# my opener



## Rabbit_slayer16 (Oct 18, 2007)

got off work at 3:30. picked my dad and star up and heading up the mountain to some spots i had been scouting. First spot not one bird where i had been seeing a couple every time out. So we headed back to the truck and went to another spot. hit the first ridge that i knew some birds would be on and 3 flushed before she pointed. she wanted to chase but stood still. i went and flushed 2 others while she stayed right there, missed all 3 shots :roll:
We watched where they went and headed down their way. we stopped and were standing for a minute while star worked the hill, i saw one of the birds kinda turning in circles trying to figure out what to do. it wild flushed and dad dropped it. called star over to retrieve it, she never saw it fall or even go up, so she was just normal hunting and stopped on a solid point. i knew it was the down bird so went it and got it and praised her. Started walking a little more down and saw a bird standing up on the other ridge. So up we went.. VERY THICK RIGHT THERE! well star all of a sudden stops following me and running back and forth sounding like she is chewing on a bone.. i try to get her to come but she wont, i walk down and see she has about 200 quills in her face and front left leg.. so pulled all of them out and she did not make a sound once! as soon as they were out she was gone hunting. So i hiked up to where my dad was out of the thick and circled to where the birds were. Star was about 20 yards away starting to get birdie. one flew up, she stopped and stood still again. dad decided he wanted to hunt another ridge by us but i wanted to go find that bird that flushed and the possible others. i took 4 steps and up went one. bam.. missed.. star stood still. up another one. bam. FINALLY a connection. star still stood still. i gave her the go command and walked down toward where it was. she pointed the down bird from around 10 yards away this time and stayed put till i had it in my hand and said to go. I was very happy with her first hunt.
i forgot the camera in the truck but got a picture of her and the birds.









me, star, and the birds









star knows the fun is over..


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## FC2Tuber (Oct 26, 2007)

Nice report! Sounds like your dog is a keeper!


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## shotgunwill (May 16, 2008)

Great opener Slayer! I had a good one too. For some strange reason, I decided to work on a Saturday. :roll: Funny, cuz' grouse are my favorite eats. Anyway, I kicked off at lunch, cuz' I couldn't take it anyone more, knowing it was the opener. I ran to Sportsman's to renew my license, and I grabbed a box of Fast Lead. My wife was taking me out on a date that night, so I had a few time constraints, and I chose to go to an entirely new place that was closer than my other two spots.

After a MURDEROUS hike, I finally reached the elevation where the pines were. The smell of the pines and oaks was intoxicating. I continued on the trail, and happened to see two ruff's on the hill close to the trail. I ground pounded one of the them, and that flushed a third bird. I shot the third bird, as it was flying to a tree. Right after I shot the third bird, the second bird flushed, and I got him. That flushed two more birds, that would have been impossible shots. The first flock held at least 5 birds. I had trouble finding the one that was flying toward the tree, and still couldn't find it with the help of two other hunters. I felt bad about that, and counted it part of my bag anyway. I went further up the trail, and ran into another flock. Several of the birds flushed, and the rest just ran away. I bagged on of the birds that flushed, and then watched as some of runners flushed. I counted eight out of that flock. There were probably more. Out of curiosity, I hiked some more to see if I could find some more birds, and I did. I saw a flock on a hill that held about twelve, and later, another small flock of four, right by the trail.

I got a really nice male, but dang near blew its head off. So no mount there. I also had to hike em out, so they kinda look ratty.  Yes, that is a de-cap on the third one. Ouch!!!

[attachment=0:3cthoi0t]Grouse Opener2.jpg[/attachment:3cthoi0t]


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

I give this opener a B-. We some birds, probably 20 or so, that's a little below average. We got into them in one spot and didn't see another one. They weren't young of the year either. It was a great time and made me miss the mountains. 

We got 6 between 5 of us and missed several more that we should have shot. Great hunt, great time, and I'm sore....elevation for flatlanders is bad news.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

nice couple birds.There. thats a good looking dog.


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Great work! That pup is lookin' fine.


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