Mearns Quail. Elusive, Unique, Beautiful. Harlequin Quail of The Border.

We moved from the cactus and crushed lava rock down to the southern border with Mexico and in to an altitude band of 4000-5800'. There we found the rarest of the quail in the United States, Mearns Quail.  It so happens, this was a tremendous year for the birds.  Through the grapevine of kindred bird hunters, we heard the population was up and, if we wanted to find a few, now was the time. 

Through friends of friends (of friends..) we found a retired military pilot living in the area who, it seems, prides himself on hunting this bird above all others.  He's an expert concerning them and his dogs (Brits) are top-notch and are Mearns-finding machines.  Aside from the fact that he's 69 years old and walked us in to the ground, he was a real pleasure to hunt with and a fount of knowledge about the birds.

Terry (right), a quail biologist himself, and Wally take a look at what the birds have been eating. This is an effort to learn what to look for when stumbling along, gasping for air, following these two.  Hopefully, if I see some of this type of seed, I'll get them to stop long enough, under the guise of looking for some feeding birds, to catch my breath and grab a drink of water!

My dog, Bandit, found the water trough quickly enough.  It was in the 70's the day we hunted.  We learned from the "old guys", if you have enough time, the best time to hunt is from sunup for a few hours and for a few hours prior to sun down.  The humidity increases enough to help the dogs scent the birds. 

Bandit pointed a covey along the way and we managed to drop a few birds.  These quail are bigger than the Gambels or Blue Quail....and they eat just fine. 

You would think with coloration like this, they would be easy to spot in the brown grass.  Not so!  I'm here to tell you, one can be absolutely LOOKING for these birds and walk right in to a covey unexpectedly.  They are perfectly camouflaged!

Along the way, we found some interesting things.  This is a water hole that comes right out of a rock.  Ace, my Brit, is coming out after getting a drink.  Interestingly, human tracks lead in to the waterhole and the trash around the area indicated perhaps human visitors were common here.  We were VERY close to the border  and Border Patrol trucks were a common sight.

This is one of the most beautiful areas I've seen in Arizona.  Much different than I expected.  I learned that Hollywood discovered this area many years ago, as well.  The Young Guns, The Big Valley, and may other westerns and movies were filmed here.  While much of this is public land, a huge chunk is in a conservancy and a lot is private, too.  No matter.  This is what most of Arizona looked like back in the day- prior to over-grazing (so I'm told).  When the cows eat everything that's edible, only cactus and junk is left.  This area has been preserved through luck and effort. It's truly a sight to see!

This is a part of Arizona I did not know existed. Very nice. The view makes for a pleasant hunt!

Gambels Quail in Arizona- Running Devils.

The drive from Oklahoma to Arizona is worth the ticket price!  I loved every minute. Beautiful scenery and good road kept the  trip interesting and was good for the dogs, as well. Smooth roads keep them rested. 

Gambels country that we hunt has bed described as land where everything either pokes, stings or bites you. I'm here to confirm that is correct. However, add it is hot(or cold) and dry as a bone and the dirt is volcanic ash that is like running on sandpaper. Over time, it will wear down dog pads leading to worn spots and limping hunters. Local dogs can overcome this with toughened pads, but out of towners, like mine, no matter how well prepared, will need boots and some real care and attention to assure their feet don't become a problem. 

Remember to hydrate yourself, too. It's amazing how much water you can lose and not feel it. If I'm not careful to hydrate well, I'll wake up in the middle of the night craving water, with cramping quads, rolling out of bed holding my leg, usually my right one, and cussing my stupidity for not drinking more water.

Ruby did some excellent work on singles north of Globe, Arizona. I was so impressed with her this day. Great find and retrieve in very difficult conditions. 

Here's my Cap. He's got the covey nailed and is swearing they are "Right there, Boss!"  They were, indeed, right there and we had some fine shooting for a while until they managed to escape.

At the end of the day, we really hated to leave Gambels country, but the Mearns were calling. 

We headed farther south, at times only a mile to so north of the border, and went after the most elusive of the  North American Quail- Mearns, or Harlequin quail.  

The Cool Things You See On The Road! Sign Art in Mid-America.

EXACTLY halfway between Chicago and Los Angeles, on old Route 66 (the same one you get your kicks on) is the little town of Adrian, TX. It's a wide spot on the road that used to have a decent cafe, now closed. I know exactly halfway because there is a line painted on the road that says just that. 

Also, all around town, these signs appear in yards, on trees, on buildings. I have no idea who, where or what. Years ago, when I hunted near here (Blue Quail, gobs of them in a good year on a private 32,000 AC. a friend owns) the cafe owner had some information, but my brain memory is full. That particular set of facts got dumped. So, I made up stuff in my head, none of which is true. 

One thing I truly love about flyover country is that there are still individuals out there. We still have some divergent thinkers, thank God for that!  One lives or lived here. I wonder what his (I do think it is a him) story is?  Actually, the true story would never live up to the one I've made up anyway. This little wide spot in the road, with no cafe or gas station, has some interesting thinking winding throughout the dirt streets. 

Oklahoma Late Season Quail

We heard parts of Oklahoma had the rains this year. A quick call to the DNR confirmed the rainfall rumor and the possibility of a triple hatch!  That was the good news. The bad news is that the bird numbers were down so far, it will take several years to get back to the "normal" years of the past. It mattered not to this bird hunted. After Nebraska, to Oklahoma we went. Cooper WMA is where we started. Thousands of acres managed for quail with feed, cover and water, it is a habitat paradise for the bobwhite. 

Unfortunately, the weather turned warn on us. We did find one covey in the morning.....in the safety zone...rats! Then we found 5 singles scattered out throughout the day, throughout the WMA. Go figure why they weren't in coveys. Got me. 

Lunch on the tailgate was sumptuous, nutritious(?), and cheap. The perfect birdhunter's lunch. 

Late Season Pheasant Hunt or Who Needs a Therapist? I Have a Dog!

Champ and Ace have them pinned down 

Scott got one of my puppies, by Ace, and I delivered him, El J, in November. While I was there, we went out and hunted a little bit. His Brittanies are very nice, well conditioned, well mannered in the field and a pleasure to hunt behind. 

Ace on the retrieve. 

I managed to invite myself back a few months later...."Hey, Scott, I'm passing by your place in a few weeks, how about we take the dogs out a bust a few roosters?"  I got there on the heels of the worst arctic blast in 20 years and it was still pretty cold. But the skies had cleared and we set out with our dogs to find some late season survivors. These are the tough, smart ones. 

Scott holding a fine specimen of a harvested rooster. 

Champ makes a nice retrieve. 

They did lead us on a merry chase a few times, I'll concede. In the end, the dog noses and experience put us in a position to harvest some birds. 

It was a cold one. To be sure! 

Scott doesn't miss many!  

Ace and me and the harvest. 

Today the forecast is for snow/rain mix and 10 mph wind from the south. Perfect. 

Pearl and Shack

While roading the "big dogs", I like to take the puppies on a loop around the pasture, as well.  Here is a short clip I made last week when the pups were 4 months old.  I leave in a few days for another hunting trip to AZ and NM.  Unfortunately for these little guys, they are just a bit too young for me to take them along.  Next year, they will be the stars!

Photo by Nancy Whitehead

My Boy Ace and a Video From North Dakota

We worked this old rooster through the CRP for about a hundred yards or so. Ace would catch him up against the edge and I would rush over expecting him to flush, but he would sneak off into the thick stuff again.  Over and over, the experienced dog and the cagey rooster matched wits.  The wind was directly into the our face.  It was about forty degrees and a little humid. The deck was stacked against the bird today. I just held the camera and watched the scene play out.  Over the past 20+ years and 5+ dogs and 200+ roosters, each and every one is special.

Photo by Nancy Whitehead

Merry Christmas, my bird dog friends!

I really like the saying, or prayer, I saw painted on a stone. It read, "Lord, let me be the man my bird dog thinks I am."   Yep. I'd settle for that. 

Take time out from the madness and grab that dog, load up and go for a walk or short hunt. Be sure and pause to really watch him and see the effort he puts in to pleasing you. I thank God he gave us these marvelous animals. Perhaps, it was to demonstrate how he would like us to look at Him?  

Merry Christmas! 

What's it going to be? Field Trials or Bird Hunting?

I just finished two days of 10 braces of National Shoot to Retrieve Field Trial Association runs. I'm worn out and about $600 lighter in the wallet.  I did have a good time and my two Brittanys, Cap and Ruby, did very well, although not well enough to place.  I'm pleased with both of them, and I don't see any flaws that can't be fixed with some patient reminding in the training field at home. Here's the rub.  I'm constantly reminded, and I've been doing this over 20 years, the transition from the field to NSTRA is not instantaneous. In fact, some dogs cannot make that transition.  I can spot that problem early on and not expect that particular dog to perform at that level, but, by and large, I expect all my dogs to gain their championship in NSTRA. The dog shown below, Bo, had no problem at all and was great at both.  

Bo and Me Winning the 2001 Quail Unlimited National Championships- last bird, last brace, last day. 

 I find myself asking, "Why am I here, waiting to run a 30 minute brace, when I could be in Idaho, or Montana, or North Dakota?"  Then, I ask myself, "Why are any of these trialers here?"  Obviously, the vast majority of them have jobs during the week that pay the bills, put kids through school and food on the table.  I'm sure their spousal unit is much appreciative when payday rolls around and my brace-mate has managed to get to work on time throughout the week and not drive off in to the  sunset in search of South Dakota pheasant or New Mexico Scaled Quail! So field trialing, AKC or NSTRA or UFTA or whatever, is a great way to play with your dog and still keep a foot in the modern world.  

Bo and Me sitting next to Coon Creek in AZ 

My wife made the comment to me the other day, "You are so happy in the pictures I see of you taken when you are hunting!".  I never thought of it.  I guess I am. How could one NOT be happy when the big decision of the day is where to open the dog box and which dog starts the day.  The number two big decision is, Where do we eat lunch? 

Cap and Me in Idaho

Looking back on 23 years of bird hunting and trialing and bird dogs and stuff, I'm beginning to realize my amazing wife, the Ball and Chain, is absolutely right.  I am happiest in the field with a bird dog(s) in front of me, the wind in my face, and a not-too-critical hunting partner somewhere off to the left or right.  At 63, with a lot of miles and experience under my belt, I guess it's only time I came to realize this.  After all, I'm twice retired from some pretty good jobs, and I don't need to worry too much about where the next meal is coming from (as long as the BandC stops complaining about having to work 80 hours a week- what a whiner!).  So, as the man said in "The Cowboys", I have the time, the wherewithal and the inclination.  I suppose I should do what I love doing as long as my health holds out.  

Cap and Huns in Idaho 2012

Did I mention my health....it seems to be holding out, as well. I guess all those miles I did as a young man, running marathons , the centuries on the bike and miles in the pool are helping out now. I mentioned to the BandC that I might as well take up some bad habits as I get older. Since most of them take so long to kill you, I could enjoy them for quite a while.  She said...well, which bad habits?  I said thoughtfully..."Well, maybe, drinking, smoking and chasing loose women!"  She thought for a while, and pondered some, and then nodded.   "Well", she considered, "one of those will kill you a whole lot faster than the other two, so choose wisely, old man.  Don't you ever forget we own 100 acres, a shovel and lots of guns.  I love you, honey!" 

Hunting Coat for Christmas ****Update***** It Arrived!

Harkila Hunting Coat

I ordered this coat on a Friday.  It arrived today, Wednesday, the next week, via DHL.  Actually, it arrived Tuesday, but the driver would not deliver due to my attack yard dogs (!?) and came back today for another attempt.  We get that sometimes when city drivers come to the country.  I don't blame them, in a way, if they don't know the rules about country dogs.  Anyway, when I opened the package, the sweet aroma of leather hit me right up front.  

This hunting coat is everything they said it was.  Plenty large in the chest to measure yourself and order your chest size without adding inches.  It will have enough room for a wool sweater underneath, no problem.  (Like the website says, however, if your belly is bigger than your chest, order your belly size.).  The pockets are large enough to hold shells and are down far enough for easy access.  I intend to hunt with a vest over the top for the orange coloring of the vest and for all the stuff I carry in the vest, so I'm not too worried about shell pockets, but if you wanted to slide a light orange vest over the top, you could carry plenty in the ample pockets.  There are two handwarmer pockets, as well. 

Of course, there are pocket snaps from the handwarmer pockets to hold up the leather trimmed flaps over the shell pockets while in use.  

The overall quality of the leather is exceptional.  It is smooth, supple and strong.  The snaps are large and very secure.  There is a drawstring around the waist to keep the coat snug in strong winds. This coat is not light and not a "technical" product, although it may have been considered that a 100 years ago.  This a throwback to the days of leather and wool and side by sides and bird dogs with bells on their necks.  

This is the Harkila Hunting Coat from Scandinavia.  I'm going to Nebraska in a week or so, to chase a few pheasant.  Most likely, I will encounter some lovely Nebraska winter weather and have a chance to give this coat a workout.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how it performs behind my Ace dog with snow flying, rooters cackling smack and 20 ga. Prairie Storm lead headed downrange..... Dang, my hair is standing on end right now just thinking about it!   

Hunting Coat for Christmas

I just ordered a Harkila Angus Hunting Coat.  For years, I've wondered why we don't use leather for hunting jackets and coats. I have several coats made of several miracle fabrics, waterproof, windproof, breathable, with pockets and doodads and thises and thats. Why not a strong, leather hunting coat.  It would be windproof, briarproof, warm and practically bullet proof, as well.  The only drawback that I can see would be the weight.  

Harlika Angus All Leather Hunting Coat

So, after quite a few online searches, I finally found a European manufacturer of something that was a hunting coat that might actually be useful in the field. Made in Scandinavia (I could not get the specific country), it appears well- made and rugged.  Made of buffalo leather, I assume buffalo and not bison, they say it sheds thorns and water as well and is made to last a lifetime. We'll see about that. For the cost, it should last quite a while, I would hope. I can see where it will be useful in the winter months and bad weather casts, pheasants locked down in the drifts, that sort of thing.  I'm pretty sure this is not going to be suitable for the Chukar hunter, but who knows?  Will let you know when it arrives and I get back from my next expedition on 12 December chasing ditch rooters in the Dakotas. 

Do you have a few pounds of Moose, Caribou, Salmon, Goat, Sheep, Bear or Whatever?

I'm trying to get with AK guys (or, really, anyone who would like to participate) to ask to donate meat for a game feed in Pierce, NE.  A church started out with a wild game feed with pheasant and deer, etc.,  and made a few hundred bucks a few years ago.  Last year, for some reason, in the rain and snow, literally thousands of Nebraskans showed up. They stood outside a small church hall for hours to eat deer meat and donate money for the church school.  Their kids don't go there.  They don't attend church there. I guess they like deer meat. Anyway, Scott Magnussen, asked me if anyone could donate moose or caribou or whatever stuff they have- it would be really neat!  Last year, one guy had a few pounds of moose from Wyoming and everyone thought that was awesome.  Scott said they (he) would pay all costs, shipping, all that! If you think this is possible, I will get you in touch with him directly.  He lives in Pierce, NE.

Email me using the Contact Me section on the right side of this BLOG and I'll get you in touch with Scott! I'm impressed with how God is moving in this.  I really think this is a worthy contribution for game meat.

Here is a read for the Bird Hunter in your Family

Click HERE to go to Doug's WEBSITE

Are you looking for a gift for the hunter in the family?  Perhaps this is it.  Check it out.

Hunting Nebraska with Scott and Jeff....

 One of the benefits of delivering puppies to bird hunters is the occasional invitation to stop and "have your bird dogs stretch their legs a bit". Scott (El J's proud papa) showed us to the hunter's suite and told us the smoked prime rib would be on the table at 7.....don't be late. (Not to worry, Scott!). We ate like kings for the next three days thanks to Scott and his wife, Jennifer!  The next day we loaded up and hit some private pheasant land to limit on wily, Nebraska birds. They didn't give us any slack.  They doubled back in the thick grass, but Scott's experienced Brit's were on to that trick and pinned them dead to rights. 

Bobby shot 'em down easy and Scott's gun, nicknamed "Black Sabbath", was a pheasant nightmare. The dogs were spot on. They worked hard in some warm weather and when the weather changed for the cooler, they really came alive!  

All of them displayed exceptional manners, backing when appropriate, with no altercations between the dominant males. Although, there was one small glitch in that picture. Ruby, fresh off a litter of 11 pups, pointed a rooster and, on the retrieve, was getting some determined resistance from the old cock. One of Scott's big males ran to assist on the retrieve and Ruby took exception..she jumped right in his stuff, making it extremely clear whose bird this was!  Champ stomped off, gentleman that he was, muttering "b#tch"!  He was right. 

I managed to put lead on some birds as well on this trip. This is a secondary pleasure to seeing my dogs hunt, point and retrieve. And on this trip, it even took a back seat to meeting the owners of my puppies. I couldn't be happier with each of them. 

Scott dropped a very nice Hungarian Partridge and wanted to get it mounted. The thing was huge.  It's  going to make a great mount. We had some discussion as to the proper way to store a bird for mounting. I think that would be a subject for a future BLOG. We straightened it out, smoothed the feathers and bagged it with the air pushed out. 

Jeff Mimick, owner of Dixie, took us to some family land with his GSP, George. We pushed birds for a hundred yards through 5 foot tall grass until we finally got them up against a ditch and they started coming up. It was point, move, point, move, all the way. I was out of position, but Bobby and Jeff dropped two on the rise. While my Cap dog made a blind retrieve on one, gathering all the attention, Ruby went about her business and brought the second bird to Bobby and said, "Hey, you looking for this?"  Meanwhile, Cap located the first bird and started back across the brush, down the creek bed and in to the deep water. Up the other side, the bank went vertical, and he lost the bird, it rolled into the water and started to flow downstream. George to the rescue!  While my little prima donnas were thinking up reasons for not getting wet(ter), George jumped off the bank, hit the water, swam to the bird, grabbed it, swam back, three-strided it up the vertical bank and handed it to Jeff. (I thought I caught the hint of a smirk there, as well, but I may have been mistaken.)  

This was a great two days hunting with good people and good dogs. Scott Magnusson has Big Red Brittanies, and his Jigs dog was daddy to my Ace dog. That's why he and I were both eager to ensure he get a pup, El J, out of this litter- Ace's last. His Brits are big, long legged, bird hunting machines. They hunted from sunup to sundown with consistent style and grace.  Jeff Mimick and his dog, George, were a pleasure to hunt with, as well. They worked well together and George knows what he is doing in the field.

 This is pheasant country and all these folks and dogs know a bunch about harvesting these colorful birds. I'm truly honored to have spent a day or two with them.