Our TX Christmas hunt!

[Kilimanjaro]

Well, I finally got Christmas off this year from work and we pointed the truck east and bee-lined it back home to TX for some relaxation for the holiday and of course some Bobwhite hunting! I was gonna try and squeeze in an axis deer hunt on a buddy's ranch near my hometown, but we just plain ran out of time.. I guess I'll just have to go back in Feb.. Dang.

The weather was pretty good for the quail hunting.. nice moist conditions thanks to a recent shower and a nice breeze.. BUT, the bird numbers were as bad as they have ever been in recent memory.. last year where we could find 15 covies, we found 2 or maybe 3.. and it's like that all over the entire state right now.. hopefully we'll get some much needed rain in the area this winter and spring.. if it rains, there are birds.. plain and simple.

 

But we still did ok for the short amount of time we had.. We moved 6 covies in one short afternoon hunt on horseback..

Those Tennessee walking horses are a dream to hunt on!! Its like no other horse ride you've ever been on.. smooth as glass.

Here are a few pics from the hunt..

 

Headed out into the sea of Kline grass where those Bobs like to feed..

Virgil with the first find of the hunt.. And his very first covey of totally wild TX Bobs!!

and of course the covey explodes right when I'm on the wrong foot and I miss with both barrels!! But that's pretty typical of my shooting!!

 

"I'm thirsty Pops.. give me a drink!!"

Me giving the kiddo a "piggy" back ride!!

and the outcome for the afternoon's hunt on one of my all-time favorite types of hunting... Bobs over horseback..

 

Then on the way back to AZ, we took the long road back to see the grandparents and spent a little time in the high country mountains and snow of central NM.. We wanted to at least see some snow during the holiday break!! I would say from the expressions on the pups' faces that they enjoyed it very much!! We were gonna chase Blues and Gambels at Whitesands Missle range since we were already there, but the forecast wasn't too hot for bird numbers so we decided to point the truck west and head on back to AZ..

 

Now I'm back to the same place I was last year.. all I lack for the US quail slam in one season is those pesky Cali birds.. last year those wily Mountain quail outsmarted us..Maybe I'll have to plan for a weekend in Cali next month!

 

I hope all of you had as good a holiday as we did!!

Thanks for lookin'!

[daryl_s]

Looks like you guys had a blast. Thanks for sharing the story and pics with us.

[Red Rabbit]

I like the pic of the bobs on the saddle. Can ya shorten the stirrups a little more for em, tho?

 

RR