The Glorious twelfth has passed again for the 30th time when we were married in Lake Tahoe. It was the last time my family would be together. I miss the Scottish moor red grouse hunts especially the rough shoots but this year I am consumed by planning our annual Canadian hunting now in its 23 years and for our upcoming Mexican fishing and whale watching adventure to the Baja.
Even though the mornings are finally cooler and by mid day the sun is no longer a reason to wear my hat, I am not going to dove shoot. Those will come later in Arizona in December. My two hounds are excited about the shortening photo period. They have been there many times. When I pack pack the Lance camper and fire up the dually diesel my lab Belle whines like a ... She and the German Wirehair, Fe sense the prairies hunting fields as they are tired of their morning walks with no game to chase. I am up before the sun waiting on our new Mexican Patio styled are sipping fresh ground, listening to the ipod playing a Rachmaninoff piece before the sun hit the garden and the birds are awake. We enjoy watching the the varied birds come to feed in of native plant garden. First the paired Valley quail, with the hordes of English sparrows with yellow goldfinches fighting for the Ethiopian thistle seed. The mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) a Frankia nitrogen nodule fixer attracts the blue jays, the Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva shelter the many newly hatched Valley quail
Our popular trees are shedding their leaves. We raise red tail hawks in these stringy trees each year and when one of the fledgling flew into our home, I was able nursed it back to health using my falconry skills. I released it to it's screaming family. They recently left in search of prey. The Valley quail are still raising their broods and come feed morning. The buzz of the hummingbirds who nested in the crab apple tree comes within feet of my face seemly to stare me down. They show no fear and whisk away after feasting on a morning's nectar supply made overnight. Even the males doves have quit chasing and "cooing" the females.
I am calling my friends and farmers in Montana and the Canadian Prairies to get report on crops and water supply. It is a cool growing season and harvest will be delayed by weeks. The upland report is good with Huns and sharp tail highly localized. Ruffed Grouse is up in areas but crashed in more traditional regions.
Looking through the closet I search for camo. Move my trout fishing shirts back behind my woolens and hunting vests. I will need good warm camo to let me feel hidden as my flak batteries pound the skies for geese. Hard to contain desire of seeing the northern lights on the Prairies when we tactically position of decoys before sunrise. I dream of the silence as I will slowly move north through the Great Basin maybe taking the back roads passing through Great Basin National park near Ely.
