Area: North Maine woods
Outfitter: Libby Camps
Guide: Scott Story
Dogs: Labs Kira, Gunner, Charger and Bittanies Beretta and Willie and the lone pointer Cutter
Dates: October 25 - 28, 2012
Shotgun: Browning Citori Grade VI 16 gauge choked skeet/skeet
Ammo: Remington Sureshot gameloads 7.5 shot

A quick report on my recent hunt with Libby Camps. My hunting buddy and I had a great trip to Maine and experienced some of the fabled ruffed grouse shooting this area is known for. Lots of birds (or pa'tridges, as they are known here). Our low day was around 10 flushes and our best close to 20. They are a bit of an enigma to south Texas quail and midwest pheasant shooters used to getting shots on every flush! But they were very sporty and loads of fun. Not to mention they are found in absolutely beautiful country!

Camp is very comfortable with a heck of a view of the lake from the front porch. Matt and Ellen Libby along with Matt J and Jess made us feel at home! I love home cooking and the food was served family-style and was excellent. The next to last night in camp they did Maine proud by serving the Texas boys lobster! That is service!



Home, sweet home while in Maine



Lake view


Guide HQ


The first day started off right with a great hunt and my partner ended up in the right place at the right time for the grouse flushes. He took his limit of four birds and I managed to scratch a couple down for a daily bag of six.

First day's bag



The second day was one for the books as we both limited and had a number of flushes over the course of the hunt.

Second days hunt with one of our brittanies, Beretta


The third day came all too soon and we had not found any woodcock. Being our first time in the Northwoods, we really wanted to at least get a flush. Scott pushed hard and got permission to hunt a low spot with alders that was reported to have a few resident birds. We got four flushes that morning and I managed to knock down two timberdoodles. They are really unique birds and I look forward to gunning for them again! We also ended the day with six grouse, three apiece. So it capped off a very memorable hunting trip with Libby Camps.

My first bird on the last day! With Scott and Kira


My first woodcock, a beautiful female


Woodcock cover


And my last bird of the trip!


Kelly's last flush and successful bag...


Last day's bag


I can highly recommend Libby Camps, a great lodge with a down-home feel and superb hunting on close to 3 million acres of the great backcountry of Maine. A fantastic, enjoyable trip.. even though Sandy held us up in Boston for four days!!!

Lunch in the field


Back to a comfortable camp in the afternoon


A walk in the woods on the last point of the trip


The small pleasures


Sunset over Millinokeet Lake

Happy to hear you Texas boys enjoyed a little Yankee hunting. Enjoyed your comment on Grouse being a bit of an enigma, there are days in New England over pointing dogs if you have 10 Grouse in the air you see 4 and 2 maybe shootable.
Good luck with your quail season let me know if your coming back perhaps the dogs and I can come up for a visit

Very nice Russ. Relaxtion mode to the hilt. I will have to make that trip one day.

Fine pics with some of the best eating birds there are. Real nice on the Woodcock Russell, congrats!

Looks like a great place to hunt. Nice photos.