Turn out the lights

My nemesis in my later years are those d___d badger holes. Last year I stepped into one and shattered my ankle/foot. I was stuck so tight that if my wife hadn't been there to pry it out I would have been a carcass in that field. Not a season goes by without at least one badger hole incident it seems. At least hunting desert quail, it is not an issue!
 
Yup, another bird season behind. This time of year sucks. Fishing is a couple of months out here and nothing left to hunt. I had a great year though, with the exception of an extremely hot archery elk hunt last September. Other than that I have no complaints except next fall is so far away.
 

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We still have 11 days left in our quail season here in Texas.

I’m taking a father/son quail hunting on Saturday, and this will be the young man’s first time to hunt quail with pointing dogs. No, I’m not a guide. I just get asked if I’ll take people bird hunting, a lot, which I always do, especially with young hunters. I played football against the dad in high school, and he saw a pup that I’d raised at a friend’s house. So he contacted me to see if I’d take him and his son hunting.

The temperatures are going to be warm next week, so this may be the last hunt of the year for the dogs and I.
 
Drew said:
Yup, another bird season behind. This time of year sucks. Fishing is a couple of months out here and nothing left to hunt. I had a great year though, with the exception of an extremely hot archery elk hunt last September. Other than that I have no complaints except next fall is so far away.
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It gets worse every year too. Each season gets better as I dedicate more time to upland birds and each off season spending more time wanting to go hunting.

This year I'm getting into reloading as a way to do something in the off season while producing something of value for hunting. Also going to try hitting the clays more as soon as it warms up.
 
Found some today before it warmed up.
 

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Lights are back on in NM. Pretty warm for December though. I hunt mornings and quit when the temps go over 60F to (hopefully) avoid a snake encounter. I've been lucky so far, but have a 10 month old pup that has been through snake avoidance training, but I don't know how much stuck in her young mind. The 11 year old veteran avoids for sure, but that doesn't mean either one won't over-run a snake sunning on a rock and get hit.

As far as birds, the country I'm in got some areas of heavy rain this summer, which didn't seem to hurt the quail population but it is sure making access interesting. Lots of washes/washouts on BLM roads.
 
Powderhorn Jim said:
Lights are back on in NM. Pretty warm for December though. I hunt mornings and quit when the temps go over 60F to (hopefully) avoid a snake encounter. I've been lucky so far, but have a 10 month old pup that has been through snake avoidance training, but I don't know how much stuck in her young mind. The 11 year old veteran avoids for sure, but that doesn't mean either one won't over-run a snake sunning on a rock and get hit.

As far as birds, the country I'm in got some areas of heavy rain this summer, which didn't seem to hurt the quail population but it is sure making access interesting. Lots of washes/washouts on BLM roads.
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A couple old timers, probably younger than me said once there is 3 nights in a row under 40 the risk goes way down. Potential freeze tonight here.
 
Alaskan swamp collies said:
A couple old timers, probably younger than me said once there is 3 nights in a row under 40 the risk goes way down. Potential freeze tonight here.
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Been some crazy weather down here… nights at freezing but short sleeves in the afternoon.. I’d kill for a cold front, snow may be too much to ask for.
 
Its a wrap on another season in New Mexico. Early was pretty good, but the area I hunt has been very dry and severely overgrazed so the quail are struggling. Most of my season was "armed dog walking", but the dogs and I need the exercise and every once in a while we'd find a few quail. Strangely, the last few weeks all we have found have been singles until today. We flushed a single covey of blues (scaled quail) which was great. At least we didn't get skunked.

I'm not sure about next season. My wife isn't doing well so we may have to stay closer to home and hunt pheasants and grouse. At least I have something to look forward to. My lab pup (13 months) is doing well. Tougher than nails after a season down here.

Best to all.
 
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