A Grouse Hunter’s Almanac: The Other Kind of Hunting

Contents

v Contents Preface ix Introduction xi Early Season Some August Day 3 Grouse Opener 10 The Bird 15 Dogless 22 In Praise of Old Dogs 26 Scalopax minor 33 vi Ox 39 The Cycle 46 How to Hunt Grouse 52 Midseason Flushing Wild 57 Small Presents 61 Hunting with Diana, Grousing Around with Susan 66 Like Trees, Walking 74 Costumes 78 Paul’s 82 On Wildlife Art 87 Empty Hulls 90 New Wood 96 Sauntering Along 104 Contents vii The Mythical Bird 110 Soul Food 115 Shooting and Eating Locally 121 Acres of Goods 127 Cover(t) 131 Gun Lust 136 Shooting Flying 142 The Ruffed Grouse Capital of the World 148 Nine Mile Stump 154 Knowing Our Limits 158 Getting Lost, Staying Lost 163 Late Season Confessions of a Grouse Hunter 171 Grouse Weather 177 Contents viii A Fall of Woodcock 184 Things Unseen 190 Black Friday 194 Narratives in the Snow 198 The Beauty of Clear-Cuts 203 Snow Walker 297 The Last Day of the Season 213 Gunnar’s Last Hunt 217 Counting in Dogs 222 Bibliography 225 Contents ...