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Arizona Quail Hunting Log November 2006 Hunts: 04 November, 11 November, 18 November, 24 November 04 November 2006 - Near Bagdad, Arizona
Pistol Pointing Gambles Quail We had a long way to go and a deadline to be back so we headed out at 4:30am to get hunting right away. At our first stop we headed up a mountain side and once we topped out between a small saddle we heard a few birds flush from somewhere but didn't see anything. We headed to where we thought they may have gone and Doug busted a bird that I shot as it came my way. I didn't really see the exact place it went down but I knew it went down wounded. We spend some time trying to locate it and when we had just given up Pistol found it about 20 feet from where I thought it was. We headed out along the mountain side and didn't see any more birds. So from there we circled back down by the Jeep and across the road into a wash and split up. I saw a few birds running out in front of me and when the saw me the flew. We chased and saw nothing. That was pretty much the story for the rest of the day. We met back up and as we headed back down the was I snapped the above shot of Pistol on point. The point produced about 10-15 birds all of which flushed in a manner that didn't provide me with a shot. We went on after them and except for a few birds that flushed out of range didn't see anything else. Then we drove on to a find a new spot and spotted some birds on the side of the road. We jumped out and gave chase only to have Ice flush the covey and the birds to once again disappear. We drove around for a bit trying to find a new spot and when we didn't find anything we got back on the main dirt road and headed down. We spotted some more birds on the side of the road and when we got out those few birds turned into a spread out covey of about 40+birds. We headed out after the ones that flushed off to our right and with the exception of 1 bird which I missed we didn't see another one of those birds. So we headed to a spot I went to last year farther South of Bagdad and within 10 minutes we jumped a covey that flushed about 40 feet in front of me. Some flew up the hill side but for the most part they flew out front and we never saw those birds again. We did get into one that flew out of the mountainside that I was able to take, but with that we headed back and called it a day. Fun. But HOT. Very little dog work for the amount of birds we saw. The sure gave us the slip each time we saw them. Better luck next time.
11 November 2006 - Northeast Valley Near Fountain Hills
Ice Pointing Gambles Quail 6:30am 59 degrees - 9am 72 degrees. Hot. I went out close to home today so I could get home and get some work done, but mainly so I could get Ice on some birds and I knew where I could find some close that I could also shoot. I needed to see if I could get Ice to stop on wild birds. She loves to go in and flush them out. So my goal for the day was to not shoot unless it was a pointed bird. That's easier said then done especially when half the birds I usually see wild flush or are bumped by me. We headed out from the Jeep and within 10 minutes we got into our first group of about 6 birds. In true Ice form she flushed them out and once I saw what was going on I turned it into a training opportunity...STOP to flush. These birds didn't fly more then 20-40 yards away so we were able to work 4 singles out of that covey. I bumped 2 and Ice flushed 2. It wasn't exactly going the way I had hoped, but it was proving to be a good day of training. Our next covey didn't come until after we had walked for about another 45 minutes. This one I heard making a bunch of noise under a big tree so I pointed Ice in their direction and once again she went to rooting, only this time I was ready and it quickly turned into a training session. This time when the birds flushed, instead of running off in chase, she stood and watched. We went in a direction a few singles had flown and this time when she put her nose down I nicked her with the e-collar and she stood still. I walked in and when I was about 15 feet off the bird flushed and darn if I didn't miss. On we went and after about 20 minutes I decided it was time to head back to the Jeep. We hadn't gone more then 100 yards when off to our right and on the bank of the was a covey of 20+ birds flew off. We headed up the bank and they were easy to find with all the noise they were making. They made 2 more wild flushes before the broke up into smaller numbers. By this point either the covey had grown or combined forces with another covey. I saw a large group running out in front of us and they were calling all around so we headed for the runners. Man those guys are fast. We lost them so I headed for the sound of talking birds. Ice went on point and after small reminder as she took a step she stayed put while I moved in then proceeded to run to get those buggers to flush. In all the excitement I missed the shot (my 2nd of the day). So we went after singles. I saw a bunch flush wild and I had a few bust at my feet and shot at 1...couldn't resist. By now it was really hot and while there were birds calling all around we headed home. Fun day.
18 November 2006 - Northeast of Tucson
Pistol Pointing Gambles Quail 7am, 53 degrees - Noon, 75 degrees. After speaking with a friend who's friend had limited out last week on Gambles and Scaled Quail we decided to give that area a try. Not having been there before it was fun to try to find new places to hunt. We started out heading North away from the sun down a wash and it took us a bit before we finally got into our first covey. Pistol pointed the covey but they must have been moving fast because there was really nothing around where I found her on point. I don't remember well what happened next but I know that a few birds got up out in front of us out of range and one flew back by me and I shot it.
Pistol Pointing Zeus Backing - Gambles Quail We moved on after the covey and both dogs kept getting pretty birdie and I think Zeus may have pointed a single and I think a single or two busted up around Doug, but I didn't get any more action on that covey. I think it was a small one so I didn't mind. We walked some more and during our decent down the wash Pistol went on point again and again the birds must have been running because they didn't flush up until I'd released Pistol and they were out a ways. We saw a few more singles and then ran into some hunters and so we headed back in the direction of the truck taking a different route.
Zeus Pointing - Gambles Quail Country On our way back I took to one side of a wash and Doug took the the other. I followed Pistol up to the summit of the wash and found her on point on the other side. By the time I'd worked my way down and thru the wash and back up I saw the birds flush about 50 yards out right over the next ridge. Hoping that some had either just run over or not flushed far we headed over the hill. Once we were over Pistol almost immediately went on point. I walked around and didn't flush up anything. Then I heard a noise off to my left in Pistols direction and saw a bird jump out of a bush about 15 yards to her left. The bird was running hard and flew fast and I missed. Then 2 more jumped up right in front of me and I got them both. Pistol retrieved them both. I figured I'd taken 2 of the birds and there were only 15 or so, so I moved on to try to catch up with Doug.
Pistol - 3 Gambles Quail From there it was a long walk back to the truck. On the way though Doug spotted some Quail running down in a wash and we headed out after them. There either weren't that many or they ditched us because I think 2 or 3 were all we were able to find and none were taken. We walked through some great looking country on our way back to the truck, but unfortunately there were no birds to be found.
PRIVATE PROPERTY - NO HUNTING Once we were all loaded up we went looking for a new area to hunt and went North. The farther North we went the worse the country seemed to get so we headed back to a different spot to try there. Once we arrived the unfortunate happened. I left my gun at the last area. You can see my shotgun leaning against the fence post 2 pictures up. Fortunately that's where it was when we got back. Things were really starting to heat up so we found a new spot close by to hunt. We hadn't walked far when we came across this remotely placed sign. To the North of it was another...so we headed to the South West. We didn't get far. It was hot and our dogs were dragging...and so was I. So we headed back to the truck. On the way back were got into some thick prickly pear cactus and I didn't see it but I heard Doug shooting and he said there were birds jumping up all around him coming out of the cactus. He got 2 of them. We hoped to find a few on our way back but didn't see anymore after that and we headed home. Overall could have used a few more birds but 4 coveys in 5 hours isn't too bad. It was a fun hunt.
24 November 2006 - Near Nogales, AZ
The Mearns Were Hiding out in the Shade in the Middle Right of the Picture 8:30am, 49 Degrees - 3:45pm 75 Degrees. We headed out to a place neither of us had been in pursuit of the Elusive Mearns Quail. The country looked perfect for housing the little masked wonders which proved to be better at hiding then we were at finding. Our first stop didn't produce any birds, just a lot of walking in some of the most beautiful country in Arizona. I came across one water hole. Our second stop which was about a 1/2 mile up the road looked good, but our direction quickly changed as we heard some hunters shooting up the canyon were we where heading. They did quite a bit of shooting while we were out so I'm guessing they got into 4-5 coveys...maybe more. We headed up a mountain and then down into a canyon that produced one covey for us. We were walking along and I saw a bird flush about 40 yards out. We headed in that direction and as we were moving in a few more birds flushed and I shot one. The cool thing for me was that Ice was on the other side of the covey from me and she stopped on her own and just stood there as bird after bird flew out. I was glad I'd spend some time with her a few weeks ago. So anyway the birds were coming out in waves and I was able to get one more in all the wild excitement. We bumped one more single as we moved down the hill but it didn't come up in shooting range. Then I got pretty excited again when Ice went on point and held as a deer jumped out of her hiding place and bolted down the hill. Good try Ice. I wish it was birds too.
Dam On our way back down the mountain we came across another watering hole...only this one was rather large as it was help up by the dam. Top to bottom on this was about 7 feet. There was plenty of water around.
More Water On our 3rd and final trip out we moved down the road, past our first stop and found another off shooting road that took us deeper into the country. We hopped out and headed North and within 10 minutes Pistol started getting pretty birdie. I'd noticed the dogs doing what she was doing (rooting around the ground wagging their tails like crazy) before and thought well maybe there will be birds this time. Then all the sudden Pistol locked on point. I headed in the direction she was pointing and heard something off to my right about 10 feet from Pistol. I walked over and just about stepped on a bird. Then as I looked around they were every where. I yelled for by buddy and the birds started flushing. I hit one and they were gone quick. There were 20+ birds so we headed up after them and just as we got to the top of a hill about 10-15 of them flushed again and my buddy shot one. The bird dropped down the steep side of the hill and Pistol made a nice retrieve. We went out after them and I went one way and my buddy another. I heard him shooting a few times and he ended up with 3 more birds. I saw and shot one more that flushed out a bit away from my as I was walking up the draw. The action was fast and it was fun then it was over. We moved on having harvested 6 birds from that covey. We didn't find anymore birds but there was plenty of sign and the dogs were finding the places birds had been but were unable to track them after that.
8 Mearns Quail 5 Males - 3 Females Back at the top of the mountain we loaded up and headed home. On our way back down the dirt road we encountered one of the elusive males from down South we hear so much about. While I was unable to snap a photo of him I did get a shot of the sign making us aware of their presence. It was a chance encounter that many will never experience.
We Encountered One Elusive Male on our Trip In all it was a pretty fun hunt. I was fun to get out to some new country I hadn't seen before. I'll be heading back soon and can't wait. ∞
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