Watching a Buddy Take His First Bob

[Chris Pope]

A good friend and hunting buddy of more than 35 years from New England finally decided to travel south to my new home of 6 years in SC to give his first try at wild quail. He hunts a LOT of days every year mostly for woodcock, ruffed grouse, turkey and waterfowl. But he had never hunted quail.

First day out we put in about 4 miles afoot when finally my 2 griffs got birdy. They worked a side hill about 100 yards up from the shore of the lake in some nice pines with patches of nasty brush scattered about. After about 200 yards of zigging and zagging “Fish” locked up and “Arcas” backed him. I took a few steps and up went the covey. My buddy was about 20 yards from the dogs and me and made a beautiful left to right crossing shot and down went a Bob. "Arcas" made the retrieve. My friend had borrowed a 28 ga Ruger Red Label. He’s a lefty and this was the first round he’d ever fired with it.

You might have thought he won the lottery on Christmas Day!