Mearns at the Border

[MARK KIRCHER]

The men from VMC headed to AZ again last week for our Mearns hunt. The Westcoast Rainstorm rolled over at just the wrong time for us and the weather conditions proved to be an additional challenge.

Day 1 was much stronger with the hunts at higher elevations. I hunted With Craig and we made good on most opportunities. Below is a pic of what remains of Craigs first Mearns quail:eek:. The 16 gauge 30" G seems to fit him just fine!
I shot my little 0 frame 20 gauge DH with 28' tubes.

Big fun as usual -But certainly less opportunities, and many, many more hunters.

[Rick Losey]

i think i have an old brake hone Craig - we can open that choke for you

:eek:


still looks like a great hunt

[Dean Romig]

Even with a sixteen Craig can't seem to pull himself away from 10 gauge waterfowl loads... obviously :shock:






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[Craig Larter]

Truth be told those little bottle rockets made a fool out of this old duck hunter! Mark Kircher is the man when it comes to these little devils, he is an amazing shot. They can disappear behind trees and brush faster than any Ruff Grouse. They flush at your feet and are gone before you can say sh*t. Not that it would matter much but I had the wrong gun for the game, choked way to tight for my shooting skills. Fun trip in beautiful almost unspoiled country. Only downer was I cracked the stock of my GHE trying to dispatch a cripple, stupid me.

[Phillip Carr]

Sorry I didnt get meet up with you this trip. Possibly next trip. I understand you got to hunt with my buddy Dave 1 day. He has some great dogs.

[MARK KIRCHER]

Phil -

We had a great time with Dave - He sure speaks highly of You and Your freindship! I am a big fan of his 2 1/2 year old "Garret". That dog can hunt!!!

Here is a nice pic I took of Dave. I hope we see you out there next time.

[Craig Larter]

Phil: Dave's Garrett pointer is the real deal, bird finding machine. Dave is a very nice man and speaks very highly of you, small world!

[chris dawe]

Phil -

We had a great time with Dave - He sure speaks highly of You and Your freindship! I am a big fan of his 2 1/2 year old "Garret". That dog can hunt!!!

Here is a nice pic I took of Dave. I hope we see you out there next time.

That's Hackman alright ,him and Phil are cut from the same cloth ,finer people you can't meet .... we had a ball the couple times we hunted ,well I did ...Dave and Phil get a chuckle from my tirade of Newfoundland curse words ,that always followed a flush...we always have some good laughs

[Phillip Carr]

Just stopped N of Phx on my way to Vegas. Dave and Garret are the real deal. Have hunted with Him before he could shave LOL. No better hunting partner or guide with dogs that can find Mearns quail.

[MARK KIRCHER]

For those who have not seen it - Here are a couple pics of "The Wall" that now seperates The USA from Mexico in southern Arizona Mearns country. It was not quite what I had imagined when I arrived. I am not sure what I expected to see......but this was not it.........

[Dean Romig]

It won't be long, that baby'll be twenty feet high. Enjoy the view while you can. :bigbye:






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[Phillip Carr]

I always figured when this fence was built the contractor was told the government wanted a barrier so even a tank could not get across. Hence the Hedgehog barrier. And a barbed wire fence. A 90 year old grandmother could cross this, and not hard for 50 lb packs of weed or cocaine to be thrown over the fence.

[Mills Morrison]

I had a great time talking with some of our western members about Mearns quail in Vegas. I want to go now.

[MARK KIRCHER]

Yes you do Mills!
It is a very sporting bird! I expect even a seasoned quail afficiando like yourself would find it quite challenging! Hard walking, tough shooting, and very, very Rewarding! :)

[chris dawe]

Mark ,I agree 100%....but for me that was only half of it ,the people I spent time with and met there made the trip for me .

[Kenny Graft]

I want to hunt them!....It will be a long drive from here in Ohio. But maybe I can plan a few stops on the way. Start hunting soon as I hit bird country and keep huntin till I get there....(-: I always plan to do a road trip one day....I have the right hunting rig, I will add a couple pictures of my rooster runner...SXS Ohio

[Kenny Graft]

The Rooster runner...(-:

[Daryl Corona]

For those who have not seen it - Here are a couple pics of "The Wall" that now seperates The USA from Mexico in southern Arizona Mearns country. It was not quite what I had imagined when I arrived. I am not sure what I expected to see......but this was not it.........

Well it looks like that scoundrel in your picture had no trouble in crossing the border.:rotf:

[George M. Purtill]

Phil C has convinced me that I want to go hunt Mearns Quail soon.

[Bill Mullins]

Mark.... Our guide took us down that same road when I and two friends hunted there in December 2012. I was surprised just how porous the wall was constructed. I actually had one foot in Mexico and one in the USA for a photo op. Saw a female Cougar and her cub running down the Mexico side one morning. Also a few Border Patrol Agents. Hope your guide pointed out the little crude Mexican Chapel built along their side for a last stop and prayers by the illegals before crossing over into the USA. Beautiful country and I agree with Craig that the Mearns are "little rockets" and when you bring one down it is very rewarding,,,,, and what a trophy little bird! Hope to return someday. :)

[Phillip Carr]

George you come down anytime, your room awaits your arrival. You went out of your way along with Mills and several others and I appreciate the comomaradary and friendship. I don't post a lot about Mearns hunting but try to hunt 3 to 4 days a week. Headed out tomorrow for a hunt for Gambles quail on the Apache Reservation, followed with a Mearns quail hunt with my friend Dave on Thursday. Here is a picture of one of my dogs Scout. Ducks or quail he just loves to hunt.
http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52383&stc=1&d=1485314593

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52384&stc=1&d=1485314830

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52385&stc=1&d=1485314999

Not every English Pointer will make a 100 yard water retrieve in pouring rain. I love this dog.

[charlie cleveland]

you have a dog to be proud off....charlie

[Dean Romig]

Phil, that first picture of Scout coming down slope with the quail looks like a classic oil painting. Simply beautiful!





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[Shawn Wayment]

I love that country...such wonderful grasslands

[Wayne Owens]

I agree with Dean. Phil's photo of his dog scout looks just like an oil painting.

Wonderful!

[Richard Flanders]

I think we need to get Roy S. to tell Donald that "we're gonna need a bigger wall"....

[Phillip Carr]

Thanks guys for the positive comments on the picture of Scout. No better loving and caring dog has graced my hunts. He will stand beside my desk while I read the Parker forum as long as I scratch his ears. If I lift my left had so I can hit shift to capitalize a word he immediately lifts his head and knocks my had off the key board. Happy to stand there frozen in time while I type one handed, but move my left hand and he lets me know he has been standing there patiently while I did my human thing responding to the Parker Forum.

[Phillip Carr]

Last hunts for the season. Won't get out again the season ends Sunday. Not the way I wanted it to end. Scout tangled with some Javelina. Ended up with bites to his throat, chest and hind leg.


http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52710&stc=1&d=1486783045

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52711&stc=1&d=1486783364

I think having two collars on helped some, as he only had two 1/2" holes 3" apart. No damage to his windpipe.

[chris dawe]

Tough way to end your season brother ....I get pissed sometimes at how hard we work for so little gain up here....but there's no snakes, pigs etc ,the only thing of nuisance for a dog is a beaver and that's really only a Drahthaar issue .

You've had quite the season Phil

[Eric Eis]

Looks like you and Scout had a good year, hope Scout is ok....

[George M. Purtill]

Can't wait for my chance at Mearns. And to hunt with Scout. And to visit Phil and his crazy neighbor!
We used to have Bobwhite in Connecticut and they would over-winter and breed. Then it was just in the area along Long Island Sound where the winters are milder. Now not at all. Very disappointing. I used to raise quail as a kid and I think I will try it again this spring.

[Dean Romig]

We used to have a few bob-white here but the last time I heard them sing was about '82 or so on the other side of Shawsheen Flats.
WHF must have seen them here but never wrote about them in his book NEGS.





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[Phillip Carr]

George if you need any hints ot tips on raising Bobwhite let me know. My hunting partner Dave raises thousands of them every year with great success. Im sure he would help you with his years of knowledge on how to raise them and avoid the pitfalls.

[Phillip Carr]

More pictures, pretty close call.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52713&stc=1&d=1486829151

[Craig Larter]

Phil glad your puppy is Ok close call. Unfortunately it is not uncommon in Mearns country according to the guides we hunted with.

[Rich Anderson]

This is something I'd like to do as well. Phil I know you got some 28ga Winchester shells from me a while back in 6 shot. Are these birds that tough compared to a Bob White or are they shot at longer ranges?

[Phillip Carr]

George the first Mearns you take on your quest to check off another adventure on your bucket list. Will have you standing in awe for awhile just admiring the details and thought the good lord put into creating the Mearns quail.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52728&stc=1&d=1486864290

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52729&stc=1&d=1486864454

[Phillip Carr]

Craig every year bird dogs tangle with Javalina here in southern AZ. I usually hear about one or two encounters. This year with Scout it makes 6 just in the guys I am associated with. Dog number 5 had its knee eaten up and vet costs have now reached $6,000 and it's not over.
Lucky for me no major damage to bones or arteries on Scout. As soon as I got home he went into the shower with me, washed 3 times from head to toe nail, then wound scrub with antiseptic wash, alcohol, and peroxide. Good flush of the wound with hand held shower head. Followed by a drying and then a shot of penicillin and antibiotic Suave. His dog house filled with fresh cedar shavings, and 100 mg Gabapentin for pain had him resting and on the mend. Counting my blessings it was not worse.
I would not have hesitated to take him to the vet if it was worse, but over the years and multiple dogs during that time I try to doctor them myself when possible.

[Dean Romig]

Phil, is there a bag limit on javelina? My diet would consist 100% of wild pork.






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[Phillip Carr]

Rich on the loads I purchased from you ( 28 ga. # 6's) I bought for use on our Dusty Grouse , Gamble and Scale quail. These birds are a little tougher and the desert quail shot at further ranges.
For Mearns I shoot 2 1/2 low pressure " RST shells exclusively. Shot size no larger than 8 shot.

[Stephen Hodges]

Dean, I think you will find that javelinas are members of the Peccary family, and are not hogs, although they look like hogs. According to the Arizona Wildlife website, they can be nasty critters.


https://www.azgfd.com/wildlife/livingwith/javelina/

[calvin humburg]

Glad Scout is all right. Great pictures all, thanks

[MARK KIRCHER]

Two years ago when we were down there one of our groups witnessed a guides dog attacked by a Coatimundi - stitches were necessary and the hunt was cut short.

They too are nasty creatures. so between the Javalina, coatimundi, rattlesnakes, big cats and...more, its tough to be a Mearns dog! Hats off to them all!

[Rich Anderson]

Does anyone carry something a bit more persuasive in addition to their favorite small bore?

[Phillip Carr]

Yes the Coatimundi are cute when they are small. When they get big thats another thing. A friend of mine that I took my first lion with, lost 2 dogs and one seriously hurt 2 years ago. His dogs got on the trail of a large Boar Coti and pinned him in a small dished out area in some rocks. He rolled on his back and used his claws to rip the downs bellies open. They may be worst then Javelina.

I dont carry a pistol most of the time. I have been told that a 20 ga. SXS is quit effective at 20 yards.

[Rich Anderson]

I grouse hunt in the land of the porcupine, wolf and bear and carry a Kimber 1911. If the dog gets into something nasty I can end her suffering and be able to bring her home. I can see her barking at a tree with bear cubs in it and momma coming to the rescue:eek:

I'm of the opinion it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

[Kenny Graft]

I carry a my CCW S&W governor with corbon 45-colts X6 Up in potter county ware the bears are! SXS Ohio