Austin Farley and I hunted two days in Nebraska and were now on a turkey hunt in Kansas. We really don’t want to shoot a turkey but you have to be hunting something to be on walk-in properties. If the dogs point a turkey, we probably wouldn’t shoot because we would be through hunting Kansas until the quail season opens. Woodcock season is probably open but turkey hunting, where I hunt, is more plausible.
Luke pointing a covey of quail.
Sunrise in Kansas.
My truck with enough boxes for 8 dogs.
Austin and I were out by sunrise, looking at properties. Early morning is a good time to see lots of deer. We drove by several places without seeing what we wanted to hunt. Some of the walk-in in Kansas doesn’t open until November first. To be turkey hunting we had to be on walk-in that opened September first but we marked some maps to try later.
We came to a large property that was mostly pasture. Austin turned his short haired pointers, Bray and Drifter out and I turned my boys, Luke, Tur Bo and Mann out. We thought the cattle had been moved off this property but as we got farther in the cattle came out of a draw. We tried to stay away from them.
On the way to the back to get away from the cattle, we went to the west fence line and back toward the truck. We were about 50 yards from the truck along the south fence line when Luke went on point. There was just a little brush growing along the fence where he was looking. Tur Bo, Drifter and Bray honored and Mann paused wondering why every one was stopped, I think. Austin saw the birds running on the ground and the pups must have, too. About 15 quail flushed flying to the east with dogs after them.
Just as we were talking about what a nice covey it was, about 15 more quail flushed from almost the same spot and flew to the west, across the road, off the place. We followed the dogs to the east and immediately started finding singles.
It was great for the young dogs. And for the young dogs owners. We had five dogs out and I think each one pointed a single. Mann had pointed lots of pigeons but this was his first wild quail. He held and let me walk in front of him to flush the bird. I took some pictures but there was too much going on for me to keep my mind on taking pictures.
When we were almost back to the truck Austin and I were standing, talking and Drifter pointed about 6 feet from us. As we started to him he left. The wind was out of the south and Tur Bo came to us with the wind and a quail flushed. As he whirled around another flushed from almost the same spot. We got the dogs in to check that area then loaded dogs to go to another property.
We drove by several places then saw a small walk-in, about 80 acres, with a draw running into a harvested soy bean field. Austin turned Joker, his English setter and Drifter his short haired pointer out and I turned Sally and Babe loose. The wind had really started blowing out of the south and we were going to the north. We were almost to the back with the dogs down in the draw, hunting when a single quail flew by us. When I looked to see where it came from Babe was really excited. We don’t know what happened or where the other quail went.
On to the back we went, then down the east fence line. We started along the road to the west where the truck was parked. I looked through some brush and saw Sally on point, standing in the road looking south just as Babe went past her. A covey of quail came right back over the top of us, fat, slow and easy to hit.
The east edge was close but there was some good cover between us and the fence line. I was trying to get the dogs to hunt this cover but they all wanted to hunt just off the property. I walked one quail up that crossed the fence and flew, slowly, away. I, finally, got Sally and Babe in to hunt this but Sally made one pass and went across the fence. I waited for them to get through on the other side then called her back. She hunted it thoroughly without finding anything. We hunted back to the truck.
We drove by some more walk-in properties but it was getting warmer so we didn’t turn any dogs loose. A little after noon we started the drive home. It had been a fun three days of working dogs.
Neat formations caused by erosion.
Another formation.
Luke pointing with Drifter backing.