Cockers in Cover
The cocker: a breed that deploys quickly and steers precisely. I damn near didn’t stop. I was driving a road that I rarely traveled, en route to another piece of cover. It was a crisp, clear day toward the end of October, the kind of day you see in your mind’s eye...
Final Flights
The rivers were overflowing, the feeder streams were gushing and the lowland roads were washed out so I couldn’t get to my woodcock coverts. But I had an idea. The rain poured down for three straight days. It wasn’t a mist or a pitter patter on the tin roof. It was...
Hunting in the Shadows of Edmund Davis
At times I may think I am unique in my hunting approach, yet the reality is I am not. Like many, I follow in the shadows of Edmund Davis. The phone rang listing a number I did not recognize. I answered. “Tom Keer.” “I had the chair.” “Terrific,” I said. “It’s...
The Cocker World’s Dog Whisperer
Gundog handler and trainer, Jordan Horak, is known as the “dog whisperer” of cocker spaniels, beginning as a young up-and-comer to becoming a national pro. A few years ago— late-October 2015, to be precise—I had the pleasure of hunting woodcock in central...
New Hampshire Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock Seasons Start October 1
The hunting season for ruffed grouse – New Hampshire’s most sought-after upland game bird – starts October 1 and runs through December 31. Woodcock season also opens October 1 and concludes November 14. Karen Bordeau, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Small...
Life’s Too Short to Hunt with an Ugly Gun
Pursuing woodcock with a Parker VH 28.
A New Option for Old Shotguns
Aguila’s Minishells are just the ticket when hunting with classic 12 gauges.
Emy’s First Woodcock
Love of dogs was her entry into hunting, specifically the dogs her father hunted over.
Lost in the Woods
The sun is setting, the snow is thick, and the compass you’re carrying isn’t working. Now what?