Little
is good about hunting grouse in the driving rain. Even dressed in the best foul
weather gear, the thick cover, which grouse love, gets heavy with water to make
walking difficult. Soon, struggling hunters soak through from perspiration, no
matter what the maker of the rain gear promises. And it is possible to sweat
profusely while your hands freeze, if the temperature is close to
freezing.
Seeking
shelter, the grouse sit tight among the boughs of softwood trees. The rain
flushes away scent, making the dog’s work nearly impossible. In the country we
hunt, the puddles form quickly making the ground a soft sponge. Grouse hiding
in the branches of spruce and fir trees are mighty hard to find.
The
best thing about hunting grouse in the rain is a bowl of chowder or chili at the diner down the road. Or maybe it’s the dram of amber liquid back in the camp at the end of the day.