Mearns at the Border
 

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.

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

:eek:


still looks like a great hunt

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






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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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.........

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






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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.

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

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! :)

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 .

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

2016 Toyota TRD pro...
 

The Rooster runner...(-:

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

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

Mearns
 

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. :)

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/attachm...1&d=1485314593

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1485314999

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

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

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





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I love that country...such wonderful grasslands

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

Wonderful!

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

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.

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/attachm...1&d=1486783045

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...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.

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

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

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.

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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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.

More pictures, pretty close call.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachm...1&d=1486829151

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

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?

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/attachm...1&d=1486864290