Thanks

A few great bloggers have given me a mention and a boost in viewers.

I would like to give my thanks to Brigid. She has a fantastic blog and it is a pure pleasure to read her prose.

Bill at Black and Tan Bombshells has a great bird dog blog and he I believe is in it for the love of the dogs.

MDMM at Sometimes Far Afield is also another great blog about hunting, food and the outdoors.
I have been following it for a long time.


Thank you, I appreciate your kind words.

Out again

I awoke on Monday and decided to head out again. I still felt a little off so instead of heading inland I took the two dogs and headed up the shore



I headed to Cape Race which is a rugged piece of coast



I use to hunt on this ground years ago when I was a young boy with my father and see the ships passing off the coast. Cape Race is a major landfall for ships on the North Atlantic Route. When hunting there with my father years ago I would see the ships and wonder as a boy would, about who was on them and where were they going. I wanted to sail on them and thought that one day I too was going to sail the world. I made my living as a merchant sailor and officer for over 20 years and sailing years later often looked upon the great capes of the world and wished I was ashore.

Anyway we headed towards the cape then got out of the truck and headed in on the big rocky ridges



Wind there was, when I got home I checked the Environment Canada website and saw we had gusts over 50 mph. That is not a lot of wind for Newfoundland but much to much to be bird hunting in. With my cold and that wind on open ground we had an exhausting hunt. When the two dogs and I got back to the truck the three of us were dragged out the wind was a great deal higher than forecasted.
(In spite of the wind I had some great dogwork and hit a few big coveys of ptarmigan.
I am hunting my two dogs together as a brace more this year. I usually try to have a fresh dog. I am planning to get two more dogs the winter)
In the picture of the barrens with the sea in the background if you look closely to the center left of the picture along the shoreline you can see Cape Race lighthouse. This is the closest landfall to a great many wrecked ships including the Titanic. The past few nights the sea has been feather white and I am glad to be home close to my family. I had many a rough night on the North Atlantic in winter.




One more day is planned with the dogs then I am going to pick up the rifle and paddle

rain has stopped but

The rain has stopped for the first time in days but I have picked up some kind of bug in my chest and throat so I am here looking out the window. I haven't been out since Wednesday.It is pretty breezy though. I am going in Tuesday for an few days if I feel alright. Its good to see the sun. I plan to spend next week with the bird dogs but I am going to get serious with looking for a moose come November. I have seen quite a few moose this fall and its no problem to shoot one. The problem is to get one where you can do something with him,especially when you are by yourself . I have had some terrible lugs on moose over the years. This year I hopefully will get him along a lake or river so I can get a canoe or boat to him. I have an old Model 70 in 30-06 that I am quite fond of. After November 1st, the dogs are staying home until I get him hung. I will post some pictures of my moose hunting area when I go there. I access it by canoe, you can walk there but access is a great deal easier by canoe or boat. We are starting to get snow now here but It hasn't been sticking around. I love moose hunting in the snow.

Still Raining

Here in Newfoundland we tend to get a fair bit of rain in the fall but this October it has been unreal. We have rain or drizzle everyday. I don't mind getting a bit wet but I like being able to see my dogs. Yesterday the fog and drizzle lifted a little so I took the rain gear and headed into a spot I haven't been for years. I shot my first bird there and hunted it regularly with my father years ago. Had quite a few rain showers in there but It was worth it. Dogs found a few birds and I saw some country that I haven't seen for years. Rain is forecast for the next few days and my legs and the dogs paws need a bit of rest so we will probably wait until Saturday before going in again. I don't think it going to stop raining, it will just change to snow soon. I am soon going to have to spend some time seriously looking for a moose. I would much rather just run my dogs. There are days with iffy weather in which it would be easy to stay home but I go for the dogs.

Open country

Its big country

Home again

Its nice to be home warm and dry. We have had two storms of wind the week but we have had a bit of nice weather also



That's an older video from just before the season started. I spent a couple of days chasing birds and one day down in the bottom chasing moose saw a few moose but couldn't approach them close enough for a shot with the bow

Truck is loaded, canoe is on top, broadheads sharpened, dogs raring to go. I am going in country for 5 or 6 days tomorrow. I still get excited as a child on Christmas eve. The picture is of two of the birds posted earlier. Ptarmigan is a dark meat full of flavor they probably wouldn't be a choice of someone whose favorite meat is chicken

The above picture of three ptarmigan is taken among one of their preferred food sources in the fall, blueberries. If you like berries such as blueberries,lingonberries Newfoundland is your place. Picking wild berries is a popular activities for families.

I prefer getting meat myself. The gun is a Beretta Silver Pigeon S and since I was a young boy I always wanted a Beretta O/U shotgun. I remember growing up around birddogs, shotguns and rifles. My Dad always had birddogs and was into hunting and guns. He also shot handguns at the local Rod and Gun club. He encouraged me and took me hunting often. Actually when I was old enough to toddle off behind him he started to take me with him which had a negative affect on his hunting. He had me shooting rifle,handguns and shotguns at a young age. He not only loved to hunt he loved to shoot at various clubs around the province. He had several shotguns but one of my friends dad had a Beretta O/U and how I loved that gun.

My friend would sometimes borrow it from his dad when we took the dogs out after school. I always wanted one and as a teen it was a dream of mine. I finally bought one two years ago. I retired my old Beretta A301 semi and take it out once or twice a year for old times sake. I shot everything with that old gun. Ptarmigan, grouse, geese ducks and even an occasional caribou or moose with slugs. The new Beretta is heavy though for all day jaunts and our weather is hard on any guns finish. The other shotgun I use for bird hunting is a Benelli Ultralight. I had trouble getting used to shooting it it was so light but now can hit with it. Its great on the barrens and in the grouse woods and I have never shot so well on birds so inspite of always wanting the Beretta O/U I use the Benelli more. Its not a nice looking gun in my opinion but it is hard to walk out the door and leave it home.
Maybe I need a Beretta Ultralight O/U

Good forecast

We went to town today and had Thanksgiving dinner with my parents. (Thanksgiving day in Canada is this weekend) I ended up taking an early evening nap which is something that I generally don't do. I just awoke and let the dogs out and in the east sure enough is Orion and Sirius, its a cool early morning. I am taking it easy with my family tomorrow and giving my dogs a rest. (they need it) Tuesday I am heading in country for a while, maybe a week or so. I love fall and winter especially the fall. Its good to be alive. We are all here with full bellies and warm and dry on a cool windy fall night. Everyone's asleep except for me and I have the rest of the fall free, the forecast for the coming week is as good as it gets for Newfoundland. I have a great deal to be thankful for

If is not raining its blowing

Notice the dogs ears

Well I have to make a dreaded visit to the city for a few hours this afternoon

Well I have had a few days in and yesterday had a day with no rain.
I spent Saturday afternoon hunting with my Gordon on the open barrens it was windy and the birds were wild. Relaxed in camp Sunday and hunted Sam in heavy rain and fog Monday. Guns required a lot of cleaning. I spent Tuesday bowhunting for moose inthe bottoms and saw a few animals but couldn't get close enough for a shot but did kill a grouse with the bow. This was my first kill with the bow. I intend to give it another month with the bow before taking up the rifle. Moose season here is 3 month long so I will wait until late November before picking up the rifle. There is not much pressure in where I have my camp. Wednesday, yesterday the sun came out and it was a beautiful day on the barrens. I ran the two dogs as I won;t need a fresh dog for a few days and saw a good few birds and had some great dog work. Shot a few birds for the dog. Got home this morning with heavy rain forecast for the next few days. I will be going back in Saturday morning

Headed out for a few days. I spent a bit of money on good raingear, looks like I am going to need it but I am headed in country today and am planning staying until Thursday unless I kill a moose. Rifle season opened today so I guess now I won't bother a moose until November unless I come across one in a spot where it is impossible to resist.