Oh, Glorious November 28th

[Kilimanjaro]

Today is a day that I live for.. and it was a long time coming.. I missed all last season with my ill fated move to MT. But alas, all is right with the world now.. It was an opener for the books. All day yesterday and most of last night, we had a great, slow soaking rain that came in with a cold front. At around midnight, the front pushed on through and behind it was some of the most perfect weather one could ask for for quail hunting. Around 37 at first light, an almost cloudless sky, and better scenting conditions couldn't be had!!

 

Should you want to find Mearns, you're more than likely pass through these "pearly" gates..

 

We made our way to the first place of the morning and hit the ground at 9:15, and it ended up being the only place we went to!! With the amount of birds we found, there was no need to go anywhere else.

 

"And here we go!"

 

We hadn't gone 10 minutes and I find Penny locked down on a HUGE covey!! Knock one down and spend a few minutes praising the dogs..

 

"if ya see these, you are in the right area.. Be ready! They're REAL close!"

 

Another big covey that was pinned down by both pups..

 

This point cracked me up.. Both dogs were burning up the hillside when they both did the 'ol screaching halt points at the exact same time.. You can almost read it in they're faces.. "Oh crap, they're right there between us!! Don't twitch a muscle!"

 

"Got 'em locked down here, Dad.."

 

Takin' a well deserved break from all this hard work.

 

Fruits of the labor..

 

In a little over 2 hours, we found 8 coveys and brought to bag 8 Mearns quail. I made it a point to take only 1 bird per covey. And for once, I held up my end of the bargin!! A better day of hunting would be hard pressed to be found. We'll see what tomorrow brings!

[Snapshot]

Thats awesome Scott.

[IHunt2live]

Right on Scottyboy! Was it as good as they have been talking it up? I think I might try to get out for a quick trip in the am. Lets hope for a long, wet, perductive season .

[SilentButDeadly]

Shouldn't you be out training for your marathon? (I'll be looking for you during the race).

 

Mearn's are some cool quail.. congratulations.

 

T

[Kilimanjaro]

Right on Scottyboy! Was it as good as they have been talking it up? I think I might try to get out for a quick trip in the am. Lets hope for a long, wet, perductive season .

It looks like its going to be a season to remember for sure. I could have been finished in an hr if I would have shot a few outta each covey. There were young birds EVERYWHERE!! The coveys were 90% this season's birds. Family groups. Those young birds are a hoot to watch. They've never even seen a hunter, and show almost no fear of you or the dogs. Virgil had a young male run under his belly while he was on point!! I was 1/2 a second late on getting a pic of it!!

If you're headed down that way in the morn, let me know. I'll be leaving at around 6:30 or so from the house. I live on the N/E side.

 

Shouldn't you be out training for your marathon? (I'll be looking for you during the race).

 

 

Make that a 1/2 marathon!! I've done a full 13 a couple of times this past few weeks and I gotta say, THAT'S MORE THAN ENOUGH!! I seem to have a wall that is a deal breaker (almost) at around 11 miles. Im still kickin' around the idea of the full montey at the PF Chang run in PHX. But I will say this, I'm sick to death of running. Thats the worst part of all this.. You gotta run yer butt off in order to only do it once, officially!! At least I'll be ready for my death marches at my upcoming acdemy.. I'm headed out to the Search & Rescue academy in late Feb. for 5 weeks of torture!!

[TwoGuns]

Scott, was that you I read about in the latest Rocky Mtn. Game and Fish Mag? There is an article about hunting birds down south and the author hunts with a Scott and his two dogs....thought of you.

 

just wondering.

 

darren

[Kilimanjaro]

Scott, was that you I read about in the latest Rocky Mtn. Game and Fish Mag? There is an article about hunting birds down south and the author hunts with a Scott and his two dogs....thought of you.

 

just wondering.

 

darren

 

 

Yep... that'd be your's truely!! Ive been in quite a few articles for quail hunting/ big game hunting over the yrs.. several of my best friends are professional outdoor writers and they'll throw me in there every now and again.

 

BTW, what month is that issue?? I cant find it anywhere and Ive been looking!

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for all the great pics and story. Always enjoy reading your posts Scottyboy.

 

What is it in your pic titled "if ya see these, you are in the right area.. Be ready! They're REAL close!" Dust baths? Scratching marks? I can't tell what I am looking at....

 

Amanda

 

 

 

[TwoGuns]

Scott, was that you I read about in the latest Rocky Mtn. Game and Fish Mag? There is an article about hunting birds down south and the author hunts with a Scott and his two dogs....thought of you.

 

just wondering.

 

darren

 

 

Yep... that'd be your's truely!! Ive been in quite a few articles for quail hunting/ big game hunting over the yrs.. several of my best friends are professional outdoor writers and they'll throw me in there every now and again.

 

BTW, what month is that issue?? I cant find it anywhere and Ive been looking!

 

Scott, the December issue has the article to which I was referring. It was written by Brandon Ray, entitled "Desert Doubles." The magazine also has an article by Tony Mandile about Josh Epperson's 2008 archery Coues buck, as well as Jeremy Ulmer's huge droptine buck. Good reading.

 

Darren

 

[Kilimanjaro]

Thanks Darren.. Brandon told me to be on the lookout, but I wasnt sure if it was in the Nov or Dec issue. Ive been looking, but cant find that magazine anywhere here in Tucson!! Thanks for the heads up in which month its in.

 

Amanda, I knew that pick didnt come out too well, but those were FRESH diggings! As in the covey flushed right there when we interupted their lunch!

 

 

Made it out again this morning and decided to make it a little bit of a challange. Knocked the dust off the .410 and found a couple of boxes of shells. I hadnt shot her in a couple of seasons now, and figured it'd be a great excuse to shoot a few through 'er.. A few turned into a quest. A quest to actually kill at least one bird!! Oh, there were plenty of them found by the dogs ..10 coveys to be exact. But I couldn't BUY a bird today!! I musta shot 6 shells for every bird brought to hand!! I finally said mercy when I had no more shells to shoot!! And my vest was a tab bit lighter today with only 5 birds to show for all that blazin'.. But, even with the less than spectacular shooting, it was still a great morning to be out. These are the days I daydream about all year!

 

Some covey points of the day from the "A" team.

 

 

 

 

And some singles points.. Man, those suckers will hold tight!

 

 

 

 

And I guess if I'm gonna shoot a small gun, small birds are par for the course!! This has got to be the smallest Mearns Ive ever seen shot!! I had to wipe the milk off his lips before I took the pic!!

 

"Avian veal"

 

 

 

Two days of hard huntin' will wear ya out so much that you won't even be able to make it those last 2 feet to your kennel...

 

 

I'll be out after 'em again next Sat!!

[Billinsd]

Scott, that is VERY cool!!! I went out last year for a few days, in January. My pup pointed a couple birds, but she was mostly running too hard and too fast. what suggestions would you have to teach a pointing dog to hunt Mearns?

 

Also, are there any hotels close to the good hunting, I hunted near Sonita last year, that would be fun for my wife, 5 year daughter, and 3 month old son?

 

I'd really like to get out there this year, but with my newborn, it's a hard sell to the wife. I'll have to try and see if I can invite my sister in law who is visiting in Utah to come down to San Diego for the holidays, and maybe I could break free for a couple days!!!!

 

The quail hunting in San Diego to me is awful, or else I'm a better hunter when I'm in Arizona!!!!

 

Bill

[Coues Archer]

Wow. that really looks like fun. The area looks very familiar what unit is that.