Quail Season's On

David Martin

David Martin

Moderator
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
19,520
With quail season being on, I was wondering if any other Buck Nuts are good wing shooters. Here's a Gambel rooster I harvested today. It gave my dog little work to find and retrieve it. Then I used my Buck model 334 to prepare him for the freezer. It did a nice job. DM
 
Last edited:
With quail season being on, I was wondering if any other Buck Nuts are good wing shooter.
Click to expand...

David,

Almost 45 years ago I had just moved to Arizona. With dove season opening I went looking for ammo. They were practically giving 12 gauge away, but it was tough to find any 16 gauge for my side by side. Anyway, some new acquaintances invited me to go along on opening day. We had just gotten out of the vehicles when we jumped a bunch of birds. They were quartering away to the left and I fired, dropping two birds. No one was more surprised than me, but I tried to act like it was no big deal. Everyone else moved off to the left, but I said I'll try over this way to the right. It was better to hunt alone than let people know the truth. I probably had a 301 along to deal with the birds. I think those first two might have been the only birds I got that day.

Bert
 
Never tried but always thought it looked fun. While we have a quail season here I don't hear about a lot of folks hunting them/ I see them every once in awhile while out in the woods.
 
Last edited:
Bert, you're a better shot than that. Yes, I recall 12 gauge back then selling for 2$ a box, Remington, 1 oz. loads. They shot fine. Did Your 301 work well in dressing birds? I liked your story. I thought you wanted me to correct my wording or something. I'm just trying to give us a variety of subjects. DM
 
Last edited:
ky, to be a good wing shooter is quite the feat. It's not so easy. My Father in Law likes quail and I try to accommodate him. I gifted him a 305 Lancer that he misplaces. DM
 
David, I always enjoy your posts and photos, thank you.

Used to hunt quail regularly when I was stationed in Arizona (many years ago). If I shot two on an outing, I considered it success. A great bird to pursue, and we saw lots of Sonoran desert as we hunted. I had my Buck 102 along each time.
 
This one's for you David,


I hope you have a great Quail season!

JB
 
JB - terrific blade etch!

David, nice hunting photo. I usually don't go bird (bobwhite) hunting until JAN/FEB, but I did get to do some pheasant hunting in SD several weeks ago - used this 16 gauge Browning O/U. Love upland bird hunting. OH

DSC02358.JPG


IMG_74311.JPG
 
Guys, thanks. You had me wondering if a memorandum had been posted about most everybody being out of town and I just hadn't received it.
Liberator, thanks for this story. I'll bet you had some memorable outings while stationed there. Yes, for Gambel quail, I'd consider 2 in one afternoon a success. Did your 102 work satisfactorily?
John, you're such a positive asset here. I'm glad you have that gold etched 110. Keep posting a photo of it when I post a bird hunting story. And the birds on it look to be California quail which are very similar to Gambel quail. DM
 
Last edited:
Hunter, thank you for posting your pheasant hunting photo of your trip to South Dakota. Dang, I bet that was fun. Is that rye grass you're standing in? Did you use your 321 on your birds? You like a 16 O/U Browning. I was raised chasing Bobwhites as my Dad always had Pointers. And in East TX. the season didn't open until Dec.. I'm glad to know the enjoyment of a afternoon bird hunt with my smart dog, my shotgun a Buck knife and a beautiful sunset to ponder life over. It does wonders for me. Thanks, DM
 
Last edited:
I kicked up a few quail this morning. Not too many in my area. Just enough to scare the heck out of me a couple times a year.
 
Tony, I'm glad you chimed in as I've been wondering if your area was hit by this recent winter storm. They can scare you when you're not suspecting. Are you carrying your custom 110 to the deer stand this year? Thanks, DM
 
David Martin said:
Tony, I'm glad you chimed in as I've been wondering if your area was hit by this recent winter storm. They can scare you when you're not suspecting. Are you carrying your custom 110 to the deer stand this year? Thanks, DM
Click to expand...

No snow at my house. Indy got some. The farther north, the more snow. I carry my custom 110 most of the time, but sometimes carry other 110 variations. I was walking out to my stand this morning when 2 deer (i hope) went running past me. They were very close, maybe 15 yds. It was still very dark and I wasn't expecting that out in the middle of a harvested corn field. It startled me more than the quail when I was walking back. I've never had that happen....and they were just a blur in the dark.
 
I knew you guys had some good hunting stories. My youngest and I will be out after them tomorrow with my bird dog. She carries a model 377 Alpha Hunter and her Browning. Thanks, DM
 
David Martin said:
Hunter, thank you for posting your pheasant hunting photo of your trip to South Dakota. Dang, I bet that was fun. Is that rye grass you're standing in? Did you use your 321 on your birds? You like a 16 O/U Browning. I was raised chasing Bobwhites as my Dad always had Pointers. And in East TX. the season didn't open until Dec.. I'm glad to know the enjoyment of a afternoon bird hunt with my smart dog, my shotgun a Buck knife and a beautiful sunset to ponder life over. It does wonders for me. Thanks, DM
Click to expand...

David, The grass is a barrier around the fields - we hunted there by driving the big cornfields (planted with strips of milo in the cornfields) - I'm not sure what variety the grass is, but I'm sure it is there to protect the soil from the constant winds. I do like a 16 gauge (I have a 16 gauge Winchester pump, a Browning semi-auto, and the Browning O/U). I use a 16 gauge for everything upland except waterfowl and turkey (I use 3" 12 gauge for those sports). My wife gave me that Browning O/U as a Valentine Gift in 2011, I use it as much as I can. It has the typical Browning Citori lower barrel firing pin issue - doesn't like hard primers (will not fire a Remington shell - Game Load or Express Load), but it will fire everything else I've tried (Winchester, Rio, Fiocchi, Federal, Estate, and Herters). I didn't use the Buck 321 this time - all my birds were cleaned for me at the outfitters processing plant. OH

Ps. As to fun, you bet - this was what I call a "Bucket List" hunt - been trying to do one hunt of this type each year lately. Next year I want to try pothole waterfowl hunting in North Dakota.
 
Good follow up information. Well, I hope the outfitter used a Buck knife. I hear about guys who get to go on hunts like this and I don't like them. May they get their boots wet and muddy. Have fun, DM
 
Been 40 years since I took quail and pheasant over Brittany Spaniels and German Shorthairs. I liked the way the pheasants would explode off the point but loved eaten the quail better than the pheasant. Used to shoot on a trap team for the local grocery store when I was in Jr. High (19 out of 25) handicap. Best I ever did was 22\25. My trap gun was an 870 Wingmaster with a 30" FC barrel. Only shotgun we had. You gotta dance with the one ya brung.
 
Hammer, that's good shooting on Trap. I've be a Trap club member in my county for years. My youngest has been a Trap club member in her college town for years as well. It keeps you tuned up. I enjoy using my 334 Millennium on these birds. Not much cutting done though. A good story. Thanks, DM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top