I hate to brag, but-----

[Walt lister]

Shirtsleeve weather, 70*, gentle breeze, no SNOW so lets go quail hunting.

Getting calls a couple of hundred yards ahead to the left of the wash

Soft sand washes are critter highways

Called Christmas cactus because it fruits in the winter

Gambels like these small gully networks and use them to run out of sight in

I heard a covey flush but didn't see them. After following the direction I thought they went I started flushing a few. Two birds flushed and I made a really difficult Right/left double and saw both birds fold. I don't usually try for doubles and this is why; First bird was belly up dead but only found feathers where I had seen the second bird hit. I looked for 15 minutes in ever widening circles but nothing. There are lots of holes a bird will go into like the ones in this pack rat nest that was near where it fell

Stomped around in this area for an hour and had several more flushes. Picked up three more birds and missed a half dozen others.

My feet were starting to get sore so after 3 3/4 mi I decided to head back

Desert can be hard on some critters

Four birds in the bag for a couple of hours work is a good tradeoff.

 

[grizzly5028]

congrats on the birds

 

[Gerald Martin]

Nice! Looks like you had a fun day. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mconway951]

looks like a good day to me wish i was in that kinda weather

 

[Oak]

Thanks for sharing, Walt. I'm not much of a bird hunter, but your photos continue to remind me that I'm not down there chasing Coues deer.

 

[Spitz]

Great photos and looks like some great fun. You can't be too far away from my stomping grounds by the looks of the terrain.

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

Nice Pictures.....holy moly you sure are old, how did you find the internet? I'm a 1/3 your age and spend half my day just looking for my keys....

There is an old guy in texas who is probably ecstatic that he's not the oldest member of the board anymore

Keep the pictures coming!

 

[tarheel]

Nice Pictures.....holy moly you sure are old, how did you find the internet? I'm a 1/3 your age and spend half my day just looking for my keys....

There is an old guy in texas who is probably ecstatic that he's not the oldest member of the board anymore

Keep the pictures coming!

Man, that is insulting! What ever happened to respecting elders and all the experience we've gathered throughout the years? Just because I started school in the 1940's doesn't mean I stopped learning in the 1960's, and I'm quite sure this gentleman hasn't either.
Just remember that old age and treachery will overcome youth and agility most every time. I know you meant no insult and I'm just yanking your chain.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

WTG Walt, I am guessing that those are calls around your neck? Please tell us how you use them and are they made by yourself or purchased. John

 

[Mikeflies]

That looks so nice. Right now I am in NW Nevada working in a mud hole. I can't wait to go home to some nice weather later this Spring.

 

[BirdDogWebb]

Very nice Walt ! Congrats on your birds.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.

 

[Walt lister]

Man, that is insulting! What ever happened to respecting elders and all the experience we've gathered throughout the years? Just because I started school in the 1940's doesn't mean I stopped learning in the 1960's, and I'm quite sure this gentleman hasn't either.
Just remember that old age and treachery will overcome youth and agility most every time. I know you meant no insult and I'm just yanking your chain.

Old?? OLD?? Bite your tongue. Age is just a number----Too big a number in my case . I don't feel 73 until after I've gone a few miles but I guess the alternative to being out and about is worse.

 

[Walt lister]

WTG Walt, I am guessing that those are calls around your neck? Please tell us how you use them and are they made by yourself or purchased. John

Those are Lohman wooden quail calls (they make a plastic call but I don't like the sound it makes)
. I've used them for 40+ years to help locate quail. It take a little practice but not too hard to learn. Gambels and valley quail make quite a range of calls, peeps and clucks but the one they use for assembly and keeping in touch with other covies sounds like " CHI-CA-GO, CHI-CA-GO, CHI-CA-GO". Lots of minor variations but that's the basic call I use. Calling works best early in the season when the young birds are more likely to respond. Early and late in the day are the times they call most but I had good responce yesterday at 2:00 pm so you never know.
Over the years I had ended up with a half dozen Lohman wooden calls that stopped working because the rubber vibrator had deteriorated. I called Lohman and asked if they could be rebuilt and they said to ship them back and they would fix them FREE! I did and they did fix them but I included a $20 bill and told them to but donuts for the shop. With service like that I'll always be a customer.

 

[Big Fin]

No bragging there, Walt. That is just good old fashion hunting fun. Reading this reminds me how stupid I am to be in Wickenburg for two days next weekend, all for business, and to not have taken any extra pleasure days to go chase quail out near the Vulture Mountain country.

 

[Basser]

Congrats on the birds. The weather in AZ is great this time of year and the birds are usually plentiful. Nice work

BF, what the heck are you doing in Wickenburg??? Only business anyone should have there is stopping for gas or picking up a burrito from Filiberto's and the way to or from a weekend in Vegas.

 

[Dinkshooter]

That looks fun. You must have lived in a snowy climate before in order to know how to rub it in.

Bird Man Oak, I saw Gambels quail in GJ last time I was down there. Stocked or natural?

 

['Ike']

Atta baby Walt, way to stay after 'em...Hoping to see a few next week on my Coues hunt!

 

[schmalts]

looks like a GREAT place to hike around in. I wish that weather was what it was like when I was down there!

 

[Oak]

Bird Man Oak, I saw Gambels quail in GJ last time I was down there. Stocked or natural?

I assume they were originally stocked, but I think they've been around a long time. They are fairly common in the valley.

 

[T Bone]

Cool Winchester!

Nice job on getting out and enjoying the weather.