I hear you all. The anticipation of another bird season reminds me when I was a young boy waiting for Christmas. Since I retired last year, I have 75 days blocked out for upland birds beginning Sept. 1st for prairie chickens in Nebraska. Then we will head up to eastern Montana, staying with a special friend of ours, going after grey partridge and sharptails. I plan to then head west to the Yaak Valley for three species of forest grouse. Then eastward to the UP for ruffed grouse and woodcock, arriving home sometime in October. Four hunts are then planned after that, not including quail shooting a few times next year in Florida and Georgia. What bliss it is being afield with good friends, dogs and fine doubles and bourbon out of a tin cup tastes best.
Which guns to take? That is always a pleasant problem. As many of you do, I have a particular fondness for English doubles including 20 bores, along with two inch and two and one half inch 12's. I always take one of the English guns or two with a lesser gun for back up for inclement weather.
