Pictures from the Field

   The last few times I have been out didn't warrant full reports but thought you all would enjoy some of the pictures from those days. I feel grateful to hunt with many close friends and family. Rye has had a very successful season and is getting to be a hell of a dog which makes it all worth it.

gear review: woodcock hunting

After four decades of hunting, you know when the gear you are wearing works and when it doesn't.  This past Friday while I was woodcock hunting in the woods of Ohio, I really felt that everything I was using was spot on.  The morning temperature was 29 degrees and gradually climbed to about the low 40s.  The land we were hunting had been clear cut about 7 years ago and the saplings were very thick.  A large part of the sapling stand had some amount of standing water.  The briars were thick in some areas and the brush was everywhere.  There was a time when I even saw the English Setter having a hard time getting herself untangled from some of the undergrowth.

The first item we will look at are my boots.

   I have been hunting in Danner Grouse boots for ages.  I start the bird season on September 1 with a week or two in Kentucky dove shooting and I have these boots on every day.  I then use them all season for upland hunting.  I bought them with enough room to put in a Danner insole insert and still have room for a good pair of socks.  The boots are made in Portland.  The Gore-Tex has never let me down and as long as the streams I wade are not deeper than the boot is high, I am in good shape.  The stitch-down sole construction adds durability for kicking logs, rocks and whatever comes your way.  Because they are constructed using the stitch-down method versus a glued sole, I can have my favorite boots re-soled when the time is needed.

The next item to talk about are socks.

These Fox River Trailhead socks are some of my favorite.  The Merino wool is a soft, non-itch wool that keeps my feet warm and provide a lot of cushion.  I made sure when selecting my boot size that I could fit in a thicker sock.  If I could not fit a pair of the Trailhead socks, I would probably go for the Trailmaster sock.  When I am dove shooting in the hot September weather, I wear the Euro sock which is a CoolMax sock.

Here comes the body armor.

This is my pair of Filson Double Hunting Brush Pants.  I have been wearing these for ages; probably about eighteen years.  The suspenders have never been taken off and the only thing I do to care for them is....nothing.  I can plow through the worst briar patches without looking where I am going.  The bottoms are getting frayed and I have been thinking about running some leather around the hem.  I think this coming summer I will apply some Filson Oil Finish Wax.  I say that, but who knows if I will get around to it?  (I did just reproof my Filson Waterfowl Coat: after 13 years I felt like it deserved it.)
Back to the pants; buy them big and hang them with suspenders.  Under my brush pants, I wear an old pair of super comfortable Mountain Khakis Teton pants that have a rip in them.  I also have worn Patagonia Capilene Lightweight pants or ThermalWeight, depending on the activity level.

I know you are not suppose to wear suspenders and a belt, but I need something to hang a multi-tool from.  This Filson belt is probably twenty years old and I wear it almost every day.  I do apply some Filson Boot Oil to this belt every once in awhile.

This is my Swiss Army SwissTool that I take on all of my hunting trips and other travels.  It is very sturdy and constructed of stainless steel.  With 27 tools, I know I will be ready for whatever happens.
I did not take a photo of my Petzl headlamp, but that is another item I do not travel without.  I can't  tell you how many times I use this item each week.

This Patagonia Capilene Lightweight top is probably one of the most important parts of my hunting outfit.  This garment performs just great.  It is comfortable against the skin, breathes very well and wicks moisture away from the skin.  I can't say enough about this as a baselayer.

This is a Patagonia Capilene Midweight Zip-neck top.  I like this over the Capilene Lightweight layer to provide a little warmth on a cool morning.  The zip-neck can be pulled up for warmth or down to let body heat escape if needed.  I found that over the last three weeks, I would shed this layer about late morning.

I wear my hunting shirt over the two layers of Capilene.  This shirt is constructed of a heavy twill to brush through the brush and of course some bright blaze orange.

This is an old Filson hunting vest that was handed down to me.  It has front and rear game pockets.  There are pockets for shells and all the other gadgets that come in handy in the field.  The one downside of this hand-me-down is that is does not have blaze orange on it.  My cap and shirt probably do the trick, but I would like even more orange.  When you are in the really thick woodcock/grouse woods, tons of orange is the order of the day.  We work so hard for just a flush and I do not want to have to hesitate on a shot because I can't see my hunting partner.
This vest does have a secured inside pocket for my vehicle keys.  I would not own a hunting garment without a specific place for keys.  It is not good enough to have your keys in a pocket with other items.  If you are rooting through your pockets and the keys accidentally fall out onto the forest floor, have fun trying to find them four hours later.
This model of vest is no longer made, but Filson does make an Upland Hunt Vest with great blaze orange sections, double front pockets like my vest and the super important interior zipped security pocket. 

Shooting glasses are a must in the woodcock and grouse woods.  This past trip I had a thorn branch smack my glasses and I thought without these glasses my eyeball would have been scratched for sure.

These shooting gloves have seen a lot of action.  They do not provide any warmth, but provide great grip and help when going through the heavy brush.

Hey, look what I found in the pockets of that hunting vest!  Everyone needs a little bit of energy to keep you plowing through the briars.

 Your blaze orange hat is very important.  Look at the saplings in the background and you can see how thick it gets.

- Mark
Delamere & Hopkins
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208
513-871-FISH
Mon-Thurs  10-8
Fri-Sat  10-6
Sun  11-5

D&H review of men's vests for Autumn/Winter

The weather in Cincinnati has been up and down over the last few weeks.  We have not hit parka weather yet, but we definitely have had plenty of temperatures to warrant a vest.  We thought we would take a look at the selection of vests we have in the shop; some new styles and some old favorites.  If you have any questions, stop in the shop, try some on and feel free to ask questions.

Mon-Thur 10-8     Fri-Sat 10-6     Sun 11-5     513-871-FISH

Barbour Colwarmth

This is a new style from the Barbour Field Collection for the 2015 cold weather season.  We took to this vest because it is not too puffy and bulky and will look as good in the field as it will going into town to get supplies.  The vest is filled with a Fibre Down that keeps you warm even it gets wet and dries quickly.  Microfiber suede is used on the inner collar and on the quilted patches.  There is an inner zipped security pocket.  The color of the vest is a little bit more olive than the photo shows (if you click here and go to our web site, the image on our site shows the true color).

My Sunday - Hunting & Tying

   Despite the snow, my Dad and I decided to go out and do some bird hunting.  We had this day on the calendar for a while and didn't want to re-schedule.  It ended up being one of the most exciting hunts I've had.  Since the snow was a little frozen on the top, the birds couldn't burrow like they would have liked and they did a lot of running and moving around.  We hunted Mike, who is a Shags Run setter and he did great.  Mike has a great nose, listens well and tracked the birds fantastically. After the cold morning, I came home and continued to stock my spring fly box with some bait-fish patterns for the Hybrid Bass.  It was a good day.  Enjoy the pictures!

If you look closely at this picture you can see the dog (on the right) and the bird half way up on the far left.

 - Louis

Filson Westlake Jacket

  We just received a full size run (S-XXL) of the Filson Westlake jacket.  This piece has been a very popular piece for us.  It is a mid-weight, water repellent, flannel lined jacket.  Perfect for all, but the coldest Cincinnati days.  Filson updated the fit and added several pockets (including an inner security pocket) to make this jacket at home either in a bar in OTR or underneath a strap vest at Shags Run. Stop by and try one on.

Delamere & Hopkins
Hyde Park Square
2708 Erie Avenue
Cincinnati, OH  45208
513-871-FISH
BestGear.com
Mon-Thurs  10-8
Fri-Sat  11-6
Sun  11-5

Gear Review: Filson Mesh Strap Vest #16022

         I have been using this hunting vest for a about three seasons at this point.  It has been a great and versatile product.  I think it is one of the most popular hunting vests we sell.

Michigan Grouse Trip

    Dad and I took a long weekend to kick off the upland season with  trip to northern Michigan for grouse.  We flushed grouse and woodcock every day and even though we all got some shots, we finished the trip empty handed.  I can say I probably learned more about grouse hunting this trip than ever before.

D&H adds a new color to the range of Filson Alaskan shirts

The Alaskan shirt has been a favorite of the gents working at Delamere & Hopkins for many years.  With the cooler weather starting to set in, we have just unpacked a shipment from Filson that included many Alaskan shirts along with the newest color addition to the D&H range: green and black.

This shirt is constructed from a 7oz cotton flannel and you can tell the minute your hand touches the fabric that this is a shirt like no other.  I find that if you wash and then hang the shirt to dry on a broad hanger, it will look like new for many years.

Stop in the Hyde Park Square shop and examine this shirt for yourself.  If you are not able to make it into the Cincinnati shop, visit our web site to read more about one of my favorite autumn/winter shirts: BestGear.com.

the other colors we offer are shown below

Filson Original Sportsman Bag 70266: D&H bought all they had

This is the Filson Sportsman Bag in tan, style 70266.  This is a great field bag for all your sporting needs.  Your shooting bag is filled and organized in your gear room and ready to go at a moments notice.
As you head into the dove fields, you have everything you need: 20 gauge shells, shooting glasses, shooting gloves, Swiss Army multi-tool, silicone cloth, couple of granola bars and a couple of other "can't live without" items.
Duck blind, shooting range, back of truck essentials bag, field trial dog supplies bag...this is the bag that will stand the test of time.

The one thing to take note about this bag is that Filson just announced that they stopped making it in tan.  What?? (they now only make it in black.  ??)
The minute D&H heard this we called up the factory and told them to ship every style 70266 in tan that they had to Hyde Park Square.  We just received 17 bags in the shop.

Favorite Dove hunting Accessories

     With all the dove talk in the air, we are getting pretty excited for September 1st.  I just spoke to the owner of Shags Run today and he mentioned seeing many birds on the property.  His sunflowers are almost mature and the birds are loving them.  He also planted additional ground for dove hunts this year.
     Here are a few of my favorite dove hunting accessories:


 Filson Shooting Bag
    I just got one of these a few years ago after seeing many of my friends use it.  This bag is perfect for those hot dove days when a shooting vest is just too heavy.  Both side pockets hold more shells than a dove shooter will ever need.  The lined rear pocket is perfect for carrying a limit of doves out of the field and can be wiped out easily afterward.  They get better looking with age and use.

 

Shags Run Visit and Dove field Report

       Louis and I took advantage of our day off and headed down to Shags Run to visit with Billy Gerwin, check out the new puppies, and take a look at the dove fields. Shags Run has been our gracious host for September dove shoots and upland hunts the last few years.

       The dove fields looked great with tons of sunflowers and buckwheat planted.  Billy has planted more fields with more food this then year any previous years.  He will be starting to cut hay soon which he says always brings birds in.  Even just hanging around the barnyard, I noticed birds working the fields and hanging around the farm.


 Of course we really went to see the puppies. They are approximately 6 weeks old. Click "read more" to see all the pictures.

Filson Double Mackinaw Cruiser

Delamere & Hopkins has been stocking the Double Mackinaw Cruiser from Filson for twenty seasons.  Many customers appreciate the hardy wool and the quality construction, but comment that they do not think it gets cold enough in Cincinnati to get much wear time.  I wear mine a bunch each season and the winter of 2013 gave me more opportunities than I knew what to do with.

I can tell you with all honesty I have never been cold while wearing this garment.  This is a "lifer" product that I guarantee will get many years of use after I am long gone.  I wear the heck out of it and could hang it up in the shop and put a price tag on it and I don't think anyone would know it has been used for decades.

The back map pocket is a great place to store stuff.  I always have a hat, gloves and usually some rope of sorts in the back.  The Cruiser comes in three colors.  Stop in the Hyde Park Square shop and try one on or go to our shop's web site to see the colors and details: BestGear.com

Upland Hunting Report: November 23

         
        I had the pleasure of hunting with Phil Montanus, David Martin and his son-in-law, Aaron at Shags Run hunt club today. This was one of the D&H Upland hunts. Look below for more pictures. 

new items in the shop: Filson luggage

There are so many new items hitting the shop floor on a weekly basis that we can't keep up, but I thought I would take a minute to look at some of the new pieces of Filson luggage to arrive recently.

The buzz in the Filson luggage world is navy and we have a number of pieces in the Hyde Park Square shop.

Computer Bag 70258

new items arriving at the shop daily: Filson Short Cruiser Jacket

 

Filson Short Cruiser Jacket

The reason we added this jacket to the range of goods offered at Delamere & Hopkins is because it is a solid work jacket.  This is the jacket you will see fence riders in Montana and Wyoming wearing.  It is made in the USA of a 12.5oz 100% Cotton Oil Finish Tin Cloth.  This is the real stuff.
The cut of the jacket is called the Seattle fit and that means it is slightly slimmer in the body than some of the older Filson jackets, but it is not too drastic.  I am 6' and a 42 regular and the size Large fits me just fine.
This is the type of garment that gets better with age and gains character.

Think Jett Rink on the Little Reata.

 

Can't make it to the Hyde Park Square shop in Cincinnati, visit us at our on-line shop.

Filson and Wolverine Trunk Show

This past Tuesday was the Filson and Wolverine Trunk Show at the D&H shop on Hyde Park Square.

The event was a success and most of the folks we had never met before; most drove quite a distance (Indy, Columbus, 75 miles north above Oxford, etc, etc).

Both Filson and Wolverine received good attention from customers.

Filson brought lots of new “in the works” items and a sneak peak at some of the items for next season.

Wolverine 1000 Mile Collection had many styles that we would not normally have in the shop and people were totally in to feeling the leather firsthand.

Filson Rugged Twill Utility Bag

As we prepare for the Filson Trunk Show at Delamere & Hopkins on October 30th, I will be highlighting a different Filson product every day.

new item: Filson Oregon Trail Jacket

This made in America jacket has the cool factor for the urban streets and the detailing that have made Filson hunting and work jackets famous since 1897.  The true color is leaning more towards the olive world; great color on the real jacket.  Stop in the shop and check it out.

6 oz. 100% cotton washable oil finish Cover Cloth