First Birds of the Season- Moore's Place

The Hubertus Small Game Knife ready for gutting.

The Quails of the day taken with a Merkel 47E and a French U/O.

Kaiser and I take a rest while searching for chukar.

I missed the early dove season. I missed the early season mountain quail. I missed the regular season opener. The Rover was packed last week and I was ready to go up until I hopped in the driver's seat and the truck wouldn't start. As a result the trip was cancelled as I went to go replace the battery. In addition to that I had them do my routine maintenance. They found that I needed to replace my front bushings. Great start to the season.

After a lousy start, I decided to today was going to be the first time out. I was in no mood to wake up early to beat morning traffic I choose to leave the house late morning. We arrived the on the hunting fields at 3pm. Within only a few minutes from the car, we flushed a loose covey of about 8. I took a 30 yard right to left shot. I missed with the first IC barrel of the 20 gauge Merkel 47E but managed him with the second Mod barrel. My intetion was to climb to get some chukar so I was using B&P F2 Classic #6. I with my father through a dried out riverbed where we've had great luck in the past. No other birds appeared. Once through, I decided to climb the mountain for a chance at chukar. I left dad at the flatlands and walked parallel to each other. I climbed higher than I've ever climbed on this mountain. Unfortunately Kaiser and I were unable to find any birds. Unlike me, dad managed better than I. He flushed two small conveys and took two quail for his efforts. We met back at the truck by this time it was alittle after 5. We began driving out, not far from the main road a covey of at least 20 flushed to our right. Stopping the car, we jumped out and pursued the birds. Singles and double flush wild but shots were difficult as we were in some thick stuff along with a forest of cholla, yucca and other desert plants. We managed none of those birds. These birds acted like late season birds. They must be holdovers. After all the rain this spring I'm surprised I didn't see more birds and more dumber young birds.

Kaiser and I are not in hunting shape. This is completely my fault, I should have done alot more to get us ready for the season. Oh well. I'm typing in motel and I'm beat. Pictures for some reason will not upload so they will go up later.