Last Day Wanderings

My mind wandered from one covert to another as I tried to decide where to spend the last day of the season. Although I was leaning toward several coverts which had produced birds for me earlier in the year I finally decided on my McKee's Gap South covert. I hadn't hunted there yet this year and although it is growing out of the thick stem density that grouse thrive in this covert holds alot of good memories for years past. Because of the solid performance she had given my this year Copper got the nod today.There's still some thick cover on the steep mountainside, mostly greenbrier tangles. As Copper worked the cover above the log road I was walking on a grouse flushed just below and behind me making me flinch and jerk around to watch it's black banded red fantail disappear down the mountainside. I had to smile to myself that after years of hunting these incredible birds I still had that involuntary reaction to their sudden thunderous flush.

Later Copper locked into a solid point along the log road. She held as I walked in with heart pounding, but it proved to be any empty point.

Copper and I taking a break, with us both remembering that we're not as young as we once were.

Not as good of a picture as I had hoped for, but here's a spring bubbling out of the mountain side.

and the stream it gave life to.

As always I kept my eye open for the unusual. I spotted this old bone lying on a stump.

A closer look revealed the animal gnawing on it as they seeked the minerals it held.

Our hunt ended without any more grouse contacts, but it was still good to know that this grand cover still held at least one grouse and no doubt a few more to hopefully breed on for next season.