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Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1729 Location: Denver, Colorado

Grouse opens here on the 19th so I got here today to get set up and get things operating again (always takes a day or two). It also takes me a while to get out of the rhythms of the big city and then slow down enough to fully appreciate the gifts this part of the world has to offer.

My wife packed our big Toyota SUV to the gunnels with a huge assortment of foodstuffs (& adult beverages). I then packed it with several flats of shells and a rather large pile of scatterguns, boots, coats, gloves, hats, adult beverages, pills, potions, and other accoutrements.

Every year it seems to require more planning and even more "stuff"... not entirely sure why (other than age and "comforts" that I /we used to take for granted that have become a bit more "necessary"?).

Hearing good things about bird numbers from some of the "locals" so, as is usual, I'm getting fairly excited about it all. My morning walks this summer were even more vigorous than in past years (mostly thanks to my bride's increased attention in that area) so...bring it on because I'm about as ready as I'll ever be

Lloyd3,

Welcome back to your real home, enjoy it fully!. It always took me 2 days to get back into the rhythm of my Log cabin home in Potter/Tioga, Pa. Even though we never lived in the big city, the rush of living seemed to invade our way of life, now that I am back in Murrysville permanently I try very hard to avoid the rush of living and live more like our mountain home people do. Enjoy that way of life and shoot me a few Grouse with those beautiful guns you own!

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smit/Westley Richards Man

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1821 Location: Minnesota

Good to hear about bird numbers for you. I assume youll be chasing walleyes too.

Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1729 Location: Denver, Colorado

Walleyes are always part of the program up here.

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Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1729 Location: Denver, Colorado

Can I whine just a little bit?

I've been here only long enough to unload my car and fill the various freezers and refrigerators and then my home world intruded.

My bank is Chase and they are huge, so much so that one hand doesn't know what the other is doing.

Part of their system says that we don't have home insurance so they're going to force us to buy some from them....idiots! We switched insurance a month or so back and they can't seem to track that reality. My own Chase bankers dealt with this same issue back in July and these morons in Virginia can't seem to keep up....aggravation (2nd year in a row for this too).

Then, my cell phone email crapped out on me and keeps making me resubmit my password and 2nd source verification number, over and over...more aggravation.

Modern technology is a flaming pain in the arse at times.

I come up here to forget about this sort of horse manure and it just follows me...

Member Joined: 30 Nov 2011 Posts: 1821 Location: Minnesota

whine away. Were all so dependent on our electronics so its a major headache when theres a issue.

Joined: 17 Mar 2007 Posts: 249

Next they’ll shut down your credit card because you’re making purchases three states away from home, and you’ll find out about it as you’re trying to refill the empty gas tank of your SUV. LOLOLOLOL Ask me how I know.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, Lloyd. You’re upright, taking nourishment, and fishing. It’s all to the good.

Good to hear the bird numbers look good so far this year.

8mmFan

Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1729 Location: Denver, Colorado

This world up here always amazes me.

I went to pay my electric bill in person yesterday (as the offices are on the way to my mechanic's shop here for a new battery in my hunting SUV). I normally just pay the bill online but I was curious to see their digs again (considering that I've been helping to pay for them). A new and lovely glass-fronted building with every modern appurtenant feature (not a common sight up here) and with a bright and smiling young women manning the front desk.

I told her who I was and that I wanted to pay my monthly bill in person for a change, she found my account in her computer and agreed to help me but when she understood that I was using a credit card she was totally flummoxed....because they simply don't accept credit cards at that office. Cash and checks only.

She was jumping through some phone tree system in an attempt to accomplish the task when I told her not to worry, that I'd do it on my laptop when I got back to our home here.

Modernity hasn't fully made it here quite yet, I guess.

On a much better note, the local NAPA parts store owner here not only sold me a new battery for my now-ancient SUV, he tested my old battery to make sure it wasn't the only problem, put on a new negative terminal (the 24-year old original one was pretty well done) and perfectly installed the new battery at no additional charge.

Try getting that kind of service in the "big city" and see how it all goes. I tipped him $20 and thanked him profusely.

Going forward he'll be getting all of my business, for sure.

I live just north of Chicago and they provide the same service here.

I live just north of Chicago and they provide the same service here. They also put on your windshield wipers.

Joined: 17 Jan 2014 Posts: 1729 Location: Denver, Colorado

Raining here now so...a well-deserved day off (lots of sports fans in the woods on the weekends anyway).

After a steady week of effort, I've come to the conclusion that the last two big bird years have about run their course here. Observed road-birds and trail-bird number are way down, which was to be expected. Populations cycle up and down here as well.

There are also a lot more hunters in the campgrounds than in past years as well. With the price of fuel these days that is also not a surprise. The cost of everything seems to only go one direction anymore (& that's not political, that's just reality). Hunting and camping to do it is a very cost-effective form of a "weekend vacation" that I'd enjoyed over my entire working life.

I've been enjoying my "lightweight" gun as well (it's almost a pound lighter than my traditional English 16) and it's surprisingly noticeable, especially at the end of the day.

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