Hi Folks,
Well our 2nd
annual grouse hunting trip was delayed a week, due to a busy fall work
schedule, and a nasty fall cold. But we
finally departed on Wednesday the 28th on our 550 mile journey to
the remote upper peninsula of Michigan. It was a nasty wet trip from the a gulf hurricane that carried a large amount of rainfall all the
way to Canada. (Nice timing) We arrive in beautiful and remote Seney Michigan,
at the Fox River Motel at about 4:00 in the evening. By the time we unloaded
the truck, and let the dogs stretch their legs there wasn’t much time left for
anything other than dinner. This trip my
second year in a row coming to Mi., but further north this time in search of
better numbers (of birds that is). Colt
(our male) and his Mama Tessi (who is on loan from Mr. Hamer) made the journey
for the 3 days of hunting. Tessi, a grouse guide dog is my ringer on
this trip, and Colt, a young accomplished pheasant dog, is trying to earn his
stripes in the grouse woods. At the
hotel we met up with a couple of veteran UP grouse hunters. One of them was a 92 year old named Ceo Bauer,
who was full of information, and fascinating stories. He was actually the head
civil engineer for building the paved roads in the UP during the 50’s and 60’s.
The rest area just off of M28 just outside of Seney, is named after him. The
most interesting of his stories was
related to a local trapper who just that very day, caught a grey wolf in his
trap, in the very same area that we plan to grouse hunt. That will give you goosebumps, or t least it
did me!
Day 2 – I jump up at 6:00AM, smack dad on the feet on the
way to the shower and I’m ready to go! After getting dressed I fling the hotel
room door open ready to explode with excitement, only to find that the monsoon
season is seemingly still upon us. After
getting the dogs some morning relief, and a drink of water, we decide that with
the heavy rain and 34 degree temps maybe breakfast is a better option. We travel 7 miles south to Germfask, to a
little country diner, and low and behold who is there but my new 92 year old
friend, Ceo. We have breakfast with
them, and they give us some more advice as to where we may have the best chance
to bag some grouse.
We finish breakfast, and head to our first spot. Tessi gets the call, and sets off hunting
south, into that northern breeze (and rain) not 50’ into the cover she slam’s
to a stop, quivering with excitement. “Point”
I yell to dad. I creep in front of her, and the bird takes flight. BANG, my
Browning Maxis cry’s out, and the bird crashes to the ground dad yells “what
was it?”, “Woodcock” I reply. Tessi
heads off to find the prize, when all the sudden she hits another point! “Point,” I yell again. I abandoned the search
for my first downed bird to see what she has found this time. As I walk into the point, the leaves explode
and a hard flying grouse, blasts out headed west towards dad. Bang, Bang, Bang
he empties his gun! “I got him” dad hollers back excited for his first grouse. I head over to where he thinks the bird went
down, and quickly locate his grouse by
the beating of the wings on the ground.
What a great start to the day….
All in all, we hunted 8 miles this day, and I bagged my limit of
woodcock, while dad bagged the 1 and only grouse. We had productive points, over both dogs and
had a moral victory bagging these 4 birds, in the nasty pouring down, cold
rain. I can’t remember a time, that I
have gone back to the hotel more wet from a day of hunting. We bumped into our
new friends again at the hotel, and they too were excited at the day’s
harvest. We planned another breakfast
meeting in the morning, and called it a night.
Day 3 – The weather was much more cooperative today. Dry (mostly) and even an occasional glimpse
of sunshine. We thought for sure this
would be the day… We hunted multiple
covers, walked a total of 8 miles on day 2 alone. But the only excitement was limited to one
lone woodcock that Colt pointed, but bumped from moving in too tight on
it, so I let fly away to reinforce good training.
Day 4 – The cold wet weather continued, and instead of
braving another day soaked to the bone, and freezing. We surrendered to the great northern woods,
and pack up to head home.
Overall the trip was great, and
even though I STILL, am yet to bag my first grouse. (Insert eye-roll here) I
wouldn’t trade this trip or any of the trips with my dad for anything. Dad has always told me since I was little kid
tagging alone on his deer hunting trips.
“Son it’s not always about killing something, sometimes it’s just about
getting to go.” Well no doubt that
statement is so true, but I would sure like to get a damn grouse!
In a few short weeks, we’ll be
heading the plains of South Dakota.
There we’ll be chasing those big SD roosters, Prairie Chickens, and
Sharp-tail grouse. Remi is finished with
her fall conditioning, and will be front and center in the pursuit of our limit
of roosters. She, Colt, and Nelli will carry the bulk of
the work load. But I anticipate lots of
action, and excitement as Dad gets Rugar (His 9 month old Brittany out of Remi
and Colt) into her first wild bird experience.
I hope he’s been training for a marathon, because she is BIRD –CRAZY!
Hope you enjoy the pictures from
the UP hunting trip, and keep an eye out for the stories from South Dakota in
the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Matt Larison
Mackinaw Bridge (Raining)
The U.P. (raining)
"Tessi"
"Colt"
A little Northern "hillbilly ingenuity"
(We found this in the middle of Nowhere in the woods)
(Still raining)
Nice work Tessi
(Wait, did it stop raining?)
Dad Says thanks!
(Nope, still raining)
(Nope, still raining)
35 degrees and rain, but still success!
(Yes still raining)
Dad and I after the first morning hunting
(and yes even when I took this pic...It was still raining)
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