Hunting and Fishing in NJ - A forum for NJ Hunters and NJ Anglers

This passed weekend My wife, daughter, and I headed up to the family cabin in the Catskills. 50 acres surrounded my 1140 acres of state forest. So I worked a midnight shift Thursday night, finished packing the van while my wife was working Friday andby 430 pm we were on the road. We stopped at Gander Mountain in Kingston and I picked up my Super Sportmen license ($250 but I can hunt all deer seasons, take 3 deer, hunt all turkey seasons, take 3 birds, small game, and fishing). Of course there was no room for the bow so small game it was. Got to the cabin about 1030 pm and got to sleep about 1am.

Day 1: Saturday morning got up at 630am. It was about 42 degrees out (warmer than expected). Headed into the woods/ fields about 715. Hunted about 2 1/2 hours in a light rain. Flushed 7 grouse, Saw 3 of them, but too fast for any shots. Heading up to the cabin I saw a black weasel and took a shot but missed. I was pissed because that would have made an awesome mount. That was it for the day as we headed to the farm stand to some things up as my wife's parents and grandparents were coming up later in the evening. I took a ride over to Valley Game Farm to try and get some pheasants and chukars to stock on the property. But no one was there. I tried calling numerous times on numerous days but no one ever answered the phone nor got back to me. We saw some turkeys on the way back to the cabin and I hopped the were on the property in the morning as it is turkey season and I can take 2 in the fall (either sex).

Day 2: Sunday was beautiful. 40 degrees in the morning and great blue sky. Headed out with the dog and off to the woods at 715am. With in 20 minutes up goes a grouse, not orange phase, awesome fanned tail with perfect border. The morning sun hit it perfect. Unfortunately I couldn't. 1 shot and missed and it was in easy one too. Flushed 6 more that morning but no more shots. Out for 2 hours again.

After some shooting and 4 wheeling I went out of an afternoon hunt. Flushed 6. I heard something on the ground and thought maybe a turkey or grouse on the ground. Nope squirrel. As I was looking at the squirrel there goes a grouse from a tree above my head. Too fast for a shot. Flushed it again, but again no shot. Headed towards where they roost and flushed a couple but again no shot.

Day 3: Left the cabin late at 730 am without the dog. She seemed tired and didn't seem to want to go. Well apparently I was wrong. She cried after I left waking everyone up. Fortunately for them I came back to use the potty. And breakfast was nice too. So after breakfast Autumn and I headed out. Again within 20 minutes we flush a grouse and I was able to get 2 shots off but no bird. We put up 7 more birds but no shots. Even had one flush from a lone pine in the middle of a field. Hunting along anold washed out state road I spotted that black weasel again. They are just as quick as grouse. He was in a hole in the rocks mighty quick.

All in all it was a good hunt. Even though I didn't harvest any birds just spotting them was great. Must have flushed about 30 grouse, but only 3 shots. It could have been worse. I'll be back after them. Didn't see any woodcock which suprised me as the property is wet and I normally do see them.

I'll be back up with the 30-06 and muzzy for deer and back for birds.

Birds or no Birds sounded like an awesome weekend

still sounds like you had a blast nice ,lots of grous and woodcock .
ill be up there few times this year