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Gentlemen,

As some of you know my Grouse season this year was cut pretty badly because I had a major foot and leg operation. The good news is I am now healing nicely and should be back in the Grouse woods this next coming season. The operation came at a really bad time because our Grouse population was way up in our mountains and I was able to get out 3 times before I was operated on. Each time I got my 2 bird limit and left many Grouse in my favorite coverts for next season, it was the best Grouse season I had in over 20 years and I am definitely looking forward to next years Grouse season. I do not know if the Grouse population in our home coverts was a true indication as to the entire northern tier of Pa, but if it was we now have a solid Grouse population back again in our Potter, Tioga and Warren counties. My leg and foot have been healing very slowly, at times I was very disappointed at my rate of recovery, I have a sugar problem now that just surfaced, looks like I will be taking meds for the rest of my life because of it. Getting old is definitely no fun, in my mid 70's now and have slowed down quite a bit, 1st time in my life I have limited my GS to an 70 yard circle while Grouse & Woodcock hunting, It did worked out well this year because of our high Grouse population however.
It was like being back in the 50's there were so many Grouse around. I only got to shoot 6 times for the 6 Grouse I took, some of the very best gunning I have ever done, especially in the early part of the season, with the heavy foliage. Now with the way my foot and leg are healing I am very excited for this next Grouse & Woodcock season. Happy days!

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Pine Creek Heston our Ryman Setter male is now 17 years old and fully retired. Our GS female Pine Creek Shadow, is now our primary Grouse dog.

Glad to hear that and hope you continue to improve.

That is great to hear. We had an very good pheasant and good quail year. I don't shoot as much as I used to because I have spent a lot of time and energy restoring habitat and I hate shoot the birds on my property. I took a lot of guys that just don't have many opportunities out and had a great time doing it. Life is just so much better with something to look forward to!

James

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1146

At our age that healing stuff can be very frustrating. My general formula is 6 months before you wake up and it dawns on you it hasn't bothered you lately. Sounds like you have competent medical support and a positive attitude so mother nature will handle the rest in her own good time. Patience is a virtue. Just keep remembering those 6 grouse and the great shooting you did and you'll be back out there better than ever for next season.

Glad to hear you're doing well and looking forward to next season. Sounds like you could have another banner year if the birds are using the snow for cover.

Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 233

Glad to hear your doing better.

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1754 Location: Minnesota

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Joined: 08 May 2018 Posts: 233

Glad to hear your doing better.

Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 138 Location: Grampian, PA

Bummer

Glad to hear it Dave.

Joined: 04 Mar 2019 Posts: 2009 Location: Central ND

Get well soon and have a great hunting season this coming fall.

Joined: 30 Sep 2019 Posts: 186 Location: Colorado

Dave, I have a friend in for a heart procedure right now as I write so feeling our shared mortality as I read of your challenges. Glad you’re recovering well and had a good, if brief, grouse season. All the best to you.

Heal quickly and completely!

Gentlemen,

Thank you qll for the kind words, I really appreciate them. Makes me feel all warm inside.

This coming Grouse season should be a great season with all the Grouse I saw and left in my home coverts last season, I want to be healed up completely so I can walk the mountains with my usual ease. I used my 2 different 16 gauge guns to shoot the 6 Grouse in a row, some thing I have never done in my 60 years of Grouse hunting. I was dead on with both those old L.C. Smith double guns last year. I doubt I will be able to due that kind of gunning ever again. All the Grouse were set up by Shadow my GS Grouse dog and were from 20-30 yards from me, it was like shooting Grouse back in the 50's when we had Grouse every where in our Pa mountains. I did get to see a big covert rise down along Pine Creek at an old time covert location right along the creek. Good 15 birds in the rise, not all at the same time however, Shadow really did a great job in that big covert with multiple points and one nice retrieve, on a big Grouse that chose not to fly across the swift moving upper pine creek. The Grouse banked to the left going up the hill side and I shot the big bird down with the IC barrel of the Silver Breech L.C Smith double gun.
It was the last Grouse of the season for me, and I was very satisfied with both the dog work and my gunning.

thanks again fellows for the very nice words!

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 407

Good for you Dave. Godspeed