The Fat Lady Never Had A Chance...(A.K.A. Kurt And Dewey Go A Huntin')

Ok, Ok, enough about the Fat Lady!
After giving the grouse, and myself, a two week rest it was time to go after that elusive quarry again.
Having discovered that new secret spot where Walker shot his bird, I came up with a marvelous plan. I decided to hunt it first thing and again right before we headed home. Well, we hadn't walked but 100 yards and Kurt got one running around in the berries. It was 7:55 and the skunk was already over. It was going to be a wonderful day! Well, 6 hours later after walking many miles and only flushing 4 more birds (none of which flew in the direction we were shooting), we harkened back to our secret berry patch. This time one flushed in front of The Old Norwegian and I actually had to shoot it out of the air! Must be those new contacts I just got. We jumped yet another bird on the way back to the truck but once again, it flew in a different direction than we were shooting. That's ok. You have to leave some brood stock. At least, that's my story...

45 Years Ago....

Yeah, Jim and I go back a long way. 8th grade in fact. He and his daughter Cailin (my goddaughter) blew into town Monday and I drove down for dinner.
It's amazing how people can lead such diverse lives but when they get together, they talk as though they've never been apart. I guess that's what makes good friends and for that I am a lucky man.
Just remember what I said Jim. I don't ski and you don't hunt but there's plenty of trails to hike and mountains (small ones I hope), to climb....And you know, I never forget.
On a much more serious note, I think Jim was standing on his tip toes during this picture as I always remember being taller than him......

And We Never Heard The Fat Lady Sing........

Ok, maybe that's not politically correct anymore...like I care...
At any rate, Walker and the intrepid Old Norwegian went a huntin' Saturday. The first kill happened almost immediately as I ran over a coon with my pickup. The first kill for Smokey! (In case some of you haven't been paying attention, that's the name of my truck....) But I digress...
Never seen such dry conditions up where we grouse hunt. The grouse were few and far between. In fact, we only jumped two all day and never had as shot at either. As the afternoon closed in on us. I told Walker that I had never hunted up there where someone didn't fire a shot. I said it wasn't over until the fat lady started to sing (although I think I could hear her warming up in the distance). I suggested one last spot I hadn't hunted in years. It was on the way out so what the heck.
When we pulled up I noticed a lot of white berries. Grouse do love those. So off we went for one last walk. After about a hundred yards or so I hollered over to Walker as I had lost sight of him. His response was "just a minute", followed 30 seconds later by three shots. He yelled over that he had hit one so I went over to help find it. Turns out he was getting ready to "answer natures call" when he saw a grouse running through the woods. That bird saved us from being skunked and I announced that I saw the fat lady heading east. We made a swing around, to the east, and headed back towards the road.
I got out first and watched Walker walk out of the woods carrying a wine bottle. Oh, and his zipper was down as well. Maybe the fat lady??? Who knows....