I went to Boise to do some engineering for Dad

Homedale Quail

I went to Boise to do some engineering for Dad. Stayed at the Ranch. I brought my shotgun. After doing engineering work at the Plant - I decided to go quail hunting. Quail were a regular sighting going to and from the ranch house ... so, enough of just watching them ... I pulled out my epoch-old Rem 870 20 gauge shotgun, currently barreled sawed off / cylinder ... and headed out the back yard. At grass edge was a healthy `herd' of quail - they started running. I was loaded up with shells that I didn't even know would work. If I was meat hunting I could have taken them on the ground - but I decided for some sport. I hadn't shot at quail or the like for quite some time. Quickly they erupted into flight. My first shot felled three roo quail. Yeah! My next shot felled a fourth. A third shot missed. Then recovery efforts began - without a dog. I was able to find the first 3. They were all laying on the ground where they fell pointed the same direction about 11 inches apart. I quickly disassembled my gun and took out the plug - so I could load up with one in the chamber and 4 in the mag (2 more than if waterfowl hunting). I walked a bit farther and got a triple. Another recovery operation. Arghhh ... after searching long, I was only able to find 2. Again and again I looked hard for these two lost birds. From that point on I took them on only one bird at a time. I discovered something. Once quail take off, they are probably going 30 mph plus by the time you pull the trigger. If killed in mid-air, they take on `projectile' motion until they hit the ground, ... but they don't just `stick' ... they bounce and roll. And that's if they are dead ... if not - then they commence running, or other. One quail flew, bounced, rolled, and then ran another ten or so yards, and then expired. Well, before long I had my limit (10). And I hardly dented the population.

The next morning Dad went in to the plant and I slept in. I awoke after the sun had come up and staggered upstairs, looking for caffeine. Out the back window an army of quail was advancing up the yard from the east. I looked out the west window and scattered elements of quail were moving toward the house from the west. I found some coffee still warm on the stove from Dad, and as caffeine levels climbed in my bloodstream and brain, I put on clothes and boots and vest ... but by the time I got outside they had vanished. A giant cow had wandered into the yard and scared them off. I decided to ascend the hill up above the ranch in search of chukar (partridge). I scared up one covey of quail nearing the fence at the canal. I didn't shoot. Once across the canal I shot my way through another covey, getting a triple, but only finding two. Arghhh. I looked long and hard. Oh, for a dog on scene. Perhaps the third had only a broken wing and took off running through the broken sagebrush. I then ascended the hill. Recent pummeling rains made the sandy soil like walking on foam. Gosh, I hadn't shot at chukars for so long. (What would it be like again?) At a rock outcropping a covey got up - I toppled one and passed on others as I didn't want to knock down more than I could recover. I couldn't find it. I was feeling pretty bad - ... Searching. Finally I gave up. On around the rock outcropping I spotted a coyote laying and fussing around in the sun about 80 yards out. He didn't know I was there. He appeared to be there for a reason. Sure enough, he was posted just above a covey of about 30 chukar. The coyote didn't see me - but evidently the wind carried my scent (probably locker-room grade by now) ... and he was off. The chukar didn't like the looks of me walking toward them - they took off - but I marked where they went.

I jumped the covey again ... first shot was a `hit' but the bird kept going ... second shot dropped one - but he hit the ground running (a `runner'). I went down to where I saw it last - but in vain. Bummmmer. By this time they were scattered ... great for hunting with a dog - marginal without. I jumped a pair and dropped one ... and marking where it fell, I shot at but missed the second. I went down and found the bird. In his last moments he was belly up and flapping all over the place - easy to see - but on his very last `flap' he flipped over and with only his gray back showing, looked no different than the five billion `other' gray rocks in proximity. But I got him. Yeah!

I had to make some phone calls (sat phone) - which, bummer, allowed the birds to collect and apparently disappear. I went back up to where I first got into them and where I dropped the bird that I couldn't find. After extensive attack scene investigation (A.S.I.) I found a few feathers. Then, down a mini-ravine in the rocks I found the bird. Dead. Added to the projectile-bounce-roll scenario for quail, one must also consider after rolling and bouncing from forward momentum, in chukar terrain, a bird will also [then] roll with the fall line, and possibly quite some distance. This is of course greatly amplified if the bird is not dead and `flapping' all about. Plus, the scenario must be modified by increased bird flight speed (50 mph) by the time a shot is rattled off.

And, note: chukar often live on terrain breaks ... if you are below them, the walk or run out of sight and touch above you. If you are parallel with or above them - they take to flight and in very brief seconds are down out of sight. They also often zigzag with quick alternating banks (to make the gunning very challenging).

I planned to meet Dad for lunch, so I descended the hill(s) and shot my way back through some more quail upon return to the ranch ... a clean shot with safe backdrop dropped a roo quail near the front lawn. The quail sat where he fell, but very much alive and aware of my approach. I decided to throw my tac vest on him and then grab it flopping around under my vest. (Certainly it would run - at speeds close to flight - if I merely reached for it with my hand.) I set my gun down and disrobed my vest. (Key phrase `set my gun down' ...) Throwing the vest worked, but to my amazement it instantly found an arm hole in the vest - popped out - and was running full speed for the nearby cover. Of course my gun was laying on the ground off behind me. I ran and grabbed it - turned and blasted the quail just as it disappeared into the brush. Barely; whoa. Got him.

Back at the ranch, I had a late breakfast, then, since Dad arrived during, moved seamlessly into the next meal -lunch. After Dad left I painted some no-hunting signs on the fence along the canal, to preserve the quail herd. Paint now used up I decided to see if I could bag some more quail. About the time I really thought I had things down - I flat out missed three or four quail in a row. That was enough. Good time to quit. I packed up, and as I was talking on the sat phone letting Tammy know I was on my way home, several coveys were flying from one patch of sagebrush to another - both taunting me and assuring me they'd be there for next time.

I had forgot ... chukar hunting is the ultimate sport ... rugged terrain, great exercise, scenery, difficult shooting, elegant bird, the reward of working with a good gun dog, etc., etc. And the birds are great on the table. Hmmmm ... and this started with Quail.

JRF

Oh, I must append to the bird scene scenario - wind drift and feathers.

Whereas a good hit on an upland bird will be marked by a release of feathers in flight - these feathers follow neither the trajectory of the bird, nor pure gravity, but drift with the wind - which may be significant in chukar terrain. Thus, feathers, found on the ground, may not be an indication of where the bird first hit, nor certainly where it ended up. On the other hand, impact with the ground may also produce feathers, and if you can find these - means you're getting `warm'.

Endnote: I am now working with our 10-month old Golden Retriever - to bring her on line for the next upland bird hunt.

Yeah!

Two Roos ... here