Change of pace--wild quail

[GLS]

Taking a break from woodcock, Floyd and I got a generous invitation to stay and hunt wild quail with a like-minded gentleman. As good as the hunting was, the hospitality and his dogs were even better. From about 8 to just after 11 on Saturday, we found 7 large coveys which was remarkable given the early conditions of ground fog the first half hour. His dogs were incredible and tolerant of my Brittcom MuttPak, Abby and Willa, who didn't screw up. We had 6 pointed rises and another one flush behind a strip of sapling pines as we looked for a downed bird on the near side of the stand. And I had thought these days were a thing of the past. We picked up 6 and lost two that were hit but continued flying into the next county. We made great effort to find them with five dogs on the ground to no avail. Willa and Abby's best work involved a lot of luck. As we drove down a stretch of road, our friend stopped his truck to check out a spot. All dogs were kenneled in the trucks. He wanted to check out the food sources in a clearing as he was looking for rag weed. He stepped between the trucks while moving to the edge. A dozen or more in a covey flushed from the edge and most landed within 75 yards. He told me to let my dogs out and he'd keep his in the dog box. Willa quickly pointed the covey with Abby backing. We moved in behind Willa and flushed the birds. We got two down and recovered them easily. If I never have another hunt for wild quail, I will be content with holding on to the memory of this one for the rest of my days.
Floyd's Ithaca SKB 20 and my 1940's Darne R10 20 ga.
Gil

 

[whitetailfreak]

Sounds like a good time. Thanks for sharing.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Looks like a perfect day. I miss wild quail. They just don't exist here any more.

 

[trad bow]

Sounds like a great day. Happy y’all got into the wild ones. Makes you realize how managing for quail can make a difference.
Jeff

 

[nrh0011]

Very nice

 

[Michael F Sights]

Nice!

 

[Gaswamp]

wow very nice Gil...thanks for sharing.

 

[KyDawg]

The quail are gone up here for the most part. There is nothing I miss anymore than chasing wild Quail with some good dogs. There is something about a dog pointing a covey of wild quail in a fence row.

 

[coveyrise]

If you quit carrying that Funky Darne gun you may have killed 10. Mathew Quigley special edition upland gun.

 

[GLS]

It was designed for shooting Funky Chickens. Gil

 

[coveyrise]

You were just hoping it would make you a Darne good shot.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Nothing better and nothing worse than flushing a covey of quail with your feet.
Something I took for granted as a kid.

 

[GLS]

Walking to a turkey on the limb and flushing a covey on the way will clear the sleep from one's eyes better than any cup of coffee.

 

[blood on the ground]

What a great day!

 

[mlandrum]

Memory of a Lifetime ??

 

[Mark K]

Lucky enough to have access to a wild bird plantation (not to quail hunt, lol). Ive learned so much about these birds over the last several years. It’s absolutely amazing how these birds are able to actually make it from egg to adult in the wild. A lot of land and predator management goes on in these woods.
I have come to HATE some of these coveys! I swear they know my Stand locations and intentionally set themselves up for me to flush and cause my language to change to that of a sailor!
Congrats on a fine take of wild birds. It’s always entertaining to see release bird hunters come in and walk up to the first covey and not even get a shot. They have that, whisky tango foxtrot, look on their faces after the flush, lol.

 

[asc]

very nice!

 

[spring]

Nothing quite like the thrill that comes from a covey rise, especially when you've been managing the place for that. It's a year-round effort, and every year you find yourself living through the life-cycles of the little birds; the May/June/July rooster calls, the first coveys in July all filled with little guys the size of golf balls, the hope of a successful late hatch in Aug/Sept, the excitement of the fall as you start keeping a covey count, and then, of course, the dreams of opening day in November. Feeding the birds year-round, discing in December, and all of the other aspects of habitat management all converge in a burst of pride and adrenaline as your dog locks down and you take those steps into the brush.... I love it!

 

[trad bow]

Spring that sums up a bird hunter and conservation by someone who lives for the hunt and the bird. Great post.
Jeff

 

[Mark K]

Spring, it’s always nice to find grown coveys, birds that can fly short distance coveys, and those that barely make over the Wiregrass coveys in September.
Great post. The quail language is something else as well. I have heard these birds my whole life and never realized it until having access to this place. It’s private so I won’t mention names, but extremely thankful to have learned what little I know about these amazing birds.