up and up we went. We never did see any turkeys in the flesh but the freshly scratched woods floor told us they had been here.



    It was twenty seven degrees when we left the warm truck cab. In the photo I knew it was even colder. On our second ascent of the mountain later in the morning just to see if we missed anything I could see the fresh blanket of snow on the Presidential Range. What a brainfart for not getting a picture. It was stunning.

    In the afternoon we journeyed to our mountainside retreat fondly named Sampson's Bay. I haven't been to camp since Labor Day weekend. Other than a good raking needed the Bay was in good shape. This summer I saw a feral cat on the property. I asked around and no one claimed ownership. I had been concerned about mice since it had been a awhile since the trapline was set. There was no need to worry. Our local feline has been doing a very good job.

    On our memory walk up the mountain Bay put up two partridge and one woodcock. The gun was shouldered in instinct but the trio never offered a quality shot.

    There is a mystique to Camp Mountain and the critters that inhabit it. I know where this male grouse lives. I hear him drumming from the same exact location each spring while chasing the gobblers. Last October in Bay's and my first upland hunt on the mountain he was there again drumming totally out of mating season.

    Yesterday as we entered that area of the mountain he sent forth his mating drum for all to hear exactly from where he has been the last three years. He is a survivor so we passed by with just a salute and the hopes that his DNA would be passed down to future generations of Sampson's Bay ruffed grouse.

  8. #98
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    11-16-12
    Teaching the value of "Leave It".

    When we took Bay to puppy school a few years ago the instructor encouraged us to teach our dogs two very important commands, No and Leave It.

    Her reasoning was the No command was meant to discipline and The Leave It command to show restraint.

    Bay is a good learner. We have met a few porkys in our travels. She has had her chance to get quilled. Each time on the Leave It command she showed restraint.

    The true test was yesterday morning. When I took her out at daybreak to do her business there was a flock of wild turkeys in our back yard. Normally when in the woods I let her have at them. But I don't want to scare our backyard birds.

    She caught their scent before she saw them. I saw the body reaction instantly. When she made eye contact I gave her the Leave It command. Her body shook and shaked in anticipation of the flush.

    My next command was "Inside" as I wanted her out of this situation as quick as possible. I made eye contact with her as I headed for the house. She looked at the turkeys one more time and then turned left and followed me into the house.

    I am very proud of the Yellow Dog.

  9. #99
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    12-11-12
    I'm a little sad and lot more glad. Sad because deer season is over. It is now more of a reunion. Friendships are rekindled. Some of the guys I only see during the deer season.

    But more than glad because it is time to get the yellow dog back in the woods. Our dogs know our behavior. With Bay it is fluorescent orange. That color signals bird hunting. There were quite a few very sad moments during deer season when I was dressed in the color of the hunt and closed the door behind her. How do you make them understand? To top it off my wife would send me text messages that would read...

    "Bay hates you."

    "Bay says you suck"

    I saved some vacation time and the way I look at it weather permitting we have nine more days of partridge hunting left before the seasons close in NH and ME on 12-31-12.

    I miss the whirl of wings but most of all "Walking with the Yellow Dog."

    Thank you Lord for a safe and bountiful deer season. We look for your blessings as prepare again to chase the King.

    Amen!

  10. #100
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    Friday 12-14-12
    We rolled into Sampson's Bay about noon. Opened up camp then took a four wheeler ride up the mountain. Bay took her usual seat and rode flawlessly. Even when I buried the wheeler in a mud hole.

    By the time we got back to camp the furnace had warmed the place up to a livable temperature so I suited up and walked back up the mountain with Bay and the single twenty. We were after that partridge who lives along the stonewall in the beech whips.

    Unfortunately he or any of his prodigy were not home, But I did find the log I have heard him drumming on for a few years now.

    Sleep came quick in anticipation of our Saturday hunt.

    Saturday 12-15-12
    Very cold last night at camp. Took a trip to the Boonies this morning to top off the propane tanks. While they were filling my tanks another fella brought his tank over to be refilled. He saw Bay in the truck and commented about her. I told him as soon as we left we were heading back to camp and try and find us a late season partridge.

    What a small world it is for bird hunters. I learned his name was John Short and he and his wife operate J&A's Brittany's in Acton, ME J & A's Brittanys What was supposed to be a short fuel stop turned into a half hour talk on birds. John had a couple of his dogs along for the ride and the conversation never strayed far from the king of upland game birds. What are the odds we both needed propane at the same time? The Lord works in mysterious ways.

    Our first stop today was the old apple orchard down the street from camp. I've always wanted to hunt there. We took the ATV trail in along the side of the field. It was a great exploring trip. One trail led right over to the cutoff behind the Farm on the opposite ridge. Now when I hear a turkey gobble over there next spring I'll know how to access him quickly.

    The cover behind the orchard is mostly mature woods and lacks the secondary growth partridge thrive in. Our travels behind and through the orchard produced one wild flush of an unseen bird. I'll be back to this piece come spring turkey season.

    Our next stop was the cutoff above the Farm. This is all prime partridge habitat. I hear the cocks drumming from all directions in the spring. I decided to work the middle where no trails exist. All we found were turkey. Which isn't a bad thing if it were May and not December. We did flush another unseen grouse in about the exact spot we did last year. As soon as I saw Bay get birdy the partridge flushed out way ahead of us. Darkness was coming so we hit the road back to the truck. In all 9.1 miles in the grouse woods produced two flushes.

    Again........... I long for the County.

 



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