Dogs and Doubles

Tag Archive for 'partridge'

Shoot like a King on this dream trip: Partridge and paella in Spain …

by Gregg
Discover Delaney & Sons: European shooting specialists
Discover Delaney & Sons: European shooting specialists

The Sierra de Norte Shoot – Fuentelfresno, Spain

Monday, October 21th – Friday, October 25th, 2019

Red-legged partridge shooting in Spain with Delaney & Sons: European shooting specialists
Red-legged partridge shooting in Spain with Delaney & Sons: European shooting specialists

Book now: Just 2 out of 8 pegs left

We are extremely excited to share with you the details for a new shoot at Finca Fuentelfresno, located along the Eastern edge of the Cordilla Central Mountain Range, approximately forty-five minutes northeast of Madrid. This will be a traditional partridge shoot, and all shooting will be conducted within the confines of the Estate, with different drives every day. This is truly a rare and unique opportunity. Let us know soon if you are interested in this elegant and all things Spanish driven shooting experience!

Best, Sean and Liz Delaney

The Shoot

Fuentelfresno consists of 35,000 acres of ground filled with olive groves, almond trees, vineyards, farmland, and rolling hills, all providing excellent habitat with perfect topography for a traditional shoot. Birds are driven by a team of up to forty beaters over narrow valleys for the guns waiting below. We will shoot three back-to-back 400 bird days. This is challenging shooting in a breathtaking setting!

The Lodge

We will spend the entire week at Finca Fuentelfresno as the guests of Carlos de Llanza Mala, its current custodian. The Lodge, which was built by Carlos’ father about sixty years ago, manages to be rustic and elegant at the same time, a perfect setting for a shooting party. All rooms are en suite and comfortable, with excellent views of the gardens and the landscape beyond. The Main Lounge has a pair of beautiful fireplaces, a perfect spot for a sundowner. Our team will have exclusive use of the premises, and all of our meals will be prepared in-house by our chef Anna. The food is beyond compare.

Shoot Price – $9,750

Delicious paella made for the team after a day of shooting.
Delicious paella made for the team after a day of shooting.

Includes: Transportation to and from Madrid airport and throughout the week, three days of driven shooting (with an anticipated bag of 400 birds per day), lodging at the elegant Fuentelfresno, guns (if needed) and ammunition, traditional tapas and shoot lunches on the estate, gourmet dinners each evening, alcohol, game licenses, liability insurance, and gun permits (for your guns or ours).

Excludes: Flights, gratuities to chargor (loader) and secretario (€80 each per day), and gratuities to hotel staff (€100 total).

Non-Shooting or Peg-Sharing Spouses: Non-shooting spouses are welcome to join us for an additional $1,750. This includes four nights’ lodging, all meals, alcohol, and ground transportation. Two days of sightseeing. Spouses are welcome to share pegs on some or all days for the same rate.

Book now: Just 2 out of 8 pegs left

According to GeorgeGoldsmith.com, the King of Spain & other aristos love Finca Fuentelfresno:

“This family shoot (Finca Fuentelfresno) is favoured by many of the royal houses of Europe and King Juan Carlos, although no longer young, still takes 6 days during the year when he comes, either with friends and family, or as a guest of friends. The photos displayed in the lodge go from Caroline of Monaco (who on a yearly basis takes a team of ladies to shoot with her), to Dutch Crown Prince William Alexander van Oranje, and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg …”

Book now: Just 2 out of 8 pegs left

Let’s get this season going…

by Gregg

 

Best time of year
Best time of year

October’s here — finally. And even though Maine’s state biologists predict a mediocre grouse season and the foliage colors are sure to be muted, I’m looking forward to the fall.

I’ll be hunting the last two weeks of the month for sure, and then any other days & weekends I can fit in.

After a disappointing 2015, I’m shifting away from central Maine. There are birds there, but I’m having a harder time finding them. I also have less free time to look for them, too. And when you have limited time to hunt, one birdless day’s is a big deal — and not something I want to experience again.

Anyway, here are some pics of hunts and memories from seasons past. I hope you enjoy them.

A good day. The gun is a 16g Heym O/U, made in the 1920s...
A good day. The gun is a 16g Heym O/U, made in the 1920s…
Poplars in the AM sun
Poplars in the AM sun
Puck pointing a grouse at the objective
Success! Puck pointing a grouse at the objective.
Pure Puck
Pure Puck
Point! Now what do you do?
Puck, back in her prime

Journey to the Northwoods: A great look at grouse hunting …

by Gregg

There’s killing and there’s hunting: One takes a life, the other makes our lives more  meaningful, while giving us the opportunity to show respect and admiration for the game we pursue and the world we all inhabit.

This video does a nice job of capturing hunting and what makes it so special.

Finally, our season begins …

by Gregg
Lexi last winter, before the snow
Lexi last winter, before the snow

If you live to hunt grouse & woodcock (like me), the first two weekends of October are horrible teases. I always high hope for them, but I never have an equal amount of luck. For me, the upland season doesn’t really get started until the last two weeks of the month. And today was the first day of those last weeks.

Lexi and I hit a few covers in central Maine today. We found a 7-8 woodcock and, surprisingly, a bunch of grouse — in one spot, 5 in about 15 minutes. Three of those grouse flushed wild out of an apple tree. In this video, you can see moments leading up to the wild flush. Look at that tail! Even though Lexi’s pointing old scent, she’s pretty thrilled. The birds must have been on the ground, and then hopped into the tree when we got close.

Lets take a trip to the high prairies…

by Gregg

High Prairie Outfitters offers world-class wingshooting in Saskatchewan. Check out his video to see some great footage of their sharptail grouse and hungarian partridge hunting.

High Prairie Outfitters Upland Bird Hunts from Dan Wennerlind on Vimeo.

Montana. I sure am missing it…

by Gregg

In my mind, heaven would be spending every autumn chasing birds. You would start in Saskatchewan and head south, and you would defintely spend a lot of time in Montana.

I’ve hunted out in Montana a couple of times. The last one was a few years ago – maybe 5+ now – and we were in the northeast corner above the Hi Line. The experience was fantastic — lots of wild birds, very few hunters, and quiet little towns (this was before the oil boom). I really miss it.

Until I make it back there, I’ll have to live vicariously through videos like this from the folks at PRO Outfitters. Just press PLAY to join the journey.

Seven days until it begins…

by Gregg

October is almost here, and so is the best time of the whole ‘friggin year: hunting season. Here’s a little of what I’m looking forward to:

I hope to be a better shot this year.
I hope to be a better shot this year.
I'm hoping to see lots of grouse
I’m hoping to see lots of grouse
And plenty of Fall colors...
And plenty of Fall colors…
I'm hoping for the sights that make October so special...
I’m hoping for the sights that make October so special…

And that stick haunt me throughout the rest of the year.
And that haunt me throughout the rest of the year.
That Puck finds plenty of birds
That Puck finds plenty of birds
That Puck runs hard
That Puck runs hard
And that we'll have plenty of this to our selves.
And that we’ll have plenty of this to our selves.

 

That’s one quick grouse…..

by Gregg

If you’ve ever hunted ruffed grouse, you know just how fast these birds can be – at least when they’re flying. What you may not know, and what I never realized, is just how fast grouse are on their feet.

This quick video shows just how quick these birds can be. In it you’ll see roosting grouse. Grouse do this after they fill their crops with food. A bit off the ground, and with his back in against the brush, this grouse is tough to see. Predators would have a difficult time approaching him without being noticed.

Watch to see how reluctant this bird is to move and give up his location. But once he realizes he’s in trouble, it’s amazing how fast he moves. It’s also interesting that he doesn’t fly off. It makes me wonder how many times they’ve simply run away from my dog when she goes on point.

One woodcock + One grouse = A Good Day….

by Gregg

The woodcock are officially back in Maine. Puck pointed our first one of 2012 yesterday. I thought we would find more of them, but they just weren’t around. It is a little early, though. Puck also pointed a grouse. Overall, it was nice day. Enjoy the pics.

Puck, looking majestic
Puck, looking majestic

 

Puck, enjoying a spring day
Puck, enjoying a spring day

 

Puck pointing a woodcock
Puck pointing a woodcock

Quick video on Ruffed Grouse habitat…

by Gregg

Here’s a quick little video that shows Ann Jandernoa of Northwind Enterprises explaining some things to look for when you’re trying to find grouse.

Ann is a grouse wizard. Puck and I hunted with her in the fall of ’04 and she really knows her stuff. If you want to learn more about grouse, grouse hunting, a great dogs, I suggest getting touch with her.

Favorite winter time foods for Ruffed Grouse…

by Gregg

I was doing a bit more research into winter time grouse foods when I came across this: Winter Food Habitats of Ruffed Grouse in Young Aspen Stands. This paper is based on finding from a 1972-1973 study of 10-15 year old clear cuts in Oneida County, Minnesota.

The researchers found that the top ruffed grouse foods were Aspen bud and Hazel catkins. The grouse also were also feeding heavily on a species of ferns, as well as on wintergreen and goldenthread.

Breed of the Week: The Pachón Navarro

by Gregg
The Pachón Navarro, a Spanish pointing dog
Double-barrel nose on a Pachón Navarro

I’m interested in side by sides — that’s pretty obvious. So when I came across the Pachón Navarros, a  Spanish pointing dog with a double barrel nose, I was intrigued.

According to Craig Koshyk’s Pointing Dogs, Volume One: The Continentals, the Pachón Navarros trace back to the very first sporting breeds to appear around the Pyrenees Mountains, way back in the 13th century. The dogs almost disappeared in the early 20th century, but today a growing group of hunters and enthusiasts are rebuilding the breed.

You can go hear to read more about Pachón Navarros. And for the full story, along with tons of great info on a lot more hunting dogs, pick up a copy of Pointing Dogs, Volume One: The Continentals today.

The Pachón Navarro
A Pachón Navarro in the field

Ghost grouse…

by Gregg

Happy 2012.

Well, another upland season has come to an end for me and Puck – our seventh season together. December was a good to us. We saw quite a few grouse each time we went out. Our last time out hunting was the day after Christmas. The weather was in the mid-30s and there was 2″ – 3″ of snow in my covers – not too much to put the birds off of feeding on the ground. We hit a couple spots and got into 6-8 birds.

But while the birds were there, they weren’t holding for points. I think some were on the ground and others were roosting/feeding right off the ground. Either way, they all flushed well before I made it to Puck. Here are some shots from the day. Enjoy.