Contributors to this thread:
I'm planning to bring my father to your state this fall/winter to chase pheasants and quail and wanted to see if I could get some tips/advice from you locals. I'm planning to hit WIHA properties in the NW part of the state. A few questions: Do the public lands get pounded like they do in CO? I'd like to make a few long weekend trips but if public lands are mobbed on weekends then I could take a few days off to hunt the mid-week. How are the bird numbers? What might I expect to see in a day of checking out WIHAs? If anyone has any general suggestions on where to stay or hunt I'd be glad to return the favor with advice on hunting anything in CO, WY, or NE. Also, if anybody wants to get together to hunt, we'd love to meet some KS bowsiters. We have 3 Llewellin Setters that love to hunt. My father will turn 80 this year and this will be the trip of a lifetime for us regardless of how the hunting goes. Thanks in advance for any input.
If you hunt the NW part of the state, you will not find very many if any quail. I hunt WIHAs and with hard work find birds all season long. Some of the WIHAs will have birds and others will not. As far as pressure goes there is not much to a lot depending on when and where you hunt. If I had my choice I would avoid the weekends(I would prefer Wed, Thurs, and Fri) as weekends will have the most pressure. You can most likely find birds on the weekends, but it will be a little harder.
The forecast I have seen calls for an average to a little above average year for Pheasant numbers. I do not live in the area of the state with the best Pheasant population, so I cannot speak with first hand knowledge of Pheasant populations where you will be hunting.
We have our best WIHA success hunting properties that are enrolled in CRP. With good moisture this year the grass will likely be tall and dense. I hope it is not too much for your father.
I hope this helps. I know with your dogs you will have a good time no matter how many birds you kill.
We ran this about three weeks ago.
A lot depends on what you consider the NW part of the state, as per bobwhites. I've talked with guys around Norton and a county or two to the east that have found decent bobwhite populations the past couple of seasons.
Look on some of our deer threads, and send PM to the guy who goes by deerman406 or Shawn. He's from New York, but talked of seeing quite a few birds last year where he hunted in Kansas.
I think he's bringing his setter, too.
Don't be shy about trying to make local contacts. Most will be happier to help knowing you are bringing your elderly father along.
Your blessed to have that opportunity.
Nice of you to offer up information in the other states.
Sent you a PM Will. Good luck!
Hmmm I generally hunt all over out west. This year Kinsley to Dodge and South to Meade will be Amazing.
...for both.
Quail numbers in the Sandhills are flat-out silly.
We did 8 coveys and 3 1/2 hours the last week of the 2014 season, and it's improved the past two seasons.
I assume you have some relative who owns a big ranch in the Sandhills, too, Matt? :-)
My friend west of Garden City counted 55 different birds (pheasants) on about 10 miles of backroad...and none of the crops had been cut in that area.
It can be really tough. Last time I was out there was 2014 and we had snow on the ground. First day we hunted WIHA. Shot 1 bird in one day of hunting. There had just been a blizzard and the first field we hunted had lots of birds but they knew the routine no matter how sneaky we tried to be. We saw a few but I got the only shot. We literally saw the same fields get hunted 3-5 times a day.
Just put down a deposit on a puppy. Hoping to get back into it hot and heavy. Its not the same following a flushing dog.
Thanks a bunch for the input guys. A bowsite friend has already invited us to hunt with him. Thanks Matt! We will still likely hit some WIHAs on our way out and back. We're not dead set on the NW. I just happened to read that there were supposed to be good numbers there this year and it is closer to my home in CO. "Quail numbers in the Sandhills are flat-out silly." Ok, I'm sold! I guess we'll be swinging through that area for sure. Thanks again to all and any other suggestions or input are greatly appreciated.
Will... if you are interested in coming a couple extra hours east to more central KS shoot me a PM. I have some ground with good numbers I would be happy to share with you.
See, Will, all those nasty things people say about Kansans on Bowsite.
We're only jerks when it comes to deer. :-)
Yup, where I hunted last year I saw quite a few hirds. Prairie chickens as well as quail and pheasants. I own a Llewellyn setter as well, she will hunt with me out in NW Kansas this year. Shawn
Have a great time Will, that's going to be a special hunt with your Dad!
Here is my Molly on point, Partridge flushed and I missed with the recurve. Shawn
I try and do my part. While I like to release in the spring at the first sight of a grease hopper I went ahead and released 50 quail and 50 pheasants yesterday.
I try and do my part. While I like to release in the spring at the first sight of a grease hopper I went ahead and released 50 quail and 50 pheasants yesterday.
Nice looking dog, Shawn
Good stuff, Matte
tacklebox, I'll pm you later today or tomorrow. Thankyou, sir!
We can't wait for the season. We plan to hunt both public and private in NE, CO, and KS. This will be a dream season for my father who just moved out from Jersey. Thank you Bowsiters!
Looks like dad really enjoys it, Will.
Shawn...your dog may bite you when she comes out to Kansas, and remembers you came last year without her. Let us know how she does on quail.
I have a feeling, once you gets the scent equated with what needs to be done, you're both going to love the little birds.
Ah well, I don't know. I know alot of people say it is a waste but they are fun to raise and gives the kids a place to hunt close to home. I know most will not make it due to predator issues but even if only a couple survive till spring I'm good with that oh ya and it is fun. Flushed a bird walking a kid to the stand this morning and got to hear quail all morning. That is already worth the time and effort spent.
Michael she has hunted both quail and chukar and a lot of pheasants. As soon as I grab the gun she knows what she is looking for, she just does not get enough birds here in NY. Matt that is all we have here. Very few wild birds but some do make it and I have let hundreds go around my house over the years and we do have a small wild pop. now. I saw a hen with 9 babies this spring. I agree it is nice to introduce a new person to bird hunting even if it ain't the same as wild birds. Shawn
Fair answer, Matt, thanks.
I've noticed I have my best hunts were nobody has released any pen-raised birds in, oh, 60 years or so?
Shawn, the difference between pen-raised quail and wild birds is much more than with pheasants.
I'll agree pen raised birds are not very bright. I do it more for the fun of seeing them and if need be a chance for a kid to connect although we have never hunted released birds in this spot.
I understand, I have had her in South Carolina on wild birds a couple times. She does well, she has a good nose but not great but she makes up for it as she wants to please me a lot. I sure hope I get her into birds out there or she will be upset with me. Shawn
This is after a miss, she said where the hell is the gun?? :)
How to tell if your dog is involved in a sex scandal!
No up date otcWill? I'm heading to the Meade area 12/18 for a week or so for quail with a brittney and a pointer. Heard there are plenty of birds this year. Easter Montana was thick with sharptails, Huns and pheasants this and looking forward to gentleman Bob and his scaled cousin.
My Dad's 8mo dog is doing well
My Dad's 8mo dog is doing well
Nice pics! We've been hunting almost every wknd here in CO and hoping to hit KS after Christmas.
Got four nice coveys of Quail on my place, but no desire to hunt them since my old Pointer died.
My 4 yr old has become an absolute head turner
My 4 yr old has become an absolute head turner
We're having a hell of a good time :)
Looks like it from the smiles on you and your Pops face. Reason we do this is for the memories most of all. I'll post an update when I get to Mead.
Killing stuff i was in the same general area the beginning of the month.
If you can I'd travel and hunt north west of Liberal. Better bird numbers and a ton of quail.
The deer heard is doing better around Meade and the lake but they have a ways to go.
If you have to stay around Meade try and focus on north of town where there is more irrigation.
Hell you may already know all of this but just passing along what I saw.
Congrats OTC. Did you make it to KS or are those CO birds?
I've been hitting WIHA and state areas. I go a couple hits a day on days off. I've found 1 covey and shot 1 bird.
Thanks for the tips Matt. Yeah I'll be very mobile and don't plan on hunting the same place twice. Want to see what's out there as I'm looking to transfer out to Colorado Springs in the next 6 months to a year and SW Kansas is an easy drive from there.
Hope you and your Dad are having a great time! .My Dad grew up just before the great depression and lived through it by hard work and determination. When I was a kid, it seemed that work was all he knew and then suddenly, he was to old to enjoy life, but he still enjoyed hearing about my trips afield, no matter if they were in state or as far away as Alaska.
Lots of these photo opps
Lots of these photo opps
Thanks, MDW! We're having a blast. I'm hoping to put the old boy on an elk this fall
Quinn, all CO birds. We've been doing really well this season; not much pressure on Walk-Ins and the best bird numbers I've seen in CO in about 10 years. We've seen 50+ birds in both of our last two trips. We're hoping to swing through KS in Jan.
Had great hunts in western Kansas Monday and Tuesday morning....limits by noon, Two hunters one day. Three the next. Saw more than 150 on Monday as the birds were still bunched in patches of kochia near a good food source. Still getting very good reports of quail in southwestern Kansas, on both bobwhites and scaled quail.
Will:
I am glad you are enjoying time hunting with your Dad. My Dad instilled the love of the outdoors in me and my brothers. When I was a youngster he always found time to take me and my brothers hunting and fishing. Unfortunately, he died too young and I never had a chance to hunt with him as an adult. My brothers and myself still spend a lot of time chasing pheasants which was one of my Dad's favorite things to hunt. The bottom line is cherish the time with your Dad and others because we never know when there will no longer be time.
Even tho its bird season, the spring bird season in just 130ish days away. 13 Toms went for a drink..
Dog and I unintentionally put a nice break on a fall flock quail hunting this afternoon. Wish I had been set up a little better.
A buddy put up 12 coveys of bobwhites in 3 1/2 hours this week in the Sandhills near Dodge City this week. Not a typo. We knew it would be that good in those pastures.
The same guy has been in on quite a few quick limits of roosters. Habitat makes a huge difference,and he manages more than 40,000 acres to be both profitable with ag,and to hold a lot of wildlife.
Well lots of pheasants so far but no quail. Staying in Garden City and have been mostly south all the way to Liberal. Today heading west to Sycamore. Don't need anymore roosters that's for sure. Here's Tober on a pheasant. He's just 11 months old but he knows his business.
Hope you mean Syracuse? Sycamore's way east, maybe 60 miles from Missouri. :-)
Yeah Syracuse. I'm not from around here :). Finally found some scaled quail (just two) and brought one to hand.
Draw a line from Dodge City to Meade over to Ashland and back up to Dodge and that's where I was today. Kinda figured them out yesterday except hitting a quail with a 30 to 40 mph tail wind isn't easy. Today the wind was only 10 mph so............:). Even had a double on a rock dove fly by.
You like to eat Pigeons? I was in Syracuse over the weekend, they have a ton of collared doves there! never saw a pheasant all weekend. Only deer I saw were a couple of road kills.
Yeah Syracuse was a sea of grass, no edges to the cover/food. Headed south after a few hours Saturday and found a pair of scaled. Only one pheasant too and that was in the same area as the quail.
Never had pigeon before but the rest of the world eats them so I'll try them. They eat the same stuff doves and quail do so why not.
Pigeons are good if you can get them from a clean diet. Collared doves taste like mourning doves, but with a tad more meat. They make great poppers. Looks like you're getting your money worth out of Kansas, killin. Good deal.
Those pictures are making me wish I had brought the ol model 58 out to Holcomb just in case I had a spare second to play
Heck Sondog I'm about 3 miles from you at this time sitting in the office. Would be a beautiful morning to be out hitting the river bed over there chasing quail.
Your telling me man but klotz has other plans for me today wish they would've requested some predator control so I could've brought the Foxpro and 22-250 lol
I'm not quite there yet it's a bit of a drive for me
Pigeons=rafter rats. A co-worker live traps them and makes jerky out of them, ack!
Good ol squab haha just the way mama used to cook it
I'll let you know on the pigeons. I'm a really good cook so I'm not worried.
Just want to say thanks to Kansas and the property owners that enroll their land in WIHA. It's a really nice think that they do.
Wish I had more time to poke around in the SW part of the state. Made the mistake of heading east to the famous Flint Hills looking for birds but I should have known better. "Famous" means I'm not the only one who has heard about it and so it gets pounded. Talked to one local who told a story about a good spot not to far from his home that he would watch as many as 4 different groups of hunters hit it during the course of the day opening week.
The Flint Hills don't get hit very hard at all compared to Western and Northern KS. 20 years ago, we were the capital of chickens and quail. Now, hardly anybody bird hunts. The quail have returned somewhat, but the chickens have diminished profoundly. You must have been in small area that still gets hunted. One of my farms is near a 10,000 acre wildlife area and the last 5 years of opening day quail season, I hear very little shooting. However, 40 miles west to El dorado, is a different story. That place gets bird hunted hard to to its close proximity to Wichita.
I am here on the east side of th Flint Hills. WIHA I can see from my house got hit by 3 different groups last Saturday. We are headed to NC KS to hunt tomorrow.
Glad you had fun, Killin, You know, I could see early October in the UP for ruffs and woodcock, then December in Kansas for pheasants and quail as being a pretty good fall. Talk about two extremes. Went out with a buddy to some of his places south or west of Great Bend this afternoon. Tough scenting conditions until the last hour of daylight. I shot four roosters and four quail. Where we found nice grass bordering food, we found birds. A lot of pheasants flushed wild, but enough stayed to play. Doing bobwhites in the sandhills on Saturday. It's been a great year there, too, but there are still tougher days around.
Well writer I start off in Montana September 1st for 10 days or so for Sharptails and Huns, October in MI and WI for grouse and woodcock and a week in late November back in Montana for Pheasants, Sharptails and Huns. KS is going to get worked into the rotation more next year. I search Airbnb and Craigslist (sometimes Home Away but they are more expensive so I email the home owners and try to work out a deal and that works now and again) for furnished houses I can rent for my trips. It's usually cheaper than a hotel, I can cook instead of eating out and I can do my laundry. Plus with dogs it's easier. Yes I do have to work for a living but work allows me to travel and as long as I have internet and cell connection I can work from anywhere in the world. I'm very fortunate.
And I like to bow hunt so heading to FL is 3 weeks for hogs and will be in GA at Ft Stewart in late February for more hogs. That's what I like to do, sneak up on bear in AK, BC, and AB, sneak up on hogs in FL, GA and TX and watch the dogs do their thing on birds. I'm not much for sitting in a tree waiting to kill a deer but do it for the meat and to watch the leaves fall.
What kind of dogs are you running, Killin? And how many?
Right now I have a English Pointer who turns 1 year old in 6 days and 9 year old Brittney. I had to put my little Brittney bitch down in October so I'm looking to get another pointer here soon. I've had GSP's, Setters and a Chesapeake, loved them all but really do like the style of a pointer. They figure things out fast and I like a dog with range. Honestly though it's all a personal thing as most dogs, if put in the right situation will be a dog to be proud of. I just like to see them do their job.
We hunted Graham and Norton counties. 8 guys 6 dogs. There were two roosters and 2 quail taken. I didn't even raise my gun. That's why it's called hunting and not killing.
If you look close, there are 5 quail in front of the roosters. I shot one lonely pheasant today at 52 yds and my son shot the rest. Got a couple of really nice points out of the old master today.
We moved 13 coveys in the Sandhills yesterday. The conditions were toughfor scenting for the dogs we had. The last hour, as always, thoough, things got right and all worked great with several covey points in very open cover. At one time we had two dogs on the ground, each pointing a different covey of quail.
None of my dogs point but we found 4 coveys in 2 hours this afternoon on public land .Shot 4 with 5 shells and could have easily shot my limit. I flushed many at close range that I didn't even fire a shot at. I just liked seeing the dogs root them out of the thick grass.
Glad to see I didn't kill them all :).
If any of you fellas make it to northern Michigan, the U.P. of eastern Montana looking to hunt birds just let me know.
CJ
I hunted yesterday. Nothing on WIHA. Heard the covey on my place flush but I was down in the thick stuff and never saw them nor could I see where they went. Headed out in a bit.
Hunted about 90 minutes. Moved 1 covey and got one shot. They were some running SOBs. I could hear them peeping and see them running before the dog caught on. Only found a pair after the initial break.
Also got tangled up in some old barbed wire and took a spill. Cut up my leg, ripped my pants, and shredded my thumb when I hit the ground. Be careful out there.
Few hunters in Colby at the hotel this morning headimg out. Need to come out here and hunt instead of work lol
Butts kicked Thursday afternoon.
Kicked butt Sunday morning, even in the wind. Rooster limit in barely two hours and last bird came from a three bird rise at close range.
My gosh, what a fun year for pheasant and quail. :-)
Glad you having fun. I wouldn't call it banner here but I hunt a couple hours most days. Today was a skunk.
I am glad many of you are having great years. My hunting group is having an average year. Honestly, where we hunt the Pheasant population is probably down a little, but quail numbers are the best in several years.
A negative for me is that five properties that allow us to hunt are coming out of the CRP program. Another has gone into the WIHA program. One that we hunted on Saturday has Serecea(SP) Lespedeza in it. The owner said he put some flower seeds in it for the birds and unfortunately there was Lespedeza seed in it. He has been told that he needs to burn it each September to control the Serecea. Obviously this will do away with the hunting.
Burning in September won't do away with sericea. Only way to control it right now is chemically. Burning actually helps sericea. My place was nearly solid sericea when I bought it. Four years later the warm season grasses have exploded but I have to stay on the sericea to keep it in check.
Didn't even hunt this weekend. Wanted to give the dogs some time to get their legs back and quite frankly, been feeling guilty for shooting them, kind of. Anyway, I was to busy putting the dance steps together for Whip & Nae Nae and Gummy Bear. This is Dance Fitness month for PE.
Shot a chicken and 4 quail yesterday in my secret spot. Saw about 90 chickens and 4 coveys. hunted all day.
We're still smiling. We've killed 20 roosters in CO this year and we're finally heading to KS on Saturday. We'll hunt CO in the AM and KS that afternoon before meeting up with a friend to hunt the next few days. Life is good!
I'm not 100%...but I think Jeff just revealed a sense of humor?
Congrats on all of the upland successes boys and girls, good times!
" give the dogs some time to get their legs back and quite frankly, been feeling guilty for shooting them, kind of.."
Why in the hell are you shooting your dogs, Jeff?
Any particular season is some hunter's worst and another hunter's best. Even in the drought, I had one buddy who shot limited on pheasants many times, with up to five guys in his group.
Will those are some beautiful dogs. Growing up as a young man my best friends dad always took us hunting with his dogs and I always enjoyed watching them work. I'm glad you are getting this time to share with your dad. Best of luck in Kansas!!
Well I will be back at on Saturday. If my back can survive all this dancing.
Hope we get snow instead of ice. I don't mind hunting in ice, but I won't drive in it anymore. Too may other days in the season.
Thanks, Griff! We've been having a hell of a good time. Truth: I'd rather be bowhunting but this is his absolute passion and I'm grateful to be able to spend time with him. He doesn't get a lot of shooting in as he's more concerned with keeping his fingers warm than killing stuff :). He's enjoying the adventure of being out west as much as anything. Good times!
I'm envious, Will. That was my dad and my plans for when he retired. Shortly after that first season opened he was diagnosed, and ever test from then on was worst-case scenario. He was 66.
Another pretty good bird hunt Friday. Saw few pheasants, shot one but also my first limit of quail in many years. Also took eight shots, thanks to two doubles on a covey rise, and the dog catching a healthy bird and making some good find on dead quail. Interesting that a lot of people have struggled to find pheasants the past few days, in areas where they've been in good numbers this season.
Yep they are not where they were a few weeks ago. I saw several good bunches of roosters in the front yards of several homes yesterday.
My brother and I got out Saturday and hunted one of the properties that are coming out of CRP. There are two quarter sections about 8 miles apart. They have always been heavily posted but the Elderly lady that owns the land lets us hunt a couple of times a year. We took three roosters off the first tract and two roosters and one quail off the second tract.
Overall it was a good hunt. My Brittany had points on five hens and two roosters that I shot. My brother took the other three roosters and the quail. We probably had time to hunt another place or two to try and get out limit on Pheasants, but were happy with our hunt. Also, he had a two hour drive to get home and I had about an hour. We decided to not risk being caught in freezing rain.
My friend and co-worker and myself get to tag along with some contractor friends when they invite Adam's dog Ranger to hunt with them. :)
Some good hunts.. Went to fill turkey/songbird/quail/Cooper's hawk feeders by El Dorado and my dog put up two very nice coveys of quail. Running out of time, but hope to make it at least three more times for ducks and the same for pheasant and quail...then at lest there's two weeks of geese. :-) Been a great year, I'm going to miss it....
Made a quick stop in CO on Sat afternoon. Killed 3. Good start!
Made a quick stop in CO on Sat afternoon. Killed 3. Good start!
We finally made it to KS and it was far and away the best bird hunting we've seen.
Lil ice
Lil ice
Met up with my friend Matt on Sunday. Weather was far from good but we definitely made the best of it.
4 of us killed 27 roosters in 2 days! My Dad spent the drive home texting pics to his buddies and saying how they wouldn't believe it without pics. So much fun!!
HUGE thanks again to Matt and the Palmquist family for everything!! Looking forward to huntn together again in the future brother. Maybe for something bigger;). Thanks to all who offered help and advice! Dream trip for a couple grown kids!!
Well, if you thing THAT hunt was good.
Well, it really was. :-)
Happy times. Thanks for the pics, Good looking dogs.
It was a pleaure my friend! We may need a redo as it was a little sloppy for this hunt;)
Matt
Talked to a buddy who shot a limit of roosters, plus four quail, in two hours on WIHA over the weekend. Get out there and get them!!!
Great wrap up on the last day of season. Six Quail coveys with estimated 10-15 birds in each. Pheasants were phenomenal as I must have flushed close to 50 in all. I took two of each pheasant and Quail as I'm not a limit hunter. Dog is tuckered out but he did well without his side kick as Bridget passed away recently. What makes this such a good day was it was all in Sedgwick County.
Ended well, too. Hunted about the last hour on Monday and got two roosters. Unique hunt today. I shot a limit of quail. My friend, with me, shot a limit of roosters. We were hunting the same fields but he didn't shoot a quail and I didn't shoot a rooster. In fact neither of us had even a decent shot at those birds. Not a "limit hunter," whatever that is. But if I have the time, I want to hunt as long as possible.
I'm a limit guy but sometimes the birds don't get the memo:) Didn't find many this afternoon but managed to finish with one bird that will be a great addition to the mess of quail we will enjoy tomorrow evening!
Use to be the guy who would hunt all day till I had my limit. Now I am happy with a bird or two and enjoy that just as much. No issue with guys who get a limit. I just don't do it any longer. I found all my birds next to bean fields which surprised me as a cut Milo field and corn field bordered the property and all my birds were full of beans just like me.
Glad you all had success, wish I could have made it out but...I shot a limit of emails by 7am...dogs were on the coffee table
What a great thread. It's awesome to see most everyone having a great bird season finally. It's been a while since there were these bird numbers. Let's keep our fingers crossed for a wet spring, late wheat harvest and minimal hail this year! If we get that the bird hunting should be even better this year.
One of my brothers and myself went on Saturday. He said today we are getting our limit of Pheasants or hunting until sundown. I shot our 8th pheasant at 5:15. We went on Sunday and he we both shot two pheasants by 1:00 P M and he said it's been a good weekend. Our dogs worked hard. We had walked a lot of miles. Let's go home.
My other brother and I took off work yesterday and drove 3 hours one way to hunt WIHA. He shot his limit of pheasants. I got no shots at pheasants. My dog must have pointed 15 hens and no roosters. The only roosters I flushed were out of range. The last place we hunted he said I heard you shoot I assume you got one. I told him I had shot a hen. He wanted to know what had happened. I then pulled the hen quail out of my vest. It was the only shot I had all day.
I will say that I had a good year. I hunted a lot. I have eaten a lot of pheasants. Overall the pheasant population in the areas we hunt is not up from past years. In fact it appears to be down a little from the last few years. We did find enough birds to have successful hunts and keep our dogs hunting hard. I don't need a lot of birds to be happy.
I hardly ever get my limit. Does that mean I'm not a limit hunter?
No Two Dogs, that WIHA is a waste of money, and none of it has any wildlife on it. Period. A friend n St. John cherry-picked some short hunts on some of his hunting spots and moved 12 coveys of quail. Many of my hunts are short, like after work, just before a trip to a bow stand, after an all-morning duck hunt. Sometimes I'll stop with a rooster or four quail...and head to the hunting house for a great dinner.
Writer:
I like the challenge of hunting WIHAs and the fact that we simply pick one and hunt. There is no need to locate a landowner to secure permission. I believe the WIHA program is very important for providing a place for everyone to have a place to hunt. I look at WIHA as a great success as I believe you do also.
I went on four hunts that were strictly on WIHA properties this year. On opening day I shot 4 pheasants as did my two brothers. On a early December hunt I shot two pheasants. On a late December hunt I shot 3 pheasants and three of us ended up with 7 pheasants. On yesterdays hunt I shot zero pheasants (I did shoot the hen quail), but my brother shot 4. As said earlier I had a bunch of points on hens. I guess I need to teach my dog to determine the sex of the bird before she points it. I considered all the hunts a success. I love watching our dogs work and the enthusiasm they have for the hunt. I do not need a limit for a hunt to be successful.
In 20 years of hunting quail, I have never shot a limit. I like them too much to kill that many I guess. I remember times that lasted several years where they were few and far between. It always made me realize what a neat bird they are to have around. My wife thinks they are cute and declared the coveys by our house off-limits but I still harass them once in a while to keep the dogs lively.
