Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Mearns with the Old Lady

Rica is going on 14 years old and missed the past two quail seasons due to ACL surgery and some minor hiccups. Mearns quail season opened this past weekend in Arizona, so she was treated to a new GPS tracking necklace (Garmin Alpha 100 w/ TT15) and a trip to the oak and grasslands near Sonoita. The main reason for the tracking collar is her oncoming deafness and inability to hear voice commands and whistles.


Saturday morning we hunted a favorite drainage but failed to turn a covey, although she did get birdy twice. Conditions did not seem too favorable as it has been rather dry and without morning dew.


Sunday morning saw us both with fresh legs hunting the drainage on the opposite side of the dirt two-track. Favor was upon her this day as she located four coveys, held a steady point without creep, and brought her limit back to hand.


It was a pleasure to me to see her hunt so well on Sunday since she has missed the previous two seasons. Fortunately the tracking collar was not needed as she hunted close and a bell in her neck was readily heard.


As an aside, carrying a new-to-me Weatherby 28ga o/u was a pleasure over the 12ga version. It pointed well and did not seem to have any diminished lethality.

Beautiful, and I wish you many more hunts together!!!! Best wishes!!

Nice pics of beautiful country, cool birds and a classy old gal - long may she run!

Thanks WY and MT. The mearns population in AZ has recovered some after the huge die-off a handful of years ago. Rica and I are going to make the best of this season that runs until early February.

Very cool!


Ive dealt with a couple aged dogs and learned early to train on hand signals as well as verbal/whistle etc. Had two dogs go deaf now and the transition from hearing to deaf was barely noticeable ....for either of us.


Nothing better than an old dog who has BTDT with you..

Super! I've only hunted Mearns once, but they are a very neat bird in some very neat country. You guys did well!

Cool indeed. Good for her. I almost bought a SKB 28 about a year ago. I should have been kicked for not buying it. SKB made the Weatherby o/u, very nice guns.

Excellent!

Never even heard of "mearns" but I love the ol' dog and a classy shotgun going for a walk & taking game.

Regards, Guy

Thanks for the post & the pictures! Seeing those pictures of the old dog & those hills brings back memories . Back about 8 years ago (for a couple years) I hunted those hills with my Golden. Those were some of my most memorial hunts. He's gone now & I'm old. Thanks for the post, RedRabbit (I remember the handle).

Thanks for the write up and great pictures. Used to make the drive south once a season with my setter for Mearns. Awesome hunt for a pointing dog (compared to Gambels). Like the idea of the tracking collar for older, hard of hearing bird dogs. Thanks again.

Redrabbit, hope the gunning goes well this year.. We were going to take a 10 day trip to Az. But due to a couple things it got cancelled.. We used to spend winters in Wilcox.. Had some great shooting there, but not for mearns..
Did hunt them several times..

It has been years since we did anything in Az. I was concerned about the drug cartels, and illegals coming though the hunting country.. You have a problem or worry about that..

During the years I hunted there, the illegals stayed completely away from anyone in the hills. I have heard all this has changed.. Best of luck with the hunt..

Wyo,
The Wilcox area should be good for scalies, which I have never hunted. When hunting mearns or coues whitetail, I usually camp in the truck. Have not had a problem with illegals. Heard some walk around the truck one night, giving it a wide berth per looking at footprints the next morning, and had one come into camp asking for water. Came across 5 stashed bales one mearns hunt about 4 years ago.

Merry Christmas to y'all.

Thanks!! I feel better about a trip!!