"Shut out" in NH
Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 8:46 am
We just got back last night from out trip to Pittsburg, NH. I am humiliated to admit the bag is empty!
We hunted Perry Stream the first afternoon, parked, let the dog out, and walked about 30 yards down a little trail, Ginger was up ahead on point already to the side (we had no idea - I mean, we were just getting started). As we caught up to her a grouse came busting out - I tried to shoot but had the safety on - by the time I got the second shot off it was too late. I just wasn't in "hunt mode" yet, this was less than a minute from getting out of the truck. Other than a grouse crossing the road while driving that was it for the day.
Day 2 we hunted Indian Stream 4-5 hours. Then we went to River Rd and then back to Perry Stream where we flushed the first grouse. NO bird contact whatsoever. No sound of birds flushing anywhere nearby... nada. 10 hours of hunting. My son found a nice knife at Perry Stream, that turned out to be mine I had unknowkingly lost the day before. We got a nice laugh out of that.
Day 3 we hunted along Magalloway Rd and up on Magalloway Mountain. I shot at and missed one grouse, and my son one woodcock. We saw one other woodcock flush a long way away and one grouse crossing the road. And that was it for the trip. Back at the cabins we talked to many hunters who had similar experiences - maybe 3-4 bird contacts. It was tough. The guys in the cabin next to us were from NY and knew Ray Gubernat... so GDF is quite a network.
Ginger did great and did not shy away from the thickest cover. That was the most difficult terrain I have ever hunted. She hunted hard all day, maybe hunting a littler closer in by 3pm each day. I was really proud of her.
The scenery was amazing and the locale just great. It wasn't crowded and there were great restaurants. My wife and two non-hunting kids hiked to waterfalls and had a great time. Our Lopstick cabin was quite rustic, to say the least, but after settling in really grew on us. We ate two nights at the Rainbow Grill which is a great place. We ate at the Indian Stream Cantina as well, which had surprisingly amazing margaritas.
I recommend to anyone to rush out and buy the GARMIN ASTRO. Man what a great tool that is!
This was where we saw some birds on the third day:
This was a "christmas tree" forest of 6-8 ft tall firs next to an alder run which had a nice edge:
Our little shack!
Our rig (Ginger had a nice smile until she suddenly noticed that Noah had some jerky in his hand:
We hunted Perry Stream the first afternoon, parked, let the dog out, and walked about 30 yards down a little trail, Ginger was up ahead on point already to the side (we had no idea - I mean, we were just getting started). As we caught up to her a grouse came busting out - I tried to shoot but had the safety on - by the time I got the second shot off it was too late. I just wasn't in "hunt mode" yet, this was less than a minute from getting out of the truck. Other than a grouse crossing the road while driving that was it for the day.
Day 2 we hunted Indian Stream 4-5 hours. Then we went to River Rd and then back to Perry Stream where we flushed the first grouse. NO bird contact whatsoever. No sound of birds flushing anywhere nearby... nada. 10 hours of hunting. My son found a nice knife at Perry Stream, that turned out to be mine I had unknowkingly lost the day before. We got a nice laugh out of that.
Day 3 we hunted along Magalloway Rd and up on Magalloway Mountain. I shot at and missed one grouse, and my son one woodcock. We saw one other woodcock flush a long way away and one grouse crossing the road. And that was it for the trip. Back at the cabins we talked to many hunters who had similar experiences - maybe 3-4 bird contacts. It was tough. The guys in the cabin next to us were from NY and knew Ray Gubernat... so GDF is quite a network.
Ginger did great and did not shy away from the thickest cover. That was the most difficult terrain I have ever hunted. She hunted hard all day, maybe hunting a littler closer in by 3pm each day. I was really proud of her.
The scenery was amazing and the locale just great. It wasn't crowded and there were great restaurants. My wife and two non-hunting kids hiked to waterfalls and had a great time. Our Lopstick cabin was quite rustic, to say the least, but after settling in really grew on us. We ate two nights at the Rainbow Grill which is a great place. We ate at the Indian Stream Cantina as well, which had surprisingly amazing margaritas.
I recommend to anyone to rush out and buy the GARMIN ASTRO. Man what a great tool that is!
This was where we saw some birds on the third day:
This was a "christmas tree" forest of 6-8 ft tall firs next to an alder run which had a nice edge:
Our little shack!
Our rig (Ginger had a nice smile until she suddenly noticed that Noah had some jerky in his hand: