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Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Just got back from hunting blues around Calsbad. We hunted 1-1/2 days and six of us saw 9 covies. We ususally hunted in three groups of two people, with dogs. I guess we bagged a couple of dozen. These Blues ran faster than a jackrabbit! They greatly aggravated Beau's only character defect - creeping.

Weekend before this we hunted Deming. The Deming Blues had much better manners than the Carlsbad Blues. It was a lot of fun except for the part of hefting my 203 pound 52 year-old a$$ up a mountain covered with wobbly rocks and barrel cactus. Three of us bagged a dozen birds for the weekend. My dogs did pretty well on the these birds. We also got a Gambels.

Both weekends we didn't see anyone else out hunting quail. That sure surprised me (public land).

Best,

Mike

Sounds like a good time was had by all. but, I did not see any photos.

I saw your subject line and thought you were going to sing, with maybe a little slide guitar Sad

!

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

A little beer at the end of the day makes those blues go away Wink

I've always wanted to hunt some blue quail but was always concerned about how the midwest dogs would fair with the cactus needles and desert in general. How do the dogs fair in that type of climate?

I've often thought of switching out my 2-Iron for a 16 gauge when golfing in Arizona. I saw about 10 covies when golfing down in Phoenix a couple years ago. Assuming it wasn't the same covy following me around the course!

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Hey PGG I have some pictures of the Deming hunt but have not got them out of the camera and edited and on the computer. Didn't take any of the Carlsbad hunt. As soon as I get some honey-do-or-dies done I will post them.

I thought the post title might evoke a little curiosity - but I am hardly ever blue when I am hunting. . Smile

Unfortunately I am allergic to alcohol. My wife says it blocks part of my memory - the part that stores the information that I am married and have a job. Shocked

I remember the first time I took my Brittanys hunting in a heavy pear cactus area (Barnhart, Texas). The first night I spent 45 minutes per dog digging the thorns out. The second night it took about 5 minutes per dog - they had learned. How about carrying a sixteen in your golfbag and hunt and golf at the same time - and I bet people would let you play through when you asked them!

Best,

Mike

Thanks for the reply Mike. Get the photos up when you can. How about posting some recipies? My "white wine, butter, and lemon" recipe is a bit dated.

Sorry about your alcohol allergy. I know exactly how it feels. I also suffer from the affliction. There must be some kind of 12 step program for us. I'm just not sure I'm ready to enter rehab yet. Maybe I'll ponder that one with a glass of homemade wine.

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

PGG my favorite way to eat them is in quail and dumplings.

Second favorite is breaded and fried in a skillet and served with cream gravy, mashed potatoes, and peas.

Kind of southern I guess! Smile

My parents were both from Arkansas.

Mike

PS - I used the Parker VHE 16 gauge one-frame with the 30" barrels - that is the 16 gauge connection! Smile

....must be nice still being able to legally shoot some kind of bird other than a pigeon! But I still ain't movin south.....

brit in MT

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Duncan I have been up to your state flyfishing a couple of times - and just over the border in Swift Current hunting huns and sharptails. I toured the Sharps Rifle reproduction factory in some little town. I snow skied with my son at Bridger Bowl - about 1994.

Beautiful country!

But you don't have to move here to hunt late season, you can just visit. Quail season ends Thursday in New Mexcio. It ends the 25th in Texas.

Mike

Hi Mike,

...my son snowboarded Bridger Bowl just today! Was the Sharps's factory in BigTimber maybe? Yeah, there's good birds up here some seasons, but we have to quit about Jan 1 for upland and Jan 12 for waterfowl......

that is great being able to shoot well into Feb....... I've been to Santa Fe one time back in the 80's for a convention when I was a stockbroker.....that is lovely country, too...always dreamed of hunting gemsbok on the missle range and those ibex down near the border....but never got it done....you also have the biggest antelope and elk in the states from what I hear....

maybe someday.....that would be fun, never shot any quail except bobwhite in Ohio in the seventies. You have serious dove shooting, too, never been to Amarillo, just Dallas and San Antonio (San Ant, was another stockbroker thing)...

Duncan

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Britgun - How about that! It was Big Timber - that was about 2000. He had a big backlog back then.

I did kill an antelope near Raton (1977) - tasted very bad by the way. My pop killed a monster elk at Vermejo Park (New Mexico) about then too. Santa Fe culture is much different from the New Mexico planes culture in my opinion. It is a very historic and interesting place.

Sorry bird season is over. When did it open?

Shooting Bobs over pointing dogs is my favorite. Unfortunately I have Brittanies Laughing

Watching the dogs run and hunt is 80 % of the fun, 15% is the point and covey rise, 4% watching the dog hunt and fetch the dead bird, 1% shooting the bird.

Best,

Mike

yes, the dogs are special indeed, but I still am well over 1% on your gratification meter in shooting the bird! Still plagued with some youthful exuberance, even though I'm gettin older.... Smile

Huns, sharps, mountain grouse opens Sept 1. Waterfowl opens about Oct 1. Pheasant opens around 2nd weekend in Oct.....

How big was your speed goat? What did he score?

Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 370 Location: Amarillo, Texas

Hey Duncan - as much as I miss it would be foolish to weight the shooting at a higher percentage!

Here are pictures I took on the Deming hunt:

We chased the birds up the draws and then up the mountains and I am almost too old and too fat to go up the mountains:

Looking down the hill:

Dubya on point - he was pointing a wounded bird:

My hunting companions - George and his son Jake. They are nice guys and good walkers and good company:

Here is a link to my Photobucket site - you are welcome to browse around.
http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l274/AmarilloMike/Deming%20Blues/

Best,

Mike

I thought we had big. bleak, bird rich expansive country....wow, your land is beautiful....well, I think it was you that bought that 4 1/2 pound 16 single shot hammergun off me, yeah? Carry that up and down those hills! That thing is proofed for 2 2/4" shells, you know...... thanks for sharing, Mike,

Duncan