# Hunting across the US



## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2015)

Well it is time, I sit in Phoenix AZ on my move from Columbus, GA to Idaho.  I have been lucky to have a wife that allows me (usually) to indulge in my bird hunting craze.  Since my move is during the Bird season, I wanted to hunt all the different states I could.  

First, was my yearly pheasant hunt in North Dakota. 
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=821915 

Second several GA dove shoots highlighted by the Wards, in Shellman GA.  Outstanding time.  Lots of birds, excellent southern hospitality.  

Third was a quail hunt near Hurtsboro, AL.


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2015)

Last Saturday, I started my trek across the Southern US.  First stop was in San Antonio where I was invited by one of hunters in our North Dakota group on a quail lease.  All wild birds on 6000 acres.  It was interesting to see the Hunt camp for the deer hunters with their rigs.  Quite a site to see but forgot to bring my camera.  Phone died so photos are limited 

There was a long pole from floor to ceiling at the HQ which was intertwined with antler sheds that was the size of a six foot christmas tree.  I found several including a match set.  



The weather started out in the 30s and got up to the high 40s.  Slight breeze.  We flushed about 16 wild coveys. Texas bobwhite with one kicker.  There are no reports of scaled(blue) quail until I shot one there.  My shooting was abysmal so I only ended up with a male/female pair of Bobwhites and a single Scalie.


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## Moore (Jan 8, 2015)

Looks like a great time keep post'in them pics. Have enjoyed your 28 hours threads.


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## Jetjockey (Jan 8, 2015)

If your goal was to make me jealous.  It worked!  Sounds like a great trip.


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2015)

01/05/2015, 
I arrived in Mesa AZ and spent some time with my family.  I miss the AZ sunsets.  On Jan 07, 2015, I took my nephew on a Gambel quail hunt between Wickenburg and Congress.  

The morning started out better than expected.  Parked in a large wash probably 1/2 mile wide, scaled a side and followed the edge.  After about 10 minutes, Buster started leading us to the west toward a grassy area with several songbirds.  He locks into a point,  Two gambels fly out well out of gun range.  But we see more birds scurrying along the ground.  That started about 4 hours of consistent finds.  Totaled 5 coveys in about 4 hours.  

Things died off after that but had some mayhem with the cholla.  Buster could navigate them with no problem but Ruger ran too fast, too uncontrolled as you can see by the photo. 20 minutes of pulling cactus needles.  At one time, Ruger ran off an 8 foot cliff, right in front of us that fell into the wash we were walking.  Luckily it was soft sand.

We shot well but most of the birds were flushing out or range or did not give us a window through the trees.  Only ended up wit 3 birds


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2015)

Many people with give their opinions about pointers and desert quail hunting but most of the birds we found were because our dogs brought us to them. 

As for the cactus, they learn quickly where to go...hopefully


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## gsppurist (Jan 8, 2015)

Mexican Standoff for 20 minutes


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## AnchAk1961 (Jan 8, 2015)

*Looks like a great trip so far...*

That dang Ruger.  Those cacti got him!  Looks painful!  Keep the stories and pictures coming...

Jeff, Missy and Bella


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## gsppurist (Jan 9, 2015)

1/9/15
Gave it a shot this morning.  Started at about 0930 and it was 53 degrees.  Headed north of Mesa on HWY 87/Beeline HWY onto Four Peaks rd.  In less than a quarter mile, knocked up about 25 birds along the north side of the road.  I had to park collar dogs  and get set up.  Then spent next twenty minutes busting coveys but they were pretty jumpy, flushing 60-70 yards away.  No shots.  Hard to catch up because of the great cover.  Ended at 11:30 and it was 63 degrees.  Will give it a go tomorrow.


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## gsppurist (Jan 10, 2015)

1/10/15
Last hunting day in AZ on this trip again between Wikenburg and Congress off the 89.  Started at about 8:30.  Cloudy overcast with rain in the periphery.  There is nothing like like the smell of rain, mixed with creosote on a cool morning hunt in the desert.  First quick run was a bust along a main wash.  Moved up into Long shallow arroyos with large patches of grass leading into the main creek.  Seemed like when we found the song birds the quail were nearby.  Worked a long wash and came across a large watering hole.  Saw a single running.  Heard them calling up on a slope and followed them only to have Buster rush some runners on the ground.  Went back down into the wash and went over a small saddleback to be greeted with about a 30 bird flush.  Unable to shoot because these little rockets were gone in a flash.  

Jumped over to the next arroyo and worked back to the truck.  Worked the slopes along switchback washes and found one covey of 10, finally connected on a fast crossing hen.  Buster found right were I marked.  Then the action was pretty consistent with coveys and pairs every 200 yards for the 1.5 mile walk back.  Another success when we followed a mating pair and the cockbird flushed behind me.  I shot twice thinking I missed but noted his legs were hanging down.  The area where my first shot was had a large feathers wafting to the ground.  Took the dog up the area where I saw it last and in seconds he had tracked it under a Blue palo verde.  The paired hen was calling like crazy but did not give a clear shot although several were tried.  

Buster kicked up a covey of 15 about 100 yards from the truck.  

Took a break and switched dogs.  Ruger started out the first 10 minutes of stepping on every cactus needle in a 200 yard area.  Finally he figured it out and we headed up a wash farther east. His ranging was much improved and quartered beautifully.   He crossed over the saddleback into another arroyo, busted a covey of 12-15 birds and froze.  FINALLY, he got it. Started on the singles.  My nephew knocked down a bird but could find.  We were standing on a slope of the wash and 4 birds busted under us, I hit one about 50 yards with a great retrieve.  All together we encountered about 7 coveys in 4 hours.  5-20 birds per covey.      Only 3 birds harvested, still shooting well but birds were flushing wild at a distance.  Not many pics today because I didn't have time to get the camera ready when dogs were on birds.


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## WOODIE13 (Jan 11, 2015)

Nice pics


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## FFg (Jan 12, 2015)

Congrats.  Sweet looking trip so far, I'm envious!


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## gsppurist (Jan 18, 2015)

Made it to Idaho last Tuesday night.  Skiing yesterday and chukar hunting today in Redbird WMA with another GON member.  This was no joke, steep deep canyon.  Fell one time and slammed Beretta Extrema against rocks and now have permanant Idaho boulder marks.   Had to switch shoes because of blisters.  

34 Degrees with on-off bursts or wind.  First run, worked for 3 hours and while crossing along top of mesa Buster runs up a hill and locks on a point at a rocky outcropping.  I was within 15 yards and 3 chukar fly out.  No excuses, clean miss. 2 mile loop.

Then we follow along fence line and Buster starts points/repositions like he is after a running pheasant.  40 yards away about 15 huns take up, again missed.  Not doing well today.  And yes Jeff, I lifted my head!!!!  

Worked second loop along south ledge, headed out 2.5 miles on Google earth maps calculations.  Then when we turned back it started mixed ice/rain.  Not wearing waterproof boots.  Toes got numb while racing back (racing figurative term because of several stops because of fatigue issues.) 
No birds, just great conversation.


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## gsppurist (Jan 18, 2015)

I highly recommend the H2P dog vests from Ugly Dog Hunting.  They worked great.  One on inch tear on the back side from Barbed wire fence although my dog passed under no less than 20 times.  

There were not wear points on my dogs' chest from the H2P vests


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## Jetjockey (Jan 18, 2015)

Told Ya you'd love it out there.  Chuckar, huns, pheasants, and quail.  It's a horrible place for upland hunters!.    Unless your trying to extend your season, you will never hunt pen raised birds again.

Two words for ya.  Gore Tex!  It will become your best friend!  Haha


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## gsppurist (Jan 20, 2015)

I have several pairs of Gore Tex (Danner East Ridge and Brownign upland) but boots that seemed to work are now blistering my heels. Have to resort to 5 year old boots that are showing their age and use.


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## gsppurist (Jan 24, 2015)

Tried again today in Idaho's Craig Mtn WMA.  Several trucks in the area.  No birds, just good conditions, cool/dry.


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## gsppurist (Jan 24, 2015)

Figured out how to estimate distance and elevation change on google earth.


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## gsppurist (Feb 1, 2015)

Last day of the bird season in the Northwest and went to an area that I was advised to hunt for chukar.  BLM land outside of White Bird, ID along the Salmon river.  It was a beautiful day with temps of 37 on bottom, light wind.  

1300 foot incline to the top.  Made it after having to stop every 50-100 feet.  Heart rate beating up to 160 bpm and would settle to 120s in no time.  Luckily no arrythmias.  No birds until the top.  

After a hellacious climb up the west slope, I rounded to the east side and headed north.  The dogs were still on the west slope.  There, overlooking the town, I finally got cell service.  While talking to my wife,  There was a ruckus and 15 birds came flying out of the rocks above me.  Slackjawed, I said my goodbyes to my wife but not without a single straggler cackeling at me shortly thereafter.  

Then the action commenced.  Buster and Ruger pointed a covey but I couldn't get down to them prior to their flush.  Just as Buster was chasing a flying single down the slope, I looked up to see another covey leaving the opposite side of the ridge headed west.  I went to the rocky outcropping where that group flushed and another 15 bird covey left the east slope a hundred yards away.  I made my way farther north and while walking a saddleback, down in a depression another covey of 25 birds exploded about 200 yards away.  

I kept going until reaching a large, deep saddleback which would require a signficant elevation change.  Figured this would be a great place to head back after watering the dogs.  Shortly after turning back, the dogs pointed a deuce which I majorly flubbed and all caught on GoPro.  I redeemed myself a few minutes later by hitting a single in the general area where the 25 bird covey left.

While traversing the west side of a rocky peak, I heard some cackling.  Stopped(rested) and thought, there shouldn't be any birds at this elevation except chukar.  I went over the top and had 3 take off directly under me, missed the first but hit a second one.  His legs dropped and fell mid-flight a few seconds later.  The dogs were nowhere to be found during this but they did come back with the gunshot and help me find the downed bird.

It kept on like this for about 2 additional hours.  Great points and dog work... when I could keep track of them.  There were many times that my dogs out of eye/ear range.  

I flushed 7 coveys of 10-25 birds and had several 2-3 bird encounters.  All in all, 6 hours of hunting,  2.5 hours to climb to the top and 3 hours of chasing chukar.  Only took 30 minutes to get down. Not bad way to end the season.


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## gsppurist (Feb 1, 2015)

More photos from today


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## gsppurist (Feb 1, 2015)




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## AnchAk1961 (Feb 1, 2015)

*Great year!*

As expected, another video to get me all fired up for next year!  You had quite a year my friend!


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## gunslinger33 (Feb 1, 2015)

Tim I think most of us are envious of your opportunity to experience hunting across America , from SD to ID. I have enjoyed the stories and appreciate the effort it took to hunt the different terrain and topography. The adability of the GSP is amazing to see. from low land humid Alabama , desert of Arizona to the high elevations and cold of ID.

I am curious to how the dogs reacted to the elevation change.

Most of us will not be able to expeince a hunting adventure like this but with your posts we are able to enjoy it with you.


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## gsppurist (Feb 1, 2015)

gunslinger33 said:


> Tim I think most of us are envious of your opportunity to experience hunting across America , from SD to ID. I have enjoyed the stories and appreciate the effort it took to hunt the different terrain and topography. The adability of the GSP is amazing to see. from low land humid Alabama , desert of Arizona to the high elevations and cold of ID.
> 
> I am curious to how the dogs reacted to the elevation change.
> 
> Most of us will not be able to expeince a hunting adventure like this but with your posts we are able to enjoy it with you.




Thanks for the comments.  The dogs did amazing.  The elevation was not to dramatic as we were only up to about 3000 feet.  North Dakota trip was the hardest in regards to weather with single digits and -25 wind chill on many days.  As long as they kept moving.  I would check the thinnest parts of their body for problems from of cold exposure such as their foot webbing and found no issue.  Ear checks were always warm to hot.  

I recently purchased the H2P from Ugly Dog Hunting for future cold weather hunts which is the best cold weather vest for shorthaired pointers I have found.  Neoprene was too stiff and caused friction burns from all the running.

I was lucky this year.  I knew the move was coming so I planned accordingly.  Through contacts at work in GA, got to hunt an Alabama plantation.  Met some great friends in NoDak who invited me to their lease in Texas. And revisited areas in AZ that I hunted in High school 25 years ago,   Made some connections in Idaho (on GON) that directed me.  

It will likely never be this good again until after I retire in 25+ years... well maybe.  This is the Northwest. 

I hope to do a long trip back to AZ to hunt with my nephews and Bro-in-laws in the coming years.  

I can honestly say that this has been the best year in regards to wild bird population when I compare to previous reports and even my own experiences in AZ. Each place was absolutely incredible with numerous encounters of wild birds.  Hope many more years to come of wild bird hunting.

Now have to get ready for next season.

TG


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