There was a strong wind blowing so scenting conditions were far from ideal but 10 minutes into the hunt Emma goes on point above me on the ridge. She's pointing downhill into a tree top and I had to make several detours in my struggle to reach her, but both she and the bird held tight. The bird flushed up the ridge and The Twigg, the little 16 gauge Belgium hammer gun, and I were in harmony and the bird dropped with a right barrel shot. The bird had fallen deep into a tree top and Emma struggled to retrieve it, finally getting a hold of it just as I reached her. To my surprise it turned out to be a beautiful chocolate phase bird.
It has been longer that I care to admit since I've killed a grouse over a point and I sat on a log and savored the moment until Emma came and reminded me that the hunt had just begun. We finished hunting the ridge with one empty point, no doubt a bird who lifted before I was within hearing range.
The next stop was at the Pheasant Ridge covert also a tree top littered cover. A small stream wandered down through the hollow which held many boggy spots.
Although Emma hunted diligently we found no birds in this cover.
The last stop was the Clover Run Covert. A huge clearcut growing back in mostly birch with scattered clumps of beech.
It was in one of these beech clumps that Emma with on point again, but this grouse didn't hold long and I heard it flush out on the other side of the beech as I made my way in. Emma had one more point that proved to be empty even though she was sure the bird was still there, letting me walk all around in front of her while she still held the point.
Two grouse pointed, one shot at and hit. It may not seem like much to some people but it was a Glorious Day for Emma and I.
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