Mearns Quail Hunting

[George "Scott" Davis]

Just returned from 5 1/2 days of Mearns Quail Hunting in Southern Arizona. My 10 year old Brittany had ACL surgery on May 16, 2014 and she still was the "Star". She will hunt other birds but when it comes to Mearns; Game On!!!! We hunted our new member of the team; a 2 year old "Braque France" and with experience she also has the potential to be a gamer.
We took our usual collection of hunting 16 gauges: brother uses 24 inch custom damascus steel L.C. Smith with a Jeffery' back-up and I use a Fox Sterlingworth Featherweight and L.C. Smith Field and our joint 5th gun is a Parker GHE. When you are hunting Mearns be prepared to fall so if you are afraid of putting a ding in barrel or stock bring a field grade or a hunting gun (PS: if you are really Mearns Quail hunting you are going to fall!!!!!!!).
Key to high numbers of Mearns Quail is our summer "monsoons" as they produce grasshopper for the young birds. We had lots of rain the last six months which caused lots of flooding which had modified the canyon bottoms in many locations and the grass is waist high in most places.
As always lots of "funny stories from hunting trips", had three young studs try and slip by us and drive their new Dodge 4-wheel drive up one of the flooded canyons and get it stuck in three feet of water. Our old 7.3 Ford Diesel pulled them out the first try, however next time we are going to make them wait until we finish hunting the canyon before we provide assistance.
Saturday morning December 6 we has license plates from 10 states at the restaurant in Patagonia, shocking as for years we never saw any other hunter let alone an out-of-stater.
We got up 5-8 covey everyday so good bird count. However the weather has turned unusually warm so if you are coming I would advise "rattlesnake" training for your dogs and we ran into Javalina Herds everyday keep you dogs within eye sight. Good Hunting,
PS: Mearns Quail Hunting is hard on dogs feet so bring boots or lots of dogs.

[MarketHunter]

We've not heard from Phil Carr on here in awhile. I wonder how his season is coming along?

Destry

[chris dawe]

Had an E-mail from Phil yesterday,he's having a great season ...I just think he's just to busy hunting to post !

[Elk Hunter]

I'll second "Rattlesnake" training. Here's my Lucy after she was bitten while tied up in camp while we Sage Grouse hunting a few years ago.

[Dean Romig]

That's scary.

[Double Lab]

Rattlesnake bite? Tell us more about the incident, how long was her recovery and how is she now? Dean's right- scary.

[George "Scott" Davis]

Dennis, good looking Brit and please share where you purchased your dog? I'm on the hunt for a female Brit puppy with similar lines and configuration. I'm primarily a Mearns Quail hunter so don't want any kind of field trail breeding in my dogs, as they will range to far and potentially encounter Javalina or snakes.
Did you pup make a full recovery?
PS: I like my full size females to weigh between 38-42 pounds

[Elk Hunter]

Originally Posted by Daryl Corona

Rattlesnake bite? Tell us more about the incident, how long was her recovery and how is she now? Dean's right- scary.

This occurred in 2006. We were camped in South Eastern Oregon near the Idaho border the evening before the Sage Grouse season opener. We were eating in our camper and my two brits were tied outside laying on a piece of carpet. I heard my french Brit, "Star" bark, I looked out and saw a snake coiled and menacing in front of the dogs. I yelled and the dogs retreated to me and I saw Lucy had been struck in the face. A shot load from my 44 Mag Ruger settled the snakes hash. We grabbed the dogs and drove 2 1/2 hours to Homedale, Idaho where we met the vet. Lucy was quite shocky when we arrived at the vets.The vet started an IV and then gave Lucy an anti-venom shot and we stayed up all night running the IV. The next day at 2:00 PM the vet told us to go back to hunt and bring Lucy back Monday at 9:00 am. After examining her Monday the vet told us to make an appointment with our vet when we got home and to have our vet call him if there were any questions.

Lucy made a complete recovery with no organ damage, which can kill a dog months after the bite.

We lost Lucy last May at 13 1/2 years. We still have Star who is 14 1/2 and still going strong even if a bit deaf.

As to Lucy's blood line, she came from a kennel in Kansas to another couple here in Oregon. We got her as an adult of 3 years, with many problems. For weeks she was sure I was going to kill and eat her. After considerable work on our part she turned into a real lover. I miss her every day.

Lucy's Sire : ISCH'S STRAY BULLET SN63946103 11-00

DAM: ISCH'S KANSAS TEQUILA SN54273302 11-00

Breeder Jeff Isch.

[Phil C]

Hey Destry grab a flight out this way, you have a place to stay. Seasons open until 1st week of Febuary. Been shooting my fair share of Mearns, now running 3 english pointers. The Dog Scout is now in his second season and may well be the best dogs I will ever own. Scout is the dog I wrote about Hunting Mearns quail with in the fall Parker Pages. I have not posted much lately as I have semi retired and have been hunting almost non stop since September 1 ( according to my wife). Actually it has only been 39 days LOL.

[C.O.B.]

Are you shooting the 28ga for Quail?