Pointing Grouse, rates and reviews

[dugger13]

Over the weekend, i took my 3 year old GWP out a couple times. Now that the woodcock are all gone from Northern Wisconsin, we can concentrate solely on grouse.

He is not the best but is getting better each time we go out. On Sunday, he pushed 7 birds, 3 of them pointed, 2 of the points I actually got shots at, and missed both (My typical way or saving for the next generation). I think this was his best day on pointing grouse. Weather was cool, little breeze.

He really did great this year on woodcocks, but seems to run over the grouse at only point about 30 percent of so. Would you considered that good, fair, "roughed" ?

I am happy with him. I do take any shot i can at grouse. Probably not the best idea, but they taste so good. Thoughts

[Grange]

I got back yesterday from a week plus at the cottage in northern WI. The last woodcock I saw was last Saturday (10/27). The worse day of the trip I only had two points (two grouse each point). What I found was a lot of the points and flushes (by my lab) were on multiple birds and there were several times that hunting with a over/under left me cursing as I wasted my shells on hard shots only to be mocked by mr. grouse with easy flushes while holding an empty gun. As far as points vs bumped birds my setter's average is very good. I only saw two stop to flushes and didn't see her bumping any birds. I did have several relocates though because the birds seemed to be running.

[mik]

I think if you're happy with how he's doin on grouse that should be your barometer.....Otto's first two seasons (on our 3rd as he's 2-1/2), I didn't shoot at one he didn't point but as you know with the pressured birds in Wisco we'd go hungry if that continued for his entire hunting career....

I've been very pleased with otto poining on grouse this year, actually surprised as I thought in those cases they'd be Timberdoodles...

Takin a few weeks off of the birds with deer huntin but lookin forward to gettin out in December if the snow isn't too deep