Blooding a New Gun

[mobirdhunter]

To blood a new gun one needs: a. the gun, b. a place to hunt with the gun (which, obviously, holds birds) and, c. dogs willing to "point the way."

All of those ingredients came to together this past week on a couple of hunts as I took my new CSMC Fox out in our North Missouri covers. We had a wide range of weather and cover, and two pups more than willing to help their old man on his mission to blood his new gun.

The gun is a DE Special (thanks, Josh!) that I know was made for quail (it even says so on the gun). This little 20 gauge is a delight to carry and sports a covey of quail in its engraving. I went 4 for 5 over several hunts, including a double (with only one shot). I'm blessed to have places to use such a gun, and equally blessed to have my wife and pups along to share the experience.

Photos:

1. Eight year old Aspen pointed this single (look hard to see it trying to escape us to the left) from a large covey that flushed wild. Unfortunately, Aspen tore his a back leg knee meniscus on this hunt and will be out for some time. As a guy who counts his days and feels lucky to have a few ahead after losing so many to cancer treatment, and knowing how short a dog's life is, this is a very worrisome situation.

2. The first outing with a new gun is special, and to take a bird even more so.

3&4. I don't try for doubles anymore, but if a second bird wants to be included in the shot, so be it. I seldom take more than two birds on a hunt, but doubling with one shot is a nice way to end a hunt.

5. Hunts are made even more special by the setting. Elaine and I could not believe the beauty of the sky on this brisk day. The dogs became impatient with our constant stopping to admire the sky. Missouri may not be "Big Sky" country, but it suits us just fine.

[Craig Larter]

Garry glad to see your well enough to hunt! Who engraved your Fox? Who made your hunting coat? I hate strap vests because my gun get hung up on the shoulder strap. I pray your pup will make a strong recovery hopefully she didn't blow out her cranial cruciate ligament. Beautiful pictures. So many places to explore and so little time. So many beautiful guns to shoot and so rare are the opportunities. I need one full life as a duck hunter and a second as a upland hunter---would'nt that be nice LOL! Great to see you posting again after a short absence.

[J. A. EARLY]

Garry,

Great photos and a one of a kind beautiful gun. Being from the Old Dominion, you must remember the days when we could not hunt quail in the snow, and one was never sure if a ticket was going to be issued when we ventured out with a "little" snow left in places?

[Double Lab]

Originally Posted by Jerry Harlow

Garry,

Great photos and a one of a kind beautiful gun. Being from the Old Dominion, you must remember the days when we could not hunt quail in the snow, and one was never sure if a ticket was going to be issued when we ventured out with a "little" snow left in places?

Beautiful Fox Gary and as always great pics.

Jerry... What is the reference to hunting in the snow about??

[Rick Roemer]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

Beautiful Fox Gary and as always great pics.

Jerry... What is the reference to hunting in the snow about??

Certain states used to not allow quail hunting if there was snow on the ground. Not sure if any states still have this rule.

I believe the impetus of this was that quail are more susceptible to cold and rely on covey groups to maintain warmth, etc

Also I have heard hunting them can be seen as easier with snow because of tracking and finding them in out of the wind, south facing brush etc. Making a perceived unfair advantage.

[mobirdhunter]

Thanks for the comments. Craig is so right, too few days for so many things.

Jerry is referring to the old Virginia game law prohibiting hunting quail in the snow. Although I don't recall the details, the law specified a percentage of the ground that must be snow covered for the law to kick in. Snow was deemed an unfair advantage for the hunter. It was indeed a crap shoot to try to figure out if it was legal to hunt on any given snow day. The good news is that it did not snow very much.

When my father would visit us in Missouri and we would hunt quail in the snow he was forever asking if we were "legal." I don't think I ever convinced him.

For those of you who have hunted wild Bobs in the snow, you know there is nothing easy about it...but it is different. Depending on the snow depths, quality of the snow, and other weather conditions, it can be hard on both man and dog (especially the dog's feet). Yes, seeing tracks is a plus, but snow Bobs act in even more unpredictable ways, flushing wild, burying deep in snow (hard to scent), and flushing into trees (if you think shooting a grouse that rockets out of a tree is a tough shot, the small bullets that quail flushing from a cedar seem to be are exponentially more difficult to hit). I dislike hunting in snow. Aspen's injury is an example of the perils to dogs.

But anymore I feel hunting days to be a gift, and I want to take advantage of the time that's given to me, Elaine and my dogs. I know it's the same for many of you who love following dogs after those wonderful wild birds...in places that make you stop to admire.

[J. A. EARLY]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

Beautiful Fox Gary and as always great pics.

Jerry... What is the reference to hunting in the snow about??

Virginia law did not allow hunting quail in the snow. Probably several reasons. Road hunters would find coveys huddled up under a tree and shoot into the covey to kill as many as possible. And also because in deep snows bobwhites had a hard enough time trying to survive that the DGIF did not want the coveys scattered and unable to get together. That was the law for the longest time. Then after all the quail were gone they changed the law!

From Al Gore's Internet: Yes, you can hunt quail in the snow in Virginia, and it's often a productive time as birds concentrate in thick cover for warmth and food, but hunting is better with light snow or during a thaw rather than deep, harsh conditions, focusing on good habitat with escape cover like thickets and vine tangles. Virginia DWR historically restricted snow hunting but lifted it for quail in 1995, making it legal and a strategic time for hunters who understand the birds' behavior in winter.

I did not see the other replies on the snow topic until I had answered.

[Rick Roemer]

Very nice pictures. That sky looks plenty Big!

[Phil Yearout]

Poetry, my friend.

[Chris Pope]

So sorry to hear about Aspen, whose misfortune will turn into Rill's good fortune as Rill takes over the "starting role." These canine athelete members of our family can break our hearts when hurt.
The hunt with that beautiful quail gun looked phenomenal. Love photo 1 and 3. Kudos to the staff photographer!