# Grouse hunt 2012.



## 94NDTA

Grouse numbers look really good this year. Made a dumb mistake and brought target loads on accident, so we kept the shots pretty close. We would have had a couple more with the proper shells. Saw a handful of coveys that kept getting up about 30 yards away in really light cover. We ended up pushing them into some heavier cover, sent the dogs in to flush them out, and had ~10 burst out at once. Only got two, but was still an awesome weekend.

Both dogs did great. Sasha (19 months) did pretty good with the retrieve. Towards the end it started to click more what we were doing. All the practice started to come back.

This was Kodiak's first time out (4 years) ever, and was a natural. Casted Just like Sasha and found one of the downed birds. Not too shabby for not formal hunting training at all.



















aaaaand we are exhausted.










Good times, it is great to see all the practice pay off in a real world situation.


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## Dick Monson

You had a good round. Always fun to watch new dogs work out in the field. What kind of cover were you hunting? We have been in alfalfa fields and around the edges where they meet pasture. But I'm thinking maybe more of the birds have moved over to the corn edges, especially with the hawk migration going on now. Some years back we walked the edges of sunflower fields with good luck but they are gone now.


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## 94NDTA

We spotted them in open pasture, in very light cover. Alfelfa was present, but we never kicked any out of it.


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## Sasha and Abby

good story - can't wait


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## 94NDTA

Sasha and Abby said:


> good story - can't wait


For what?


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## Bagman

Love that photo of the tired pups. Good stuff.


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## Springer

94NDTA said:


> Sasha and Abby said:
> 
> 
> 
> good story - can't wait
> 
> 
> 
> For what?
Click to expand...

To come to ND to do some hunting I'm sure.


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## 94NDTA

3 more today, limited out. Sasha flushed 2 of the 3, and retrieved all of them nicely. First double of the year.


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## Dick Monson

Man, you are on a roll. Keep at it, the good part of season doesn't last long. :beer:

I'm stuck in a combine for a week. ARRRGGGHHH...


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## 94NDTA

Dick Monson said:


> Man, you are on a roll. Keep at it, the good part of season doesn't last long. :beer:
> 
> I'm stuck in a combine for a week. ARRRGGGHHH...


I hear ya. I put in a lot of leg work to get these three.

They were all on the edge of trees, or in trees.


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## Sask hunter

Good work :thumb: You mine as well get them before they become crazy wild.


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## Rufus

I would like to give sharp tails a try next year. What general areas of the state would be good to try? Thanks for any suggestions.


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