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Saturday, February 6, 2016

Grouse Hunting in the Virginia and West Virginia Mountains (Blog 280)

Today, I went grouse hunting in the Virginia and West Virginia mountains with friends Paul Hinlicky and Andy Rosenberger.  My reflexes and wingshooting skills are terrible and anyone who has ever gone bird hunting with me can attest to that condition.

Which is one of the reasons I enjoy going grouse hunting in January and February after the deer and turkey seasons have closed.  We experienced
a number of flushes today and on one of them the ruff flew very close to my position.  Paul and Andy both asked why I didn't shoot, and I explained that the bird was only visible for two seconds, and, for me, the first second and a half was taken up with my being surprised and the the next half second with my fumbling with my shotgun.

Later, I told Paul how I needed for a bird to act when it flushed.

"A grouse would need to rise up and fly directly away from me in a straight line at an even height for about four seconds, then I might have a chance."

Of course, ruffs don't fly like that, but, nevertheless, I had a great time in the mountains today.


4 comments:

  1. Yes, Bruce, if they flew straight away in open land for 4 seconds, we'd have come away from eight grouse yesterday -- a pretty wonderful flush and testimony to the benefit of responsible land management. Of the eight flushes, I saw exactly one hurtling sixty mile an hour (so it seemed) laterally across me at thirty yards and snap shot, probably right behind it. But it was fun! Paul

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