For some reason, I only took one pic while at grouse camp. Given that I spent 60 hours driving, though, I took several of me and the pup cruising through some wonderful American scenery in WY, SD, and MN.
I nearly got my second buck antelope of the year, as one decided to step right out in front of my car as I was driving through the northeast corner of WY. It was dusk at that point, and over the next 2 hours I saw upwards of 50 deer standing along the road - a couple of really nice muley bucks and one nice whitetail buck. Looked like a good unit to burn some points on.
Arriving at camp after 30 hours of straight through driving, my priorities were (1) introduce myself to
@VikingsGuy and
@wllm1313 who greeted me as I pulled in, and (2) get a beer out of the cooler. The three of us enjoyed some Moab Brewing double IPA’s and waited for the others to arrive or return from their day of hunting.
The next morning, I was lucky to be paired with our gracious host and the guy with all of the inside knowledge on local honey holes (or so I thought),
@VikingsGuy. Our morning hunt was uneventful as the dogs were working out the kinks of a long off season. We heard a few grouse bust behind us, but never saw a bird. After a 2 mile sludge up and old logging road, we returned to the truck to go find another spot. A short drive down the road, and I spot a grouse standing in the road on my side. I point it out to my chauffeur, who pulls over and says “go shoot it!”. Not one to question a local, I jump out of the truck, get my gun out of the truck bed, load it approach the fearless critter who seems to have no intention of flying away. #GroundPound #1.
Not an old English double, but I sure do like that Franchi semi auto.
That ended up being our only bird for the day, but the time spent with
@VikingsGuy and his dogs was the real reward.
The next morning,
@BrentD drew the short straw and had to endure a day with the guy with the modern gun and foofoo dog. Whereas I assumed
@VikingsGuy knew all the local honey holes,
@BrentD had done his homework! His OnX had about as many pins on it as that road grouse I shot at 20 yds had BB’s in it! Hitting an old logging road that had produced grouse the previous day, we come upon another road grouse. At least this time we were walking vs driving. Another dead grouse at 20 yds. It was a pretty active day jumping grouse. We missed as many as we shot, but it was tons of fun. We did come upon another road grouse late in the day, and I was determined to shoot one on the wing. Brent and the dogs were in the truck, so I approached the fearless bird, and approached, and approached... waiting for it to take flight. It finally did, and flew straight into the thicket and I had a clean miss. Brent’s first comment when he pulled up in the truck “why the hell didn’t you shoot that bird when he was on the ground.”
Unfortunately, the timing for this trip had it sandwiched between a work trip to NC and a new home purchase closing in UT - both of which were added to the schedule long after this hunt was planned. So after 2 days of hunting and some incredible food and fellowship, Wasatch and I had to hit the road back home.
Some might question 60 hrs of driving for 2 days of grouse hunting, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I actually enjoy the road time, and it was even more enjoyable with my new pup along for the ride. Despite predictions of mass murder in the Northwoods, I met and became friends with a great group of seriously talented hunters (and cooks!).
@VikingsGuy, those Korean bbq bear sliders were amazing.
@BrentD, I ate a lot of squirrel as a kid growing up in Appalachia, and was really looking forward to that step back in time to my childhood - you did not disappoint.
@Hunting Wife, I hate that I had to leave before the MASSIVE iron pan nachos, but I understand plans are already being made for next year. Hopefully you can do an encore.
. I also thought this was some sort of annual affair and we would be the “new guys”, so to speak. It was interesting to be a part of a completely new gathering where no one had met previously, and I think a good time was had by all. We certainly did not want for food!
