Posted: 12/20/2013 10:41:39 AM EDT
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I have been invited to hunt quail on an exclusive club. The invitation is all-inclusive, but I get the impression that this place is a "step above" my usual deer hunting plot. With that said, I am an experienced deer and dove hunter. I have never shot quail. Anything I should know? Do you dress the same for quail as you would for deer?
Thanks. |
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Use 7.5 or 8 shot low brass and a fairly open IC choke if your hunting with a dog and pen raised birds (not strong flyers). Take a set of garden pruning shears. Cut under the breast and then use the shears to cut the breast off the wing bone. Legs are almost worthless. |
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Find out if you are hunting pen raised birds or wild birds. I am assuming over dogs. Skeet or IC choke with 7.5 or 8 shot. If you are hunting wild birds I would go with the IC choke and 7.5's.
I have hunted at some southern hunting clubs and they can be very picky on gun and what you wear. Some clubs won't let you hunt with anything but a SXS in 28 GA. Not as many clubs like that anymore, most have relaxed standards to a O/U or SXS and allow 20 GA or less. Many more don't have any restrictions at all. Just call and ask. Some will require certain dress, a sporting jacket..think stuffy British hunting wear. My guess is if you show up with some upland pants, a button down long sleeve shirt in an earth tone, a blaze orange upland vest, and blaze orange hat you will be good to go. Have you ever hunted over dogs? If not, be very careful. Quail especially pen raised quail like to fly low. Dogs can and will jump, make sure you have plenty of space between the ground and the bird as to not shoot the dog. Sometimes this means you just have to not shoot. Other than that have fun. |
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Quoted:
Find out if you are hunting pen raised birds or wild birds. I am assuming over dogs. Skeet or IC choke with 7.5 or 8 shot. If you are hunting wild birds I would go with the IC choke and 7.5's. I have hunted at some southern hunting clubs and they can be very picky on gun and what you wear. Some clubs won't let you hunt with anything but a SXS in 28 GA. Not as many clubs like that anymore, most have relaxed standards to a O/U or SXS and allow 20 GA or less. Many more don't have any restrictions at all. Just call and ask. Some will require certain dress, a sporting jacket..think stuffy British hunting wear. My guess is if you show up with some upland pants, a button down long sleeve shirt in an earth tone, a blaze orange upland vest, and blaze orange hat you will be good to go. Have you ever hunted over dogs? If not, be very careful. Quail especially pen raised quail like to fly low. Dogs can and will jump, make sure you have plenty of space between the ground and the bird as to not shoot the dog. Sometimes this means you just have to not shoot. Other than that have fun. Thanks for the info. I was wondering what was up when the host said all I had to do was show up; I offered to bring my Remington 1100 and they insisted on the all-inclusive part and that they would provide a nice shotgun for my use. I'm going to have to check around and make sure my attire is correct. This is sure to be an experience and I'm pumped to be invited out. I'm always worried about shooting low birds, sounds like I better worry about the dogs also. |
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Quoted:
Thanks for the info. I was wondering what was up when the host said all I had to do was show up; I offered to bring my Remington 1100 and they insisted on the all-inclusive part and that they would provide a nice shotgun for my use. I'm going to have to check around and make sure my attire is correct. This is sure to be an experience and I'm pumped to be invited out. I'm always worried about shooting low birds, sounds like I better worry about the dogs also. Quoted:
Quoted:
Find out if you are hunting pen raised birds or wild birds. I am assuming over dogs. Skeet or IC choke with 7.5 or 8 shot. If you are hunting wild birds I would go with the IC choke and 7.5's. I have hunted at some southern hunting clubs and they can be very picky on gun and what you wear. Some clubs won't let you hunt with anything but a SXS in 28 GA. Not as many clubs like that anymore, most have relaxed standards to a O/U or SXS and allow 20 GA or less. Many more don't have any restrictions at all. Just call and ask. Some will require certain dress, a sporting jacket..think stuffy British hunting wear. My guess is if you show up with some upland pants, a button down long sleeve shirt in an earth tone, a blaze orange upland vest, and blaze orange hat you will be good to go. Have you ever hunted over dogs? If not, be very careful. Quail especially pen raised quail like to fly low. Dogs can and will jump, make sure you have plenty of space between the ground and the bird as to not shoot the dog. Sometimes this means you just have to not shoot. Other than that have fun. Thanks for the info. I was wondering what was up when the host said all I had to do was show up; I offered to bring my Remington 1100 and they insisted on the all-inclusive part and that they would provide a nice shotgun for my use. I'm going to have to check around and make sure my attire is correct. This is sure to be an experience and I'm pumped to be invited out. I'm always worried about shooting low birds, sounds like I better worry about the dogs also. Sounds like you are in for a good time...might even be a horse drawn shoot. The dogs work and you ride on a carriage, get out, shoot at some birds, and get back in. A well done hunt like that is a true Southern Gentlemen's sport  ...you will need to post some pictures.
Yep, a simple call just to make sure on what they want you to wear. The dogs add another element to things when it comes to safety. Nothing to worry about, when in doubt don't shoot...no one will ever give you grief if you tell them you were not sure about the position of the dog. Another small piece of advice, on a covey rise choose one bird and shoot at that one bird. It is very easy to want to covey shoot...you will hit very few birds that way. Pick that one bird, keep your head on the stock, follow through, fight the urge to watch the shot, just focus on the target, let the dog worry about where the down bird went. You really are going to have so much fun. Another thing that may help is hitting the skeet range, station 4 and 5 both high an low houses and station 7 low will give you some good looks at what you will see in the field. |
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Quoted: Find out if you are hunting pen raised birds or wild birds. I am assuming over dogs. Skeet or IC choke with 7.5 or 8 shot. If you are hunting wild birds I would go with the IC choke and 7.5's. I have hunted at some southern hunting clubs and they can be very picky on gun and what you wear. Some clubs won't let you hunt with anything but a SXS in 28 GA. Not as many clubs like that anymore, most have relaxed standards to a O/U or SXS and allow 20 GA or less. Many more don't have any restrictions at all. Just call and ask. Some will require certain dress, a sporting jacket..think stuffy British hunting wear. My guess is if you show up with some upland pants, a button down long sleeve shirt in an earth tone, a blaze orange upland vest, and blaze orange hat you will be good to go. Have you ever hunted over dogs? If not, be very careful. Quail especially pen raised quail like to fly low. Dogs can and will jump, make sure you have plenty of space between the ground and the bird as to not shoot the dog. Sometimes this means you just have to not shoot. Other than that have fun. |
| I quail hunt once or twice a year. Never been on a hourse/mule drawn waggon hunt but i am familar with how its done. You are in for a treat if that is what your doing. Its a good chance it will be double guns only in sub gauges. Camo is not needed, you may even get some odd looks it you show up in it. Quail is a gentlemans sport. a nice pair of brair pants, a button down hunting shirt(filson, berreta,browning,) in a solid color and a Barbour jacket or something similar would fit in just fine. If you dont own any of that stuff go buy some and use it for dove hunting, thats what i do. I bet you wont need any blaze orange either, they will either give you a hat with the clubs name on it or a vest. Most places only allow two guns up at a time, so its super controlled. At least untill they see how compentant you are and that you arn: going to shot a dog or guide. |
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I go a couple times a month out here in AZ to chase the "Bobble Heads" (Gambels Quail). For them I use #6 shot for a couple reasons. First is because how tough they are. You can hit them solid, feathers fill the air and they fold up like a book. You watch them hit the ground and bounce, only to get up and either fly off or run off. Second reason for the #6 is because we don't use dogs, so we are walking to dry river beds and kicking them up. If they have had any pressure, they are quick to take wing.... so you end up with a longer shot.
For me, there is nothing better than a day chasing birds, kicking them up, and bagging some. Always puts a smile on the face. |
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