Morning rabbit hunt turns out to be a quail hunt

[JohnL57]

I headed out this foggy morning with my trusty R9 and a pouch of pellets in search of a rabbit or two for the pot. Rabbits have been very scarce this season after last season's bonanza. About half way to what I call "Cottontail corner" I heard the alarm clicks of a quail covey. Crouching low I spotted them scurrying through the brush- one paused out in the open and my shot went true. The rest of the covey flew, so I picked up my prize and encountered the covey again in very heavy brush. A hen paused at the top a bush giving me just enough clear space for a shot. Another bird down. I bashed my way into the brush, grabbed the bird and called it done. Hopefully I can bag a couple more in the next day or so to make a full meal. Here are the birds with the R 9.

 

[Ranchibi]

Nice surprise hunt! Great shooting on both quail…nice pic!

 

[JohnL57]

Thanks! Lucky for me the #2 bird was perched on the tallest branch of a bush which gave me a landmark to help locate the bird since the brush was way to thick to go straight through! I had to go around to find a way in, but I found the bird right away. (doesn't always work that way, wish it did, LOL!)

 

[Blackpaw]

@johnL57 nice job on the yummy quail. What is caliber is your R9?

 

[Blackfeather666]

Winner, winner quail dinner.

Good shots. Injoy the meal.

 

[qball]

Very nice haul! They are super tough to even get a shot off. 

 

[JohnL57]

@johnL57 nice job on the yummy quail. What is caliber is your R9?

Mine is a .22-I'm shooting FTTs right now but it loves the Baracuda Greens too. Got it back in 2010, put the deluxe stock on it in 2013. I usually use a PCP on quail for faster repeat shots, but have taken plenty of birds with the R9 too.

qball-Fog is your friend, they seem a tad slower on a foggy day.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@JohnL57 Not a bad trade off. That’s some good eatin’!! Rabbits have been scarce in my area this year as well. I think I bagged one in the spring and hardly saw many others. If you’re seeing them consider yourself fortunate. Were they abundant in your area last year?

 

[JohnL57]

@JohnL57 Not a bad trade off. That’s some good eatin’!! Rabbits have been scarce in my area this year as well. I think I bagged one in the spring and hardly saw many others. If you’re seeing them consider yourself fortunate. Were they abundant in your area last year?

You could say so-this these pics were taken in April, well before the season opened in July.

 

[EMrider]

Well done!

Have not been able to get out for quail yet this season, but I’m hopeful that will change within the next week or two.



R

 

[DonaAna1]

Valley quail or Gambels?

I will be out hunting them on 11/15. Season doesn't start till then in NM and we can't use airguns on them either.

We can shoot rabbits and such though, even blue grouse. But, not quail. 

 

[JohnL57]

Valley quail or Gambels?

I will be out hunting them on 11/15. Season doesn't start till then in NM and we can't use airguns on them either.

We can shoot rabbits and such though, even blue grouse. But, not quail.

Valley Quail-we're fortunate to be able to use airguns here in California. I have never learned to wing shoot with a shotgun myself. One benefit of using an airgun is only a single pellet hits the bird and generally passes through, so no worry about chewing shot. It would be nice to be able to take multiple birds on the wing since once a bird is hit on the ground the covey will usually fly or run for deep cover. That's why we call it hunting...

Good luck on your hunts-do you hunt with a dog?

 

[CajunBlake]

I hunt with a DayState Harrier X and just purchased an FXII to have more fun with.. WIll post pics and details once I recv it