Had an incredible day in the Grouse woods sunday 10/17. The birds were everywhere. Must have been the Lord blessed me because it was my birthday. Hunted from 1:00 until 6:00PM and there was a light drizzling rain all day. Dog and I kicked up 8 grouse in the first half hour. I lost count somewhere after a dozen birds. Must have flushed 2 dozen grouse, of which I bagged two. Also flushed around 8 woodcock, all misses. Shooting 20 Ga. side-x-side high brass #6's today. Got in 17 shots altogether. The woodcock were in the very wet stuff bordering swamps and beaver ponds. The grouse were in the woods, mixture of red pine, aspen, wild apples and vibernum mostly. Their crops were full of seeds and bits of apple that they must have been feeding on that fell to the ground. A lot of the birds were flushed from nearby the apple trees.
Opening day of pheasant today, monday 10/18 in southern zone of NY. Went out to state game lands nearby from 6:30-11:00 AM. Drizzling rain made for wet conditions and affected the dogs ability to pick-up scent in the fields I believe. Flushed three pheasants, bagged one nice big rooster. Flushed the second into some other hunters, which they greatly appreciated, third one went out the other side of the hedgerow and I never saw it. Shooting my 12 Ga. Browning BPS pump modified barrel w/ 3" buffered #6's. Also flushed and bagged two woodcock. The first one couldn't handle a direct hit from the load of 6's at 10 yards. It got dusted. Head and breasts evaporated. Nothing but two wings and a tail left. The second bird faired better when I dropped it at 50 yards.