Hattie's afternoon

Left work early on Thursday to give Hattie one last chance to find a grouse this hunting season. We went to my Thomas trail cover where last year she gave me a nice point that resulted in a shot bird. The snow lay on portions of the trail as we started in.

Along the side of this ridge I hear Hattie's beeper collar go on point. The deer trail I was following went above her and I stayed on it as the path of least resistance. As she came into view I saw that she was pointing down the slope and as I began to work my way down the grouse lifted below her and was gone without a shot.

Later we worked an area of heavy barberry cover with no success.

So ended Hattie's 2009-10 hunting season. She had done her part but as so often happens luck was not on my side today and the grouse lived to perhaps give me sport next year.

New Years Day Hunt

My nephew Jim-Bob and I decided to hunt our Mckee's Gap cover on this the first day of 2010. The weather has been less than ideal since before Christmas and it was our first hunt together in Pa.'s second season. 4 to 5 inches of snow made for slow going up the old logging road.

Emma was just happy to be out and about.
After about an hour Jim-Bob's setter Zeke went on point below us on the mountain. Emma backed him nicely and Jim slid down the slope toward them, but the grouse flushed before he could get in position for a shot. Here's Jim-Bob struggling back up the mountain.

We had several wild flushes but couldn't find any more birds to hold for the dogs, so we worked out way down off the mountain with the knowledge that the birds would be there for us next time we felt up to a Mckee's Gap hunt.