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Two shots, No Mas? #4081996 02/25/13 07:04 PM
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In another thread, Bill Oxner stated: "I no longer harvest wild bobwhite quail. I shot a double two years ago and lost one. I felt bad about it."

Though most quail hunters are by nature gentlemen, at times, I am in the field with people who are shooting pumps or automatics. It hurts me to see them pull the plug out of the guns so that they can blast a covey 4 or 5 times on the rise. Many times 3 or 4 birds fall, and sometimes, as good at hunting dead as my little cocker is, we lose one (FACT: about 90% of the time or more, when the retriever recovers the bird and drops it into my hand, that bird is alive) That does hurt. I also wonder, if these people killed three or four birds, how many others in the covey they crippled.

Don't misread my intent here, I have no qualms about pumps or automatics, and absolutely nothing illegal has been described here. But, it would seem that limiting yourself (as in each gunner) to no more than two shots per "rise" being single or covey, would be prudent at this low point in our favorite game bird's cycle. I sure don't advocate stopping hunting, but urge prudence.

I would be interested in your thoughts. Am I being "richard-like"?


Last edited by Pointer; 02/25/13 07:07 PM.
Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Pointer] #4082080 02/25/13 07:35 PM
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Agree 100%, two shots, stop!


There is time, and you must take it, to lay your hand on your dog's head as you walk past him lying on the floor or on his settle, time to talk with him, to remember with him, time to please him, time you can't buy back once he's gone" GBE
Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Pointer] #4082085 02/25/13 07:37 PM
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I don't think your being a Richard, you just hate loosing birds.
If we don't start out that way, we get there over time.
I hate to see people take a shot on a bird that they have no way of recovering. You already know its going to drop in wild rose thats to thick, and high for the dogs to go get.



Shopping with your husband is like hunting with the game warden.
Experience is what you get, when you didn't get what you wanted.


Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: kindall] #4082446 02/25/13 09:44 PM
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Many years ago when it became apparent quail were not doing well here in sw AR we pretty much quit shooting them altogether but it did not help. A few years ago I quit hunting a Texas lease early because it was too dry for dog work even though coveys were large and plentiful. My thinking at the time was let's leave them alone and it will be better next year, but the next year there were very few birds.
I think conservation and principle are admirable but seriously doubt it plays much of a part in quail populations. But just in case I am wrong I have switched to a sweet little 20 O/U that is considerable less lethal in my hands than was the 12 semi-auto I used in the good old days. Every time I see or hear a wild quail I am afraid it may be the last one I ever see or hear. I would hate to think I killed the last one I ever saw.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: arandy] #4082474 02/25/13 10:04 PM
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I have shot and harvested a grand total of 5 wild birds this year mainly as a reward to two young dogs (2 & 3 y.o.) that are doing it right. Still, I realize that I have maybe shot too many. I love the bird and I love the dogs. I have to strike a balance somewhere. I think we can still be good conservationist if we pay attention and not get too greedy with the remaining few wild birds that are out there. For every wild bird we shoot guarantees one less bird that will never reproduce again.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: arandy] #4082475 02/25/13 10:05 PM
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I don't think us hunting, or not hunting them changed the decline of the quail population.
I chose my shots on any type of bird I'm hunting.
I just don't like loosing birds.



Shopping with your husband is like hunting with the game warden.
Experience is what you get, when you didn't get what you wanted.


Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Pointer] #4082734 02/25/13 11:33 PM
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I killed 4 birds last year. I killed 2 birds this year. I don't think it matters. Quail are going extinct.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: NorthTXbirdhunter] #4082776 02/25/13 11:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: NorthTXbirdhunter
I have shot and harvested a grand total of 5 wild birds this year mainly as a reward to two young dogs (2 & 3 y.o.) that are doing it right. Still, I realize that I have maybe shot too many. I love the bird and I love the dogs. I have to strike a balance somewhere. I think we can still be good conservationist if we pay attention and not get too greedy with the remaining few wild birds that are out there. For every wild bird we shoot guarantees one less bird that will never reproduce again.


This was my thinking when I was invited to bring bring my gun yesterday. I could have shot a hen that would have done the old double clutch. I'd like to have a few around till I hang up my whistle.

I've never been known as a shooter, but I shot 5 on a covey rise one time and was proud of it. I'd be kicked off the ranch today, because I left 5 hulls on the ground. It's not that way anymore.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: bill oxner] #4083031 02/26/13 01:21 AM
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There is different levels of quail hunting people, beginners, limit chasers, meat hunters or killers and then there is The Gentlemen, who got that way going through the stages , some skip a phase or two but all end up in the last category. I've never met an older bird hunter who wasn't a good guy and most never shoot more than twice. partly because thats all their gun will hold. Some won't shoot a bird that isn't pointed ( my kind'a hunter). Done all this myself, so I otta know.


I can make 'em go! and I can make 'em whoa!
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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: txdogman] #4083146 02/26/13 02:02 AM
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Ya now that you mention it we had plenty of quail at the lease about 5 years ago and now I havent seen a single one. I guess with the drought they have slowly started to dissapear! Sad thing too; I use to love to listen to them at the break of dawn deer hunting. Beautiful birds too!


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: B Razorback] #4083855 02/26/13 02:02 PM
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If you are getting a lot of cripples, throw 6's at them instead of 7.5's or 8's.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Greg] #4083879 02/26/13 02:08 PM
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I went to a lease in South Texas in January and saw so many I couldn't count. Now, getting them into the open and getting them to fly was a different story. But, the bottom line is that I think it depends where you are. I chose not to go to SW KS or the OK Panhandle this year for pheasant because I didn't want to shoot the few that seemed to be there. But I wouldn't hesitate to hunt blue quail around Laredo.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Greg] #4083908 02/26/13 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: Greg
If you are getting a lot of cripples, throw 6's at them instead of 7.5's or 8's.


You'll get more cripples with 6's becaause you get less shot into the bird.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: bill oxner] #4084175 02/26/13 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted By: bill oxner
Originally Posted By: Greg
If you are getting a lot of cripples, throw 6's at them instead of 7.5's or 8's.


You'll get more cripples with 6's becaause you get less shot into the bird.


Maybe less shot in bird, but those that do hit, hit much harder and have more knock down power. I read an article where some big quail outfit in Alabama or Georgia (sorry...its been a couple yrs) now makes their guests use 6 b/c they were getting too many cripples. Said it helped out a bunch. I'll try and find the article and post it up. I've had several that only had a couple pellets hit them in the first place.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Greg] #4084605 02/26/13 06:34 PM
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I think it depends. I was on a drawn tpwd quail hunt this year where I was the only person hunting with dogs the first day and the only person hunting the second day. The other group left the first day without killing a bird. The TPWD guy did request I only shoot one or two birds out of a covie and move on. The covies I found were huge. With an an unplugged autoloader I probably could have limited the first day and for sure could have quickly limited the second day. In that scenario where I am one guy hunting on a vast area for the only two days of a season allowed to hunt them, I don't think it would have mattered one bit to the quail population on that WMA for me to hammer out a two day limit. But I honored the request and I did only shoot one bird per covie and because of training or taking pictures, sometimes I took none. Rather than count coup with kills I focused more on the training opportunity with the young dog over wild birds which was my intent anyway. And I wanted to let the old blind dog have her day too. Which greatly slowed me down and limited the area I could cover. Then when I checked out the second day it was a different manager. He instead seemed to indicate he wanted the numbers and appeared not happy that I did not take more birds.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Sniper John] #4084766 02/26/13 07:38 PM
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We have a huntable population of native quil and for us it is zero shots and stop. When we first bought the place we hunted them a couple times, but our knock down to recover ratio was so poor we just quit.

We dont have a dog so that is part of it. Our intent is to deer hunt the place, the quial are just something to watch while waiting on deer now.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: B Razorback] #4084906 02/26/13 08:55 PM
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I carry an over and under 20 Guauge. I shot 4 wild Quail last year and 6 this year. I don't shoot any that aren't pointed. If I can't tell that there are more than 10 birds when they get up, I don't shoot whether they are pointed or not. I don't think my efforts matter one bit, but just don't have the heart to shoot very many. I do it for the dogs more than anything when I do shoot. I went hunting last year about two weeks before the season ended in Oklahoma. One of my dogs went up a draw and I knew where she went but could not find her. I found her down about 45 minutes later in a low spot that was hard to see. She had been pointed the whole time and this was after about a 2 hour hunt with no other birds. I walked in front of her to flush. I saw a rooster quail on the ground about 10 feet in front her. I said to myself, you shouldn't have let me see you buddy. I shot him on the rise and only 2 birds flew off. What do you do? I rewarded the dog and she retrieved it back to me. On one hand, I was very proud of a great dog. On the other, I was disgusted. That was my last hunt on wild quail last year. I hoped for a better year this year and got more of the same.

Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: steadypoint] #4085376 02/26/13 11:40 PM
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Seasons don't count anymore. I'm going Sunday to do the same thing I did all season.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: bill oxner] #4085433 02/27/13 12:00 AM
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i don't hunt with a dog but most of the time i recover the birds I shoot. When hunting blues, Its a meat mission, and I"ll take the plug out and pound away, but again, most of the birds I shoot are running.

on Bobs, I won't shoot them running, and typically shoot either a SXS or 20 gauge 1100. I won't shoot at more than two birds because any more than that, and I cant find them. I will knock down two birds every time they rise, and then hunt shoot a few singles though.


typically, on a 15 or so bird covey, I'll shoot 4 or 5 tops then move on


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: txtrophy85] #4085943 02/27/13 03:20 AM
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Very nice reading the comments and feelings of long time bird men.


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Greg] #4087574 02/27/13 09:34 PM
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Originally Posted By: Greg
If you are getting a lot of cripples, throw 6's at them instead of 7.5's or 8's.

The only time I would recommend shooting 6's would be if you run out of 8's , late season birds maybe 7.5s. If you're crippling birds it isn't the shells fault change your choke and " shoot where he's gonna be and not where he's been ".
Gene Hill


I can make 'em go! and I can make 'em whoa!
God makes 'em DO!
I carry the gun and blow the whistle.
Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: txtrophy85] #4087734 02/27/13 10:38 PM
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Originally Posted By: txtrophy85
i don't hunt with a dog but most of the time i recover the birds I shoot. When hunting blues, Its a meat mission, and I"ll take the plug out and pound away, but again, most of the birds I shoot are running.

on Bobs, I won't shoot them running, and typically shoot either a SXS or 20 gauge 1100. I won't shoot at more than two birds because any more than that, and I cant find them. I will knock down two birds every time they rise, and then hunt shoot a few singles though.


typically, on a 15 or so bird covey, I'll shoot 4 or 5 tops then move on


Do you really "knock down two birds EVERY time they rise"?


Originally Posted by Russ79
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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: Nogalus Prairie] #4087751 02/27/13 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted By: Nogalus Prairie
Originally Posted By: txtrophy85
i don't hunt with a dog but most of the time i recover the birds I shoot. When hunting blues, Its a meat mission, and I"ll take the plug out and pound away, but again, most of the birds I shoot are running.

on Bobs, I won't shoot them running, and typically shoot either a SXS or 20 gauge 1100. I won't shoot at more than two birds because any more than that, and I cant find them. I will knock down two birds every time they rise, and then hunt shoot a few singles though.


typically, on a 15 or so bird covey, I'll shoot 4 or 5 tops then move on


Your assuming they are actually flying more the 2" off the ground........:)

If your in the brush country hunting from a rig and can shoot, and the birds dont flush early and hold tight... I can see it





Do you really "knock down two birds EVERY time they rise"?


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: BOBO the Clown] #4087792 02/27/13 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted By: BOBO the Clown
Originally Posted By: Nogalus Prairie
Originally Posted By: txtrophy85
i don't hunt with a dog but most of the time i recover the birds I shoot. When hunting blues, Its a meat mission, and I"ll take the plug out and pound away, but again, most of the birds I shoot are running.

on Bobs, I won't shoot them running, and typically shoot either a SXS or 20 gauge 1100. I won't shoot at more than two birds because any more than that, and I cant find them. I will knock down two birds every time they rise, and then hunt shoot a few singles though.


typically, on a 15 or so bird covey, I'll shoot 4 or 5 tops then move on


Your assuming they are actually flying more the 2" off the ground........:)

If your in the brush country hunting from a rig and can shoot, and the birds dont flush early and hold tight... I can see it





Do you really "knock down two birds EVERY time they rise"?


I have fired hunters like him.


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Re: Two shots, No Mas? [Re: tigger] #4087858 02/27/13 11:43 PM
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Every quail hunter has seen two flying birds with one shot. It happened about once a year back in our shooting days. I've seen three one time in my life.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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