Late Season Grouse

[farmhunter]

When I was younger I used to grouse hunt afternoons in the fall. Bow season wasn't as important to me then and I never worried about educating the deer. These days I rarely hunt grouse in the fall, as I don't like to be shooting in the field during deer bow season - so I try to get out for a late season hunt or two. So this past weekend I did get out for a bit. The birds flush wild this time of year - I think I put up 8 birds and I shot twice and got one. Not too bad.

 

[H20fwler]

Sounds like a great hunt!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Nice! Is that and Ithaca 37?

 

[farmhunter]

it sure is an Ithaca 37 featherlight. Its my second one, my back up. My baby, my original - I wore out the forestock, and replacing it messed with the threads that hold it together. I need to get it fixed but in the meantime came across another a little newer. 40 years an Ithaca fan.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

it sure is an Ithaca 37 featherlight. Its my second one, my back up. My baby, my original - I wore out the forestock, and replacing it messed with the threads that hold it together. I need to get it fixed but in the meantime came across another a little newer. 40 years an Ithaca fan.

That's awesome farmhunter. I have my grandfather's early 60's era 37 featherlight with the bird barrel and a deer barrel. I enjoy taking it out on a grouse or rabbit hunt. Not real good for deer by today's standards, but I do take it out during shotgun season when I am tracking deer in falling and blowing snow.

I tried an Ithaca 87 Deerslayer II in 16 gauge when they first came out in the late 90's. But with only a single slide for the action the fore-end rattled noisily quite a bit. It was unacceptable and I sold it. But without a doubt, that shotgun combined with Lightfield's 16 gauge sabot slug was the most accurate slug gun I have ever used.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice red phase bird !! I always thought they looked cooler than the gray phase. Great gun too. I have my Dad's 1950's era Ithaca 12 ga. I couldn't hazard a guess how many rabbits, grouse, and pheasants that thing took. Great to see an Ithaca in a pic with the coolest game bird - IMO. Thanks for sharing !!

 

[farmhunter]

I have a 12ga Ithaca Deerslayer II deluxe with the Monte Carlo stock, - Light-fields were indeed the best of the lot - but the BRIs in the early days of Rifled Barrel 12ga served me well. Mine was a little rattly - I know what you are saying. I retired it when CNY allowed rifle hunting. Not sure what to do with it now.

I was always intrigued by the red and gray phased birds. Of all the game animals, grouse was our only real upland game growing up - and to shoot one.....out of the air....... was like the ultimate. I rarely hunted with a dog, Had my own Brittany in the early 2000s - hes an old man now. I liked hunting with him - but I think I got more birds on my own.

sometimes we'd get the birds up into the hemlocks, he loved looking for them up there!

 

[Someday isle]

Pretty Britt! Not many grouse around here but we used to do a lot of quail hunting. I had a semi trained German shorthair (my short comings, not his) or maybe my dog had a poorly trained hunter. I swear he'd look at me with a glance that said "Come on! How could you miss that one?" Wingshooting is an art in itself and a lot of fun. Sometimes I miss that dog and those days walking the field edges with him.