This is our third season running our dogs for a great group of guys on a fantastic ranch just north of Noodle, TX. This year was by far the best of the three. Got there Thursday around two and hit the field around 3, found 14 coveys by 5:30 or so (killed 29). Hunted 2.5 hours Friday morning and found 14 coveys then about 3 hours in the afternoon and found 15-16 coveys (killed 46). Saturday I didn't keep as good of a count but it was as many or more and ended the weekend with a total of 125 birds killed and found, plus I bet we lost 10 or more in the thick cover. And of course the banded bird in my other thread. I am a little disappointment in my pictures but I did get a few decent ones (really need to learn how to use this camera). Before anyone starts in about shooting too many, blah, blah, this ranch is hunted one time a year, so take the whining somewhere else. I wish I had my camera Friday morning, Ace (my EP) found 9 coveys in less than 30 minutes, then his back legs went south on him again and I didn't hunt him anymore the rest of the weekend.
Punkin

Punkin again

Bleu

Bleu again

Bleu, Daisy & Punkin

Bleu & Daisy with Punkin Backing with bird in his mouth

Sounds like yall did good! cool looking country

Two of the guys have Boykins and they are a great addition to a couple of good pointing dogs. Great little dead bird finders.

Awesome trip and pictures!!

My friend has a Boykin that we are going to bring out next season to help find dead birds.

Looks like those did a great job.

One small note to add, the 60-65 covey's that were found not one piece of ground was hunted twice. So on average we shot 2 birds per covey and the covey's ranged from 15-30 birds. So blessed to see the birds come back so strong.

Good job!

Gotta love that many birds in that open country. Just seems too good to be true, caught myself a bunch going "those birds wouldnt be out in the middle of nowhere" but they are in a boom year and man its fun.

If the Matador WMA / TPW lets hunters take 9,000 birds off of 28,000 acres, think you boys are fine with your 125!

dang

Worth the wait. Thanks for posting.

All I can say is Wow! I love pic of the dog backing with a bird in mouth!

Hunting a place like that one weekend of the year and taking 125 is a whole different story than slamming most of these places repeatedly.



.......you still shot too many

I only shot 3 They were with a Taurus Judge though, so....

It was once common practice for me and my friends to come home with a three day limit, especially on day leases. I slowed down to shooting only pointed birds and limiting myself in the early 90s, mostly to have birds to hunt at the end of season.

Woohoo!

Nice pictures, I now have a Boykin and he makes my show a whole lot better.

Of the hunts I have been on this year (and it has been quite a "boom" year in normal quail country statewide), we have been self-restricted to taking only 2 birds from each covey - regardless of size and preferably cocks, of course. To each his own, but I have great respect for the bobwhite and its well-known reputation as having perhaps the most enemies of any form of Texas wildlife. The best hunt I had this (benchmark) season was a Friday morning, lunch break, Friday afternoon and Saturday morning hunt totaling 61 coveys. That hunt may never be eclipsed in my lifetime, and with that potential fact, I am perfectly content.

You're like the Doc Holiday of quail hunters!