This past Saturday I and my 8-year-old GSP Mickie traveled to southern Oklahoma to try out a shooting preserve. We hunted with Caney Outfitters in Caney, Oklahoma. I booked an afternoon hunt with 20 released quail for a cost of $275.00. There was no limit, and I could shoot all the quail I could find and any pheasant that had not been taken by previous hunters. I only saw one pheasant but could have killed many more quail. My dog worked wonderfully on pointing, holding points and retrieving. We shot 20 quail in 3 hours and that was more than enough to carry and clean. It was a good operation, and the birds flew well.

Nice. Fun activity in the off season.

That looks fun.

Nice trip. I'm just working a deal to sell my two GSP'S. I enjoy the bird hunting (preserve type) but I've gotten into trapping and can't do it all. Here's to more good hunts for you.

Wild quail are scarce in my old hunting spots. I guess I'll have to give preserve birds a try. Looks like a good hunt.

I love this, thanks.

Did they fly or did you have to shoot them running on the ground. Every time I tried pen raised birds I was disappointed.

The plantations I’ve hunted in Georgia and Alabama used flight conditioned birds, but it wasn’t cheap.

I bet not, wasn’t cheap 30 years ago, can’t imagine how much now.

I wish I could find a preserve that was more interested in providing an experience where the birds flew like wild birds. I'd be willing to limit the number of shells I could shoot to say 5. Or maybe just shoot birds that have a marker like flagging tape tied to a leg or glued to a tail feather?

I'm more interested in seeing my dog point and having a covey explode in front of me than killing birds.

I have "hunted" birds at the best preserves in the nation... I stopped a few years ago. I just cannot stomach the put birds anymore. After growing up HUNTING wild birds, it just isn't the same.

Never tried a preserve, but just knowing that the whole thing is a charade ruins it for me. Now, if my last bird dog had outlived the wild bird population, I might have gone preserve hunting just for his sake. But I certainly wasn't gong to get another dog just to hunt pen-raised birds.

There are Wild Birds if one is willing to travel....Ruffed Grouse in Minnesota....Pheasant in South Dakota...Quail in Oklahoma. All public land hunting.

I love hunting wild birds. I spend a week each year in SD working my dog on wild birds in an area without huge hunting lodges and released birds and enjoying the best pheasant hunting in the nation. I hunt western Kansas a couple of times a year and even chase wild pheasant in the limited opportunities in Oklahoma. I live in an area with a few wild coveys of quail and can work my dog on a covey within a few miles of my home. I went out this evening and made a 4-mile circle in an area that normally holds 2 coveys and me and Mick could not find them. Perhaps the recent 4 days of subfreezing weather did them in. I don't shoot many quail out of those coveys so I can work my dog on them.

I usually book a late season preserve hunt each year to collect a freezer full of birds for the table. I booked this hunt because a woman I am dating wanted to go hunting with me to see how my dog worked and how quail were hunted. I did not want to walk her 4 to 6 miles through the blackjacks and briars and hidden rocks for a chance we might find one covey. Also, she could shoot some photos and videos of the hunt so in a few years when Mick is chasing birds on the other side of the bridge, and I am riding a rocking chair I can remember better days. All 3 of us enjoyed the hunt, and my dog got a year's worth of points and retrieves in an evening hunt. Plus, I wanted a mess of quail for a few meals. The fresh released birds few well on this preserve. The left-over birds had to be kicked in the butt to get them up and flew weaker than the fresh birds which is my experience with most shooting preserves. I love bird dogs and if all I had was preserve hunts so I could keep them and hunt them I would gladly do so. They don't know the difference and enjoy the hunt regardless.

The sad thing for me is that bird hunting used to be a pastime, something woven into the fabric of one's life. When one has to travel to find wild birds, it becomes an event. And the further one has to travel, the more pronounced the difference is. Not at all saying that there is anything inherently bad about traveling to hunt; I have done a little of it and enjoyed the experiences. But it does not make up for the lack of opportunity to hunt birds nearby and often.

As most all know, in much of the south, wild birds are a very limited resource and simply can't handle the hunting pressure that comes without some pretty severe limitations, an approach that can be difficult to maintain on public land. Some might argue that we are currently enjoying the best of times for wild quail on many private land tracts, a factor driven by the extensive research of the past couple of generations and implementation of all that has been learned. Amazing to see the birds per acre some places now enjoy, a level of concentration about unimaginable not that long ago. All of this, however, is found on places that are actively implementing the proven management plans on large enough tracts, all while being very judicious with their harvest levels.
Wild quail hunting is indeed alive and well, contrary to what many believe. Unfortunately, the access has to be very restricted, and that's typically going to primarily benefit those that are personally investing the time and resources.

Nowadays it costs about $2000 a day per person, with four hunters (two on the ground at a time). On horseback or mule drawn wagon, fast birds. Private lodging, staff, cooking, etc. About as close as you can get…

Our work group went on a hunt this evening. Eight of us split into 2 groups of 4 . We ate lunch and the lodge and then shot skeet for 30 minutes.

The quail flew great . The flush dog only caught a couple of birds. Combined total was 172 quail shot from 8 of us
5 guys shot 410 other 3 20gauge

We went to Longleaf Hill in Cairo GA

The guy I hunted with a few weeks ago also builds grapples and I needed a grapple, so I ordered one from him. He also has two young setters he was wanting to hunt with my dog, so he offered a hunt as part of the purchase of the grapple. This was the result of our day. 28 quail and two pheasant that were left over from a previous hunt. The dogs got a workout, and I got a freezer full of quail.

To repeat myself….Quail are special, but as mentioned expensive….and all Wild even more so if one can get an invite. Which will be the case for a Wild Bird Southern hunt.

If you love Bird hunting and Bird Dogs….Minnesota and South Dakota for public land Ruffed Grouse and Pheasant. Friends also go to Montana for a great multiple Bird hunt with easy public land opportunities.

Went to a local preserve here in NC on Saturday. 15 birds for $130 and we usually pick up a few bonus birds. Plenty of room and good food plots. Bird flew well but I did have to kick a few up.

I carried a 28 gauge O / U with high brass 8 shot. About perfect for these birds.

Nice!

Care to share the name of the preserve?

Great fun we go on several every year.