hey guys,<BR> I was wondering how many of you people like bird hunting. The only birds we have to hunt here is dove, scaled quial, gambel's quail and mearns' quail. hunting quail to me is the funnest, The way they fly and the way they die. the really eat good too. <BR> does anybody else have any favorite birds to hunt?<BR> If anyone ever has the chance, come bird hunting down here, it is FUNN.<BR>86

I mainly hunt dove, they are the funnest. I have to shoot up all my reloads somehow. Also like to shoot bluejays and feed them to the cats. A little vengence I guess.

Doves are my thing. I will hunt them to the exclusion of else until either the season or the birds run out.

Hunting Bobwhite Quail is my favorite.Unfortunately there is less and less birds each year to hunt.

If I had to choose just one, for ever and ever, it's be Gambel's quail. No question. But I love hunting all types of quail.<P>'Course, I've gotten a little spoiled hunting ringnecks in Old Mexico since I was seven (tell THAT to any dues-paying liberal .. a seven-year-old shooting a twenty gauge. Can you imagine?) )<P>I'd hate to have to give ringnecks up.<P>Been enjoying hunting grouse in Montana the last few years too, especially those Hungarian Partridges.<P>But nothing is as challenging as a self-respecting Gambel's, folks.<P>Rick

My favorite birds are the quail. The Valley, the Mountain, and the Gambels quail. Having hunted all three, I've concluded that the Mt. Quail is the most challenging, nosing out the wonderful Gambel's Quail. But, if you really want a challenge, try hunting Ptarmigin here in California. You hunt them above timberline in September, in some of the most beatiful country we have. E

Hmmmm, I wonder if my name suggests anything?<P>Yes, I like to bird hunt, any kind, anywhere, that is legal, of course.<P>If I had a good dog, quail hunting would be at the top of my list, but I don't, so I suppose it is really a tie between that and....... I love dove hunting but I sure would hate to have to choose between that and taking those big Mallard drakes coming into the decoys. What a dilema.<P>PS. Youngbuck, I would love to come out and go quail hunting in your area, with you or with your advice. Where area do you live in?

hey guys,<BR>great answers. I wish I had the chance to hunt ringnecks, I but they are fun. If I ever get brave, I might pay and go to a ranch and do it. there are some interseting birds I have never heard of, but hey I'm from AZ.<BR>offer stand, if anyone wants to try our bird hunting.<BR>if it fies it dies, I live in south eastern AZ, the bird hunting this year will be great. come on down.

Interesting topic. Some neighbors of mine and myself are offering group dove hunts in the Abilene Tx area. The 2,600 acres have been, in part, managed for this season. It seems that some companies or clubs have substituted hunts for other schmoozing events like golf. I guess I'd say that dove hunting was my favorite. I remember high school friends, sitting around a tank, in 100 + summers and having a good time. I never got into quail, because my dad didn't I guess, and we lived in the middle of the quail capital. The area is also running out of quail for reasons that no experts can finger. Ducks and geese are plentiful but never got the bug. Just my 2 [email protected]

youngbuckaz86,<P>I have been hunting ruffed grouse for over 40 yrs now and woodcock for about 25 yrs now. You could say that I have a passion for these two birds and people that know me do say that. I take three weeks of vacation in Oct. and Nov. to hunt. I hunt with Brits and at the present time have one that is 10yrs old and one that is one year old.<P>Good Hunting,<BR>George

Here in Oregon I guess that I'm pretty lucky. Our seasons run like this, grouse,chukar, huns & quail, then pheasant. Chucar & huns runs until mid to late Jan. I take 3 weeks off in Oct to cover all of these. Yeah I am lucky.

First on my list is Doves, you dont have to call them, you dont have to be still and there is always lots of shooting. <P>Teal, would be second on my list. They put doves in slow motion, therefore a good Dove season is essential to warm up.<P>Ducks would be third, and Geese last.<P>Thats about all the bird hunting I get to do here, hardly any Quail around here due to the fire ants in the summertime.

For me it would be Partridge (Ruffed Grouse if you prefer). I don't know if it is the birds themselves so much, although they do taste good, or if it is the time of year. Partridge hunting starts in the early fall and runs through deer season. So you get the smell of the fall leaves, the cool mornings that turn to warm breezy afternoons, the threat of snow at times. Then of course you have the birds, thundering out of their hiding places, making your heart pound, and you rush to try to catch up and make a shot. Anyway, that is what I like. Sean

I like hunting ducks. Nothing beats rowing across the marsh in the early morning... stars so bright, you can see all the constellations. Then, a half hour before sunrise, all the songbirds in the marsh start chirping at once... hell of a racket. Finally, the ducks start moving...<P>After a couple of hours, pick up the dekes and row back to the landing. Go home, clean the birds, take a nap...<P>Then, late in the afternoon, walk a nearby tote road and flush a few ruffed grouse...<P>Life doesn't get much better than that...

My favorite...hands down it's a Hun! Lot's of walking, covey flushes and very difficult shooting. I love 'em and I hate 'em.

Here in MI., I enjoy Partridge, and Woodcock(i.e. Timberdoodles). There is nothing like walking through a poplar stand with trees and grass so tight a rabbit wouldnt go and have one of these guys explode beneath your feet. After you pull your nuts back out of your throat, the bird is already gone. I am still trying to figure out how a Timberdoodle flies. The beak is damn near as long as its body and it flies with it's head down! Wierd! They are small birds but they sure can manuver. Kinda like a grouse. But both these birds are a riot to hunt and are fantastic eating.
<br>Keeb

I spent 10 years of my life training pointers and brits so my favorite is bob white quail. But I like to hunt all game birds including the one I don't shoot on the wing, turkeys. I had two favorite slogans; If they can fly in it, I can hunt in it. and When the tail gate drops, the BS stops.

Hello Gentlemen,
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<br> Seen some of you guys are out west hunting those quail varieties. May I aske what you shoot? what barrel length, what choke, what load? Stuff like that. Back around here in Pennsylvania we have ruffed grouse and ringneck pheasant. Mostly hunt rabbits w/ beagles and we get a mixed bag of grouse and pheasants sometimes. Debating whether to get my older Ithaca M37 fitted with 26" or 28" barrels.
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<br>Pheasant hunting seem funnier than ruffed grouse hunting, to me at least.
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<br> Leo

Hi Leo:
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<br>I shot a 12-gauge Auto-5 with a 26" Improved barrel for 20 years. A fw years back I picked up a 16-gauge Auto-5 with a 28" Modified, and I'm much happier.
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<br>The 16 gauge is simply perfect for upland game. You can buy 1 1/8 oz loads, and I'll bet you can load 1 1/4 if you want to roll your own. The sixteen, if it's built on a true sixteen frame, and not a 12, is as well balanced a piece as you'll find.
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<br>So, I'm in the minority. I like 16 and 28" Mods.
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<br>Rick

I like an O/U with Imp. Cly. and Modified for Mtn., and Valley Quail. The desert variety, the Gambel's Quail, seem to "respond" better to and Mod.& Full set up.
<br> 12 ga., of course.
<br> I like ordinary #7 1/2 Trap loads for all. Sometimes I get fancy and use the live pigeon ammo for the Gambel's. They have a tendency to run alot.
<br> If Blue Grouse, or Chukar are on the menu, I've been known to pack a few 6's. E

Leomort,
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<br>It seems to me that you and I chatted a few times on the old "Coffee Shop" at alloutdoors com.
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<br>As far as shotguns go as I stated I have a passion for hunting ruffed grouse and woodcock here in NY state. My favorite shotgun for the past 28 years has been a Rem 870 Wingmaster 20ga with a skeet barrel on it. I also have a 12ga setup the same that I use on occasion. I use either a 1oz load or 1-1/8oz load of magnum grade #8 shot in handloads depending on which gun I am using.
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<br>If you want a gun to use for everything I would suggest a 12ga with a 26" barrel, the 26" seems to balance better in a pump or semiauto than a 28" barrel.
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<br>Good Hunting,
<br>George
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I wonder if George Foster has written any books or articles for any publication? It seems I've heard the name in more than one hunting yarn. For what its worth, my favorite is the woodcock, closely followed by ruffed grouse. However........I have only taken 2 grouse in 20 years of hunting.......I guess they are better than me by a bunch, but I make up for it on the woodcock. Good thread. 4fun

<br>My favorite bird to hunt is definitely chukar. I can't explain why I enjoy them so much- probably because they are a lot like hunting big game. You need to spot them in an area first, otherwise you'll be walking your buns off in some of the roughest country you can imagine for nothing. Then you have to be a good shot, or they just fly down hill or run uphill and you have to follow them or start all over again. They just kick my ass on a regular basis, but I love every minute of it. And the scenery is usually just amazing along the rimrocks and hilltops along the Deschutes, John Day, and Snake river and some smaller stream systems where I hunt them.
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<br>My favorite gun is my SKB 686 over/under 12 guage, but my most successful is my old beat up Rem 1100 with a modified barrel and a cheap load of Remington #6's- heavy trap loads usually.
<br>Geez, the season is still 6 months away and now you guys have me all anxious to go! - Sheister

Sheister. There a famous story that gets retold around the CA Fish & Game headquaters here in Sacramento.
<br> It seems there was this well heeled, well known national sporting figure who just had to hunt Chukar to earn the respect of his fellows.
<br> He showed up at the DFG HQ, and proceeded to insist that a member of that outfit take him hunting. The staff tried to tell him that they didn't do that, etc. He made a few phone calls, and made a pest of himself.
<br> The Director was persuaded to give him what he wanted. He best Chukar Hunter working for CA DFG was duly summond. They went to the China Lake Weapons Center down in Inyo county.
<br> After 3 days, the guy's expensive O/U was almost non functional. So was the guy. He had shot nothing. He left, and was not heard from again.
<br> Ah, yes. The Chukar. I used to go to a place where the Chukar would stand around and make you stop your 4WD so they could cross what passed for a road. They were so tame you'd have to shoot them with a handgun to get any sport.
<br> Had a young coyote all but walk into camp one morning. He apparently wanted his share of the bacon my then girl friend was cooking. After a minute or so, he decided there was something not right about us, and left with a suspicious attitude. E

Eremicus,
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<br> Do you enjoy making me suffer like this? Most of the chukar I see are at the top of a very large mountain, in broken rimrock, and running through the grass so they are hard to get a shot at. About the only way to get them to fly is to get above them on the mountain, then walk down on them, if you can find them while huffing and puffing.
<br>The real secret is to find an area where there is water relatively close and walk back and forth on the hillside several times a day, as they need to go to water several times a day.
<br>I've gotten my limit several times in really good places, or where there were enough farmers crops that attracted them and caused them to be grouped, but not lately. IMHO, they are just about the best eating bird a guy can shoot, (all white meat) followed closely by Blue Grouse, which are dumb as a rock but just as tasty.- You wouldn't happen to have a GPS reading for these "easy" chukars, would you? - Sheister
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Eremicus? A GPS reading. HA!
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<br>To him GPS means "Green Peace Sucks."
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<br>Rick

I got bad news for you Sheister. My "favorite" Senator, Darling Dianne, convinced the rest of her liberal idiots that the area should be made part of Death Valley National Monument & Wilderness.
<br> Ya can't even take a gun in there anymore. However, there is the back side of Piper Mtn., around Piper Spring just across the pass from the Owens Valley. In fact, Willow Spring between the Last Chance Range, and the Magruder Range should be OK.
<br> The place I was refering to was the Last Chance Spring area of the Last Chance Range. It's in the eastern portion of Inyo county, California.
<br> Now, Rick. Didn't we find the Jeep w/o a lot of hassle after you forgot to log it's location on your wonder toy ?
<br> I never get lost. Confused for a while, but never lost. E

my favorite is the pheasant gotta love sixteen gauges