The good news is that there are birds and not a lot of hunters in other areas of the southwest.
Anymore the worse place to hunt is where the latest internet photo essay or magazine article was heralding.

Thanks for your report on the Mearns hunt. How was your Montana hunt ? Best of luck on your Dec. hunt and have a happy holiday season

Dan, November Montana hunt was excellent. Pheasant and Sharptail numbers were excellent however Huns were down. Lewistown area had three hail storms in July and in some areas the young birds took a beating.
The funny side of the trip is we found 6 porcupines during the hunt, more than I'd seen my entire life.
I hunted with 12 gauge A.J. Aubry one day and shot it poorly, but 25 years ago it was a gift from a dear friend and I'd never used it in the field.

The biggest porcupine I ever saw we came upon in a grouse woods in upstate NY about 12 years ago. He was ambling through some slash pine left after a clearcut, and was so large at first I thought he was a badger in a porcupine suit (it was close to Halloween). Luckily we got ahold of the dog before the dog got 'ahold' of him! We gave him a wide berth and left him go on his way.

You should have given him a dose of a 16ga or 20 ga.. Hate those things, anyone that has had a dog put down by one of those will understand, only good porky is a Dead porky....:rolleyes: Sorry PETA :rotf:

Scott Thanks for the report on your hunt in Montana. We heard about the hail in the central part of the state and like you found more sharptails than huns. We had a enjoyable time and killed some birds.A pointing dog would have helped, but my Boykin loved it. Went to South Dakota for Pheasants in Nov.and had a good hunt. Was going to ask you about a good outfitter for Mearns, but from what I read on this site this would not be a good year. Plus two more Parker have found me. One being GH 10.