10,000 miles

[reba]

Next Wednesday I will leave on my annual bird hunting expedition, fly fishing included.

I will chase birds in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Arizona. (chukar, quail, sharp tail, pheasant, huns, sage chickens)

Always making new friends with bird dogs.

Look for the 2003 silver F250 an old guy with a GSP and a ACD.

[Sharon]

Have a great time!

[Garrison]

Sounds like a terrible way to spend some time. Stay safe and enjoy!

[NC Quailhunter]

Have a great season. Hopefully a trip report and photos will follow.

[j d patrick]

maybe I will see you on the road

[reba]

26 degrees in Grouse camp this morning.

[Featherfinder]

Sounds like you're living my dream!
All the best, safe hunting and feel free to share pics Sir!
Can't lie. I envy you.

[reba]

When trying to attach a picture I get a message that says it's to large????

[Makintrax73]

If you're using a IPhone you can always email a copy to yourself and it'll give you a couple of size options to reduce the size. I expect there are easier ways to do it, but that's the one I know of.

How's the hunting going? Did the heat break yet?

[reba]

Opening morning for Sage grouse. Cool weather with a light sprinkle of rain yesterday and a light breeze that made scenting conditions excellent. Jolie my GSP went on point 8 minutes out of the truck. Shot at a couple at distance while a couple of close ones got away 10 minutes later Jolie is on point again. I walk up to her and told her easy. She proceeds to low crawl the next 75 yards and then slams on the brakes. No missing this time. Please understand there is a two bird per day limit. Got up a couple more coveys and finished out the morning hunt. Jolie ran 10 miles and I most likely walked 2 miles in the one a three quarter hours we were on the ground. Saw no other hunters and I could see several miles in all directions.

Yep, there is snow on the Winds.

I will hunt a different spot everyday for the next 5 days. Fun stuff.

Wish you were here.

[bonasa]

You swing flies in Oregon?

[Featherfinder]

Even without the pics, you have me drooling reba!!
I wish I was there too!
Maybe when you're down in AZ, depending on when/where???

[reba]

I do fly fish in Wyoming. The Green and New Fork

This morning the Sage Grouse were thick! Four coveys on a football field area. So it was over before it started. Spent the rest of the morning chasing Ruffed Grouse.

[reba]

Monday morning, clear warm, no breeze.

Went to an improved water tank with a solar powered well. The tank was full and the water running over formed a small pond.

I parked below the tank and down wind, but there wasn't a breeze.

Jolie worked up to the tank and then we walked another 3/4 mile but no birds and it seemed hot with no breeze.

A couple of antelope took notice of Jolie allowing me to walk less than a 100 yards of them.

On our back cast Jolie once again went to the improved water source. I thought she just want a little swim to cool off. Holy smokes she went on point and several birds flushed. Bang got one. After that Jolie did go for a little swim.

We still had another 200 yards to the truck, so we took the round about way. About 40 years from the truck Jolie goes on point again. Yes truck coveys do happen. Now I had my limit and Jolie goes on point again. With shotgun in one hand a Sage grouse in the other I walk up to Jolie and more birds get up. I drop the bird in hand and fire another shot just to make Jolie happy, not aiming at any birds of course.

So tonight will be Sage grouse Alfredo with lots of onions, garlic and peppers and egg noodles al dente.

AND a little Glenlivet single malt

[Wyobio]

Sounds like you had good visit to the upper Green. I have been too busy with work and now elk season, only chased ruff and blue grouse. But my wife went out about 5 times for sage grouse (I live in Pinedale). Sounds like they did pretty well this season! We were very concerned that the cold wet and late spring were going to be terrible for all the grouse, but I have been out 4 times for forest grouse and killed 2-3 each time. Passed on a bunch of smaller ruffed grouse during the first 2 weeks of September. But I know where they live, and they will be fair game by November

[reba]

Wyobio,

I've been camped in comfort at the "Llama Farm"

Tomorrow morning I drag up and head to Sweetgrass, Mt.

Yes the chicken hunting was excellent. I did get onto some Ruffed also.

Don't know if there was enough snow to move the elk.

Best wishes

[Tenderfoot]

Reba, any updates? Would love to see some pics

[Featherfinder]

Reba...you're killing me!! If the bird reporting isn't envious enough, you have to add my second-most valued interests - food and wine/single malt!!!
One of my personal favorite noodles for game in general are pappardelle (egg) noodles. They seem to embrace their co-stars and better retain some of the flavors.
The Glenlivet seems to be developing into a cultish sip. For the most part, many prefer it over some of the other brands.
While I might prefer The Macallan, for value it's hard to beat say...a 15 year old Glenlivet, isn't it?
Keep the hunting reports flowing, please. Some of us savor the pictures your create even if it's just in our minds. Thank you for that Reba!

[reba]

OK!

Remember on these trips the internet and cellphone service are not available in many places.

WEATHER, WEATHER, WEATHER is the most controlling factor; such as lots of birds and terrible weather, great weather and no birds.

Wyoming great weather good bird numbers.

Montana terrible weather a few birds.

Idaho 4 or 5 nights of single digits, with warm sunny days. Lots of birds on a friends ranch: pheasant, quail, chukar and huns.

Oregon/Nevada great weather almost to warm. Days with no birds, other days good.

I feel I have the advantage over other hunters because of the way I hunt. I have learned to read the habitat, just because there were birds in a place last year does not mean they will be there next year. Like fishing; water conditions change so does what the fish are eating.

On my way to AZ first of December, so I need new tires and a oil change.

Best wishes

[Tenderfoot]

Wouldn’t hurt my feelings to see couple pics. Just sayin....some of us gotta live through others

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

love to see some pictures!!

[reba]

Just tried to post a picture and it was to large.

[averageguy]

Just tried to post a picture and it was to large.

I post my photos on a free hosting site and then copy and paste the link to forums such as this when I want to share them. Avoids the PIA of having to reduce file size and is there for use on any and all other sites as you please.

[Featherfinder]

Reba, try going into your laptop pics and right click. You should get a number of options - one being "Resize". Just play around with the size until you find what works, save, etc. Done properly you will still have the original and the resized version in your pics. That's what I have done in the past.

[weimdogman]

I share pics in messenger.
Then I delete the pic from my gallery.
Then I save/download the pic from messenger.
The download is resized and can be shared easily.

Try it with a insignificant pic before you delete a treasured jewel

[jack the dog]

What a wonderful sounding trip.
Just slightly jealous.