2022

[orhunter]

JD: Great GWP profile shot in last photo.

[weimdogman]

Yesterday at 12 30 4° but no wind. 9 guys 9 dogs.7 versatile and 2 labs. Got 26 birds but had many misses. Cold weather gear / gloves make for some tricky shooting at times.

Had multiple dogs on point on multiple birds in different spots at the same time. My male weim Delio wasn't all that fond of the the snow covered cattails but my female Reba thinks they are the nuts!

3 problems with this group
1 guy talks yells laughs all the time .He doesn't have a dog but we get him to block mostly.
6 of the dogs are steady to shot the others not and their recall is poor.
The dogs that are poor retrievers want to steal birds from those that are. Then the poor retrievers either just mouth the birds , or carry them a couple feet and drop them.

Don't get me wrong I have a good time and get great dogwork. Fantastic ground and cover to hunt. I am the oldest so the guys look out for me even though I am outwalking them!

[AverageGuy]

I think I would have to rate this past season the best ever for varied and new adventures for the dogs and I.

Bobwhite quail were one bright spot. Some photos from some January Hunts.

Tess with a covey find and a good hunting Buddy getting into position. We took a bird each on the covey rise and moved on.


Spud pointed this covey and Tess backed way off initially. The covey moved, Spud relocated cautiously, Tess broke, moved up and backed again when Spud stopped.










Tess working some running Bobs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ8zJ2g_77k

[AverageGuy]

Dogs and I headed SW in January and got our first taste of Desert Quail and the beautiful country they live in. Won't be our last.



Spud pointing a covey of Mearns Quail.


Tess was in a full run when she spun in the air and came down on this point. Covey of Mearns Quail.


Spud with another find on Mearns.


The Mearns Quail are beautiful birds. Note the giant clawed feet they use to dig for tubers as one of their principal food sources. The diggings are obvious and when you find fresh ones the birds will be nearby unless something has flushed them.


I made a long shot on this Mearns off a point by Tess. She does a nice job of marking and recovering the not dead bird.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy5kXnk2wrU

Moved a short distance to some lower elevation desert terrain and Spud and I got our first taste of Scaled Quail. Spud did excellent work on those running birds and wow was it fun.


Last afternoon of the trip I had yet to go after any Gambels quail. Using OnX to locate water sources and drove to them. Dropped Spud and not too long after we were into our first ever covey of Gambels running fast ahead of Spud's point. I ran at them, the birds flushed, I planted and shot, feathers flew and the bird flew on disappearing into thick cover all around. Spud and I pursued in the direction the bird I hit was flying. Spud disappeared in the cover hunting ahead. Had gone about 75 yards when Spud showed up carrying our beautiful cock bird. Love that Spud!


That Gambels quail made our 3rd species of desert quail on that trip and our 5th for the season. Bobwhite, Valley Quail, Mearns, Scaled and Gambels. Something I will repeat annually, Good Lord willingly.

Scenery was beautiful. Mearns country here.

[J D Patrick]

awesome AG

[Willie T]

Beautiful AG and thanks for posting that brace work I’ve been looking forward to seeing.
Willie