Lunch Break in the Desert

We stopped for lunch and cooked up some quail.  Then we let the dogs run around a little to loosen them up. These are Robert's two setter pups- aren't they beautiful?

A Dog in His Element

What?  Let's Go!

Whoopee!

Never tell me these dogs think this is a chore!  Top photo is Ace coming in from a cast and the bottom photo is Ace's pup, Cap, doing his normal thing.  He is really coming along.  We are getting closer to the point, flush, shoot, retrieve sequence.  Today, the birds got up 30 yards out from his point- they run like the wind! All initial indications are he will make a bird dog.

Hunting the Desert

Checking Dog Location

The little Pixie was found on "point"

This country is wide open, for sure, but it doesn't take long to  see that a dog can disappear in a flash!  My Garmin tracker is an incredible tool out here.  AND, in addition, I just downloaded all the public and private lands in the entire state into it.  It is very convenient to drive along and know the status and ownership of the adjacent property!  Click here to see the website to obtain free and paid maps- the one I downloaded was a paid map with free, lifetime updates, but there are many free maps with great information (topos, etc). 

The link is:  

http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/state/all

Eating at the World Famous Cafe Tailgate!

Lunch on Back of Pickup- A Hunting Tradition

Cap makes a long cast

Cap Worn-out!

He actually did quite well.  Running through hundreds of acres of sunflowers, ragweed, shin oak and other stuff for a few hours is bird dog heaven!  Cap did it with the best of them.  He 1.) chased deer, 2.) chased a rabbit that gave him some lip, 3.) almost caught a truck that was  driving down a nearby road, 4.) chased about 100 che-che birds all over SE New Mexico.  No wonder he's a little tired! 

First Full Day Yielded Some Fruit

Tough Day in the Desert!
Ruby 11 Months

With an entire day to roam my favorite spots, I took advantage and hit the most promising.  Last year, these were all dry holes, but the year before they were spectacular. Everything bird hunting out here depends on the weather- most particularly moisture.  In a year with good bird populations, the rain was the right amount at the right time.  It looked like the specific area I was hunting got at least a little of that rain.  We found and pointed 8 coveys over the day- now, that's not the 30 covey days my quail hunting friends claim while hunting in Texas in a good year.  But, it's good enough for me and my dogs.  It keeps us busy finding and thinking and shooting and scheming.  It makes for an awesome day.  Ruby, above, had a particularly good day for a pup under a year.  She pointed a nice covey (they flushed wild before I could get there) and then she pointed two doubles on the way to where the covey landed.  More important is the way she worked and handled!  It stirs my bird dog man soul to see a young dog make that transition from dog food processor to real live bird dog.  She's there.  Welcome to the club Flyboys Ruby Deux!

This is my puppy, Cap, out of Ace, locked on his first covey of Blues! I think he's got the attitude!

First Day in the Field in New Mexico

Cap has 8 birds nailed!

Ruby Pointed on Blues

Great day today.  We hit the ground about 1200.  And, after the usual peeing and running crazy, the dogs went to work..  We found tracks and roosts, but only one small covey rise.  We'll have better luck tomorrow!

Another 0400 Departure

Thirty minutes at 0400 is much easier than thirty minutes more driving at 2100. New Mexico, here I come!  Look out birds, Ruby and Cap are comin' for you!!

Omaha January 28-30. Pheasant Fest 2011. Quail Hunting Presentation!

Page 1 Brochure Pheasant Fest 2011

Page 2 Brochure Pheasant Fest 2011

You Get What You Pay For: The Jones Trailer

My Outfit (in New Mexico)

When I retired from the airline business in 2005, I decided it was time to upgrade my ride- actually, my dogs' ride.  For many years, I looked like the Klampetts on the way to "Californy" as I pulled out of the driveway to head north or west. Dog boxes, food containers, luggage, etc., were stacked up in the back of the truck.  It was workable, but it wasn't the most elegant solution to the problem, by any means. I researched trailers, talked to friends, inspected, poked, inquired and did web searches for six months.  Finally, I settled on Jones Trailers out of Woodson, TX.  Don't get me wrong- they don't give these things away.  They are darn proud of them, actually. I told the Ball and Chain I'd be gone for a few days and rode on out there to pick one up.  My six-holer (Lone Star Model-shown above) was waiting for me.  Since then, I've pulled it on a lot of hunting trips confident my dogs were warm and protected, enclosed in stainless steel comfort.  By the way, I added a fan and battery, but it came with all the neat stuff the others charge to add on- make sure you "compare apples to apples", as they say.  

Recently, I damaged a fender and I've been pondering how to fix it.  I figured I'd have to either, (a) use the existing bent one, or (b) send for a new one and rivet it on.  Just on a whim, I called Jones and talked to John.  He, in his Texas drawl, allowed as how that was about a 45 minute fix, and "Why don't you stop by on your way to New Mexico, and we'll fix that fender for you right here?  We're only 50 miles north of I-40."  Dude, that's customer service.  I'm just sayin'......

Off to Blue Quail Country

NM Blue Quail

The word from NM is: There are birds, but they will force you to hunt them, if that makes sense.   A few years ago, I think you could take off on a compass heading and find a covey within a quarter mile- any compass heading.  There were that many birds.  This year may be marginally better than last year, which was not a great year, for bird numbers.  Reports vary from hunters working the area, to a friend of mine who hunts out there a lot.  Reports say only one covey per day- others say 2 coveys in 3 hours (good sized coveys, too).  I guess the picture coming into focus is one of long casts and lots of walking between action.  Sounds good to me......

Rating the Dog Den 2

Ace in Dog Den 2

OK, I finally have enough experience putting these things together to have some advice.   All these are MINOR gripes! First, I don't care what the instructions say: those are NOT self-tapping screws (you only use 4 of them per box).  I don't know what they make the shell out of but it's probably space shuttle plastic.  Save yourself some time and drill a pilot hole.  I spent 20 minutes on a 1 minute job (attaching the latches to hold the roof down).  Second, the wood screw they give you (2 long wood screws per house) is weak.  I had some external wood screws that worked great.  Third, I got nothin'........these are easy to put together (including the heated model), the instructions are easy to understand.  AND, my dogs jumped right in and are very comfortable.  My old dog (Bo)  gave his heated model the "mule lookin' at a new gate" look and pouted for an hour or so, but he climbed in, too.  

My recommendation:  They are Cadillacs.  Get them.

Click HERE to get to the website...

Dog Den 2

Dog Den 2

My Dogden2. Easy to put together and the dogs appreciate it. It took me about 30 minutes to put this one together, and that was including all the fumbling around time looking for tools and cutting the 2X4's.  I have two more to go, but ran out of treated wood- and Home Depot closed early for New Year's Eve-('sup with that?).  Anyway, I'm betting they will be open tomorrow and I'll finish the other two.  It warmed up today (a warm 60 and sunshine), but the rain will be here tomorrow and the cold weather with it.  So far, I am impressed with the materials and workmanship and the dogs jumped right in.  I bought a heated one for my old dog which will serve as a puppy pen,  I'm sure.  Also, I'll always have one "old dog" around that will appreciate the warmth on those cold nights.

Join me at Pheasant Fest 2011- Omaha, NE Jan 28-30

After my next hunt in New Mexico, I will be attending and speaking at a seminar at Pheasant Fest 2011 in Omaha, NE.  Two friends and I (sponsored by Rancho Caracol, a wild bird hunting resort in Mexico) will be giving talks about hunting quail in the southeast, Texas and New Mexico.  Come on by, enter the dog runway competition and join the festivities.  Also, come and hear about how to plan for, set up and execute a successful hunt to New Mexico- as well as information about Texas hunting and hunting quail in the Southeast. click HERE to go the  website.

Ace and Roosters- I was just thinking about hunting and came across this pic.

Ace and Roosters

New Mexico Blues on the horizon

ACE has a covey nailed!

Every January/February I get the itch to head out to the high desert and chase some blue quail.  The place is  a conundrum.  It's dry, high, cold and prickly, but it's also a great place to hunt- with wide open land, most of it public.  Scaled, or Blue, quail can be runners, but I've found that if they haven't been hunted, they run no more than bobwhites.   Heck, when they get in to some kind of cover, they hold just fine- even extremely tight.  One day, Ace and I got a covey up and dropped a bird on the rise.  As the birds (25+) sailed away, I saw them scatter into some grass about knee high dotted with cactus.  We eased on over there and had some of the best shooting I've ever experienced!  They held very tight and when they got up, it was always two or three at a time.  One of those days to remember....I ran out of shells just about the time I limited for the day....

My kitchen pass allows me to head that way on or about 8 Jan to stay a bit.  I'm looking forward to seeing my friend Tim Bartlett and do a little walking through the sand and cactus chasing some dogs on point.  

Winter Strikes the Southland- Dog Den 2 to the rescue! Update 11/26/13

A Cold Day in Georgia

UPDATE-  (11/26/2013)
I just ordered my 4th Dog Den 2!  Those that follow this BLOG know I had 11 puppies and kept two of the perfect Brittany bird dogs. They are 12 weeks old this coming Sunday and just now it is 36 degrees with rain and wind at 20-30 mph. Tomorrow night the low will be 15 degrees and the wind will still be blowing!  For the South, that is cold!  Even in North Dakota, it's not short-sleeve weather! I tried heat lamps for the little guys and bunking up with the big boys, etc., but, finally, I ordered them their own Don Den- just like mom and dad! They will have the heater installed, as well.  Snug and warm and not burning energy just to stay warm.  It not only keeps them energized the next day, but contributes to their quality and length of life. Good food, clean water and dry, warm sleeping will keep your prize hunting/trialing dogs at the top of their game for a long, long time. 



I know my friends in the north will laugh at our little bit of cold weather (and I was raised in Alaska), but I have to say, I don't care who you are- it's cold out there!  Of course, when I call up to South Dakota, or North Dakota, I get a real awakening about how cold this country can get.  God bless you guys! They are calling for a wind chill of 4 degrees tonight, so I made sure the bird dogs had plenty of good hay in the boxes and good shelter from the wind.  I also decided it was time to upgrade to a first class dog box- so I ordered some K-9 Condo dog houses (Dog Den 2 variety).  I have a friend that put them out for his dogs and they LOVE them- summer and winter.  I'm looking forward to their arrival.  

See the link below to read about them.  

Click here for Dog Den 2

Ruby Does the Job

Ruby and her 5 quail

Two covey finds and numerous singles on the follow up. She was too excited to retrieve the first one, but settled down to locate and bring back the rest. My little Pixie is coming along!

One of the most gratifying things a bird dog man can do is see the results of countless hours of work, patience, worry and training pay off.  Today, I saw that in my 9 mos. old Brittany puppy, Ruby.  I wish I'd had the presence of mind to get a picture of her on point, telling me "This is a covey, Boss, not a single.....dang, there is a lot of scent here!"

Ever Wonder Why You Love It So Much!