public land birds

quail hound

quail hound

Moderator
Has anyone pulled any birds off nwr or other public land this year? We went to the salt slough in LB today for our first public land hunt of the year. I got one rooster and jumped about 8 more and 10 hens. All the other roosters jumped wild out of range (not the dogs fault). Any other success out there? Here is my bird.

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Two more roosters off Los Banos nwr today, they're out there guys we just have to work for them.

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Good Timing

They had a 'family hunt' the week before and half the people didn't show due to weather concerns (light rain?). Then Los Banos released another 300 birds turkey week. I sent a couple of those birds your way. ;)
 
Yeah we knew about the plants, but got there to late Saturday to get on LB and ended up on salt slough. We got on parking lot 11 (my favorite) on sunday, but didn't find any plants, just those 2 wild birds off the beaten path.

Hey cdad, where you been? Are you going to run Trap or Bodie in the nagda comps at guns and roosters in January? Me and JP are thinking about trying our luck down there.

We may try and hit salt slough on Wednesday if it isn't raining to hard, there are a lot of birds out there it is just a matter of getting shots at them.
 
You didn't notice Bodie's blue ribbon. We smoked 'em but I missed a bird. Trap took 3rd by 3 points but should have won by 25.

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We'll be back next month. LB sounds like a plan. We've had 4.5" of rain in the last 2 days and I think we lost the majority of our quail to that 10 day freeze.
 
I did notice your new avatar, but didn't do the math.:coolpics: Congrats to you and the dogs. What birds are they planting for those events?

I didn't realize you guys got a hard freeze up there, we have had pretty mild weather around here, but the quail are getting hard to get in good range of also.

We had a great time up in richvale with about 1/4 of the birds harvested being wild. I would highly recomend it, we will be back next year if we don't go out of state.
 
They use chukar. Fields are quite large and the cover is great (tough,tall dead grass). You have 20 minutes to find 4 birds in "about" 5 acres.

Are you going? BDC is having one at Helm later on. I haven't been to one of those yet but I hear they need flushers.

Where did you stay in Richvale? RV ok?
 
Yeah I think we may give it a go and see how we do. JP has been hunting great and I have been shooting respectably, so we will see.

We camped, the farmers have a few spots for camping/ rv. Great little community up there, everyone was very nice. Thanks giving morning we (me and my brother) shot 3 wild birds and one plant in an hour and made it home for dinner, it was great.

Look for my "season is drawing near" thread in the main pheasant hunting forum, I got a lot of good pics up there.
 
I was able to scrape a rooster at Sacramento NWR yesterday. I had to walk 5 hours, and in that time I saw 3 roosters (got one, hit one that escaped, and watched one run up the check and escape into the closed zone) and saw 4 hens. Also saw about a dozen deer and a coyote.

The rooster I got was hanging out in the wettest, nastiest, thorniest brush area on the refuge. I was standing in 4 inches of water and fighting my way through blackberry brambles when he jumped. 22 7/8 tail feather...he was a brute. The one that got away took a full load of hevishot #2s and left a handful of feathers in the air but flew off at full speed. He is probably coyote food but unfortunately escaped.

Hope everyone was able to finish off the California pheasant season strong!

Lets hope there are a few more birds next year.
 
Good going weatherby. Did you see anything in LB? How was the weather on Wednesday. I wasn't able to make it out there, but me and my brother got 11 quail and a young hog Christmas eve morning.
 
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Nice picture and congrats on the quail and hog! Not every day you get to bring home the bacon.

I never made it to LB. Kids got sick and stayed home to help out the Mrs.

I'll start focusing on the quail now that pheasant is over. I am headed to the foothills next week to chase quail, hope I do as well as you do.

Merry Christmas and happy new year to the forum.
 
Thanks, it was kind of wierd, that is the first pig we have ever seen during the day there. The quail hunting is going strong with satellite coveys regrouping with the main coveys.

Disclaimer, that hunt was on a private ranch that I am lucky to have access to. Some of my favorite spots are on public lands though.
 
I shot 2 opening day out near lincoln on public land...man these wild birds are smart!! I got my limit, so quail only for rest of day.

Ended up seeing 20+ roosters that opening day ;)

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Nice going SG:thumbsup:, do you mind me asking where that public land is? I was just north of their in Richvale hunting a mix of native and planted birds. I didn't see much for public land except for Colusa, Delvan, Sacramento, and Gray lodge nwr. Did you get those without a dog? If so there must be a healthy population of birds around there.
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QH, I wish I could tell you, but I was told not to tell anybody about this hot spot...I was very lucky to get the invite....my hunting bud would very mad if I said.

but, PM me if you want to know were I hunt mountain quail. :) I can tell ya that!
 
sooty grouse said:
QH, I wish I could tell you, but I was told not to tell anybody about this hot spot...I was very lucky to get the invite....my hunting bud would very mad if I said.

but, PM me if you want to know were I hunt mountain quail. :) I can tell ya that!
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Yep I understand, I have quail spots like that. If I were to guess it is probably like my river spot, the river is public land, but the access is private. The owner of the access road made it clear that if he gets to much traffic coming through his land he will start keeping his gate locked during hunting season.:thumbsup:
 
quail hound said:
Yep I understand, I have quail spots like that. If I were to guess it is probably like my river spot, the river is public land, but the access is private. The owner of the access road made it clear that if he gets to much traffic coming through his land he will start keeping his gate locked during hunting season.:thumbsup:
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QH, thanks for understanding!!!!:thumbsup:

Yep, most of the time I dont mine telling, just had to honor friends wishes on this one.
 
Had a chance to get out and hunt some valley's today.

Busted up a covey, mabey 15 birds, flying all different directions...dropped 2 with the 28ga. right off the bat, then walked to were the others had landed in the many blackberry's bushes.

One busted out..dropped him...walked a bit further..bam another down, then one more...man that was fun :)

All in all, was out there hour in half, usually takes me most of the day to get 5 down...:eek:

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Nice work on those quail.:coolpics: Gotta love those berry briars, I know me and my dog do. Are those AAs in 1oz loads? I'm shooting AAs 3/4 oz, but I assume the added velocity makes up for less shot.
 
Yep, 1 oz. 7 1/2's at 1205fps...I sometimes use the sporting clay rounds that are 1300fps, 3/4oz. 7 1/2's, for dove and quail. Walmart has a good price on em.
 
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