In Search of Grouse, Trout, and Autumn Leaves

September is about as glorious as could be. I've spent some days Dove hunting, Grouse hunting, Trout fishing, water skiing, working at my job, and also attending classes and doing school work. Hence my lack of posts on this blog.

My roommate pointed me in the direction of some Grouse "right out the back door of my parents cabin." Is what he said. So I scoured the hills for hours and no grouse. Later that day he called me and said he shot two with his bow in the front yard of his cabin. I guess I was just too ambitious and hiked up the mountain behind the cabin. Grouse were a bust but take a look at the view of where I started hunting.


Last friday I had the day off so I spent the afternoon chasing cutthroat trout up the canyon. Holy Cow! They were hungry for my fly. My fly was a mixture of a Beetle and an Ant with a green stripe down it's body. The fishing was incredible almost every other cast they would try to attack the poor thing. Just as I thought to myself "it couldn't get any better...", and I was right. At that moment I lost my half Beetle half Ant fly in a tree. So I tied on the next best thing an Ant. I spent the next hour flogging the stream with no luck! Here is a pic of the fly that didn't catch any fish!


For our last official Saturday of summer J and I took a ride up to Jackson Lake hoping for some Autumn leaves. We found a few leaves, but we couldn't believe how great the weather was sunny and eighty degrees. We laid a blanket out on the rocky shore and soaked up summers last rays of sun. Then we snuggled up and watched, as an afternoon thundershower bounced it's way over the Tetons. When the rain came we left, otherwise we just might have stayed in that spot and time forever.


Tonight starts the Utah Muzzleloader Deer hunt, wish me luck!

Dove Mignon

Food and hunting are two of the three things I absolutely love!

A family tradition we have is that on New Years Day my Mother wraps bacon around chestnuts and then she smothers them in her homemade bbq sauce. We only have it once a year, because it is so unhealthy that if you ate it often you would die of a massive heart attack.

Today I invented a little dish I like to call the Triple Bypass! I took five of my doves that I shot on Tuesday, wrapped each breast in a whole piece of bacon, and then I stabbed them with a tooth pick. And then I smothered them in homemade bbq sauce which I invented up (after a phone call to my Mother). This would be a great appetizer and a great way to cook up your doves.





Recipe is as follows:

3 parts catsup
2 parts brown sugar
1 part soy sauce

Cover bacon wrapped doves with bbq sauce and bake at 375 for one hour.

I guess if you use enough bacon everything tastes good, but I have to say that these little buggers were spectacular. My big sister Lisa would be proud.

This week I heard a rumor of a spot in Southern Idaho that is infested with Grouse! I'll be checking it out tomorrow morning. Good luck to all of you chasing birds tomorrow!

Sunrise and Doves

Yesterday I spent the day chasing doves with my uncle Dan! We had a fantastic time! We were three short of a limit, but we weren't in it for the the numbers.

The dogs worked great! Lady did a fantastic job retrieving, better than she has in years past. It never ceases to amaze me how she improves every year.

My dad started feeding a cup of Eukanuba mixed with Iams this week, so I guess that means it is officially my favorite time of year. I believe Eukanuba helps Lady's scenting ability in amazing ways. Even though it was hot and dry she found all my downed doves.


The dogs taking a dip in a watering trough and enjoying a mud bath.


This is the sweetest girl in the world helping me carry my gear inside after the hunt. I could get used to seeing her with a gun in hand and an orange vest. I really am the luckiest guy on earth.