The morning beaks a little cloudy, 30*, still and calm. My ears are pricked and I'm listening for calls. I quietly slide out of my truck and gently close the door. Yote's, crows, wrens....no quail. Hmm....so I give it a few and let Nature settle back into her rythm, then, toss out a call. Wait a few, no reply. No great suprise, it's getting cold, days are shoter, things are changing. The flora has a sweeter smell to it now too, rains are coming and theyh know it.

So I grab the Benelli and start my walk. I cruise my first honey-hole and no one's home. I hit every bush for at least 3/4 of a mile radius around it. Not one bird. Pack up, hit the next spot. Same thing. Jack's are tempting me but I'm trying to play it cool and I want to save ammo in case I jump a covey. Things are looking pretty bleak. No sights and no sounds of any quail at all.


I did notice on the way in some more devolpment has started- lands getting bought and the 'dozers are moving in. It really won't be long now 'till my home spots are gone. I try and bush the thoughts of same back.

The sun is up now and the skies are clearing and it's turning into a gorgeous day. The ground is heating up and my nose is filling with many aromas. Several hours have gone by now, many miles too. No birds. Where have they gone? It could be a lot of things. I blame encroachment. A pretty day is turning melancholy. I suck it up and relish what could be one of my last few hunts here after so many years of plodding these lands.

I change things up some and try some spots that don’t get hunted. Pictured is a Joshua Tree forest. An interesting plot of land that is just sort of there. It’s thick and really tight in there but I know a few spots with clearings and perfect habitat. Again, no one’s home. All that accupuncutre for nothing.

(cont.)

Several more hours and even more miles I’ve one option left and I’m about to pack it in. Time to hit the sand washes and look for tracks- that are usually going the wrong way and are cold. I find a vein of zillions of little toes that look like ant’s marching. I take it and see where it leads. It peters out and there’s nothing. I try some more calls but I’m getting no reply’s, it’s been quiet all day.

So I cruise the ridges of the banks of this wash in the thick stuff hoping to find a straggler. As I’m shimmying around and ducking the arm of a Joshua a quail flushes- and I’ve got the Benelli in my left hand, straddling a something or other and keeping balance with my right arm on the edge of this wash.

The bird flushes like a bolt and is 8’ up and a perfect straight-away and….my tiny little Benelli never misses those- ever. POP!, Down she goes, over the horizon and into the sand wash.

I fly out of the hole I’m in and over the side- no cripple here. She’s smack in the center, perfect recovery on a bed of soft sand. One bird, one shot, all day. Glad I made it count.

I can’t describe it- there’s something about taking a bird on the wing that’s doing 40 miles per hour at 15 or 20 yards, and, recovering it. It’s addicting. It’s a feeling like no other. I get it each and every time I hold a bird in my hand, feel it’s heft and it’s plumage, study it’s features and give thanks. And, they’re darn good eating too!

So- that’s it. 9 hours, lots of shoe leather, one bird. Was it worth it?

Yes.

Great story Stovey, and yup, everytime I'm out hunting its worth it whether I get game or not.

I agree OV1...a great yarn Stovey...and as OV1 says mate...game or no game, just being out there makes it all worthwhile. Well done mate.

Remember, a bad day hunting is 10 times better than a good day working.

Cheers, Vince

Vince wrote:

a bad day hunting is 10 times better than a good day working.

I agree. Its good you have an appetizer, stovey. Maybe next trip you can get dinner for two!

Oh, thanks for the goot pics! I love that country.

Them ther pics would looks good in me pic thread !!!
The hat pic is for Suzy isn't it ???

Next time your out snap a few for me and post them up.......maybe I'll send ya a nickle or two for your trouble.

Roger on the feelings boys. The hi-dez is really nice this time of year. Lots of sights and smells.

I'm really going to miss this spot. Decade's of history for me and Pop. My avatar is in the same neighborhood. It's been a few weeks since I hunted there and I was floored at all the activity development-wise in the past couple weeks. It's going faster than I expected.

Copy that 221. I'll send ya the full sized ones next time and take more time with the setting and lighting. If I do it right the pics come out really sharp. Gotta resize 'em to gettum to fit here.

The hat's good bait but she aint bitin'. That's my old bush-kickin' hat. Thought I'd bring it along for old time's sake. It's seen a lot of action out there. *sniff-sniff*

Do they have a Developer Season Stovey old mate? If they do, I'll be over in a flash...I hate the mongrels. They are raping the land out here in Australia...all in the name of profits.

Cheers, Vince

100% success rate, 1 shot 1 bird.
Minor details like 9 hrs and 50 miles dont matter unless your starving.
It was 30 deg here yesterday, that's C not F.
Exercise and acupuncture, looks like they work, pity about how old you'll feel tomorrow.........

Like a guy that takes his Censna out and back on a weekend flight just to get a hamberger at a diner at another airfield. The buger cost him $300.

Vince wrote:

Do they have a Developer Season Stovey old mate? Cheers, Vince

We do have a season propper here, pretty short. I rarely shoot them, nothing on them to eat! They are smart too...stay outta shotty range. They are pests and man can they waste a crop.

dhc4ever wrote:

100% success rate, 1 shot 1 bird. Minor details like 9 hrs and 50 miles dont matter unless your starving. It was 30 deg here yesterday, that's C not F. Exercise and acupuncture, looks like they work, pity about how old you'll feel tomorrow.........

I like how you think DC.

And yeh, yer only as old as ya feel, or shoot!

30c???? Um, hmmm....Pass!

Been out 4 times now all I could do, haven't seen anything but pigs and coyotes. Wish I could get out more.

Having to depend on someone else to hunt is a real pain in the a--.

The pigs have tore up all the fields I planted and I can't even find a deer track. This is really getting bad.

Sorry meant to post this in How' every one's season going" my apologies.