I am still learning new spots here, there are quail all over, gazillions of them. The terrain is less than hunter friendly though, small mesas with fingers and vertical slot canyons. But I am used to scaling and repelling and tough terrain means less people have been in it. The birds? They are experts at using "bush hugging radar" and there always seems to be one between Elvira and the bird!

Yesterday was the opener, but, the shop was busy- so I had to work, but I closed a little early and went down the mountain about 20 miles and tried another spot I could see from the highway. Luckily it had a mixed bag of game, quail, cotton's and jack's. There were a few large muley's too pronking about, very cool.

Elvira and I were in the birds in no time, probably 100y from the truck. I called a few back and got them to come, but was impatient and spooked them or missed the flyers. AAAK! My heart was hammering so hard from excitement my ears were ringing like it was the first time all over again. What an amazing sensation. And people wonder why we do this?

It was a fantastic afternoon of fair chase- got some shooting in too, lots of calling and hiking and strategics, feathered one but he flared and went over the side..... and at least got a cotton for the pot. First kill in 2 years.

Going back tonight for sure....

(muley under arrow- phone camera makes it look a lot farther than it was, birds hop the mesa tops for food then dive into the slots for cover, you have to go shag them out and back up onto the pan!)

do you call that a quail?
It looks like a rabbit...
How can you teach Elvira when you make mistakes yourselves?

good stuff Mate, now get your butt back out there and shoot a few bushes that get between you and those birds....you may miss and hit feathers.
great to hear business is going well. hope you have got tag for Muley? or in draw for one if need to?
nothing like some fresh air and trigger time to put life back in perspective.

Aloy! hehehehe....Elvira gives me the [look] every time I miss...

L-vee! Oy mate! Getting in the draw next year for sure. I'm horny for a CZ mini-mauser with a Mannlicher stock and double sets....7.57 should be perfect for one of those up the snoot or in the ear. The size of these muleys here and how close i can get to them is breathtaking!!!

Great stuff Stovey...as nice as it is getting out in the bush, coming home empty handed wears thin after a time.

That cotton looks nice and healthy mate, good eats. Maybe you need to go up a size or two in shot mate...a little extra weight to punch through those bushes and bag some quail. Get your name in the draw for a muley mate, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

One wabbit.. meh.. just dirty the mouth..
LOL, good job Stoves, get them varmint..

And I'm beginning to understand how you Americans can shoot at such great distances. To spot game you only have to search these arrows in the field... do they come in different colours for male/female or just red and green according opening times?

Aaa...That muley is only a couple a hundred yards away...Easy shot...

"bout time Elvira tasted blood.

Hey Stovey...the stubble quail (Coturnix Pectoralis) are rather prolific in parts of Australia at the moment mate.

Stubble Quail

Below is a reasonable day's shooting over gun dogs. Would this "catch" be sufficient for a snack mate?

Sorry the pic isn't real sharp, it is a pic of a pic from one of our shooting magazines over here, Australian Sporting Shooter.

cant see any pellet holes!!!!! quick wheres the skillet and bread n butter

No, that wasn't an earthquake. That was my stomach growling!!!!

Sorta looks like a Bob White quail.

Best shooting and eating around!

stovepipe wrote:

8O No, that wasn't an earthquake. That was my stomach growling!!!! Sorta looks like a Bob White quail. Best shooting and eating around!

What are talking about Bob White Quail!!!
With that many quail its more like Bob Evans quail!!! ROTFLMAO
For my Anzac brothers Bob Evans is a resturant chain in the US.

Seein' as how you aren't sorta havin' a lot of luck with Elvira mate, maybe you could try taking quail like this...

QUAIL incoming

That's not an approved method of take!

I've had my hat knocked off on a flush, been hit in the leg, even stepped on them. That's a cool video. The lad has some awesome eye/hand coordination!