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Forums10
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Most Online1,344 Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 332 Likes: 5
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 332 Likes: 5 |
I don't think your going to hurt the overall population of Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus} as long as your hunting these Texas bobwhite
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 384
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 384 |
If you've got birds and I can stay in your house as far as I am concerned she can read "The Thoughts of Chairman Mao" at breakfast every morning and my room can be papered in pictures of Barack and Michelle.
When it comes to bird hunting I am an open minded kind of guy.
So, when does season open? LOL best, Mike
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,798 Likes: 567
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 7,798 Likes: 567 |
Mike if you went to size 7 1/2 shot and shot the same 5/8 load you would drop your number of pellets from 355 to 211 which should reduce the chance of stray pellets hitting non intended targeted birds. I know after all the shooting lessons given and taken by you and your gang this seems like over kill.
Perhaps you could go in another direction. Start by removing all the pellets and see if your wad is killing the second bird. If not then increase your shell's payload one pellet in the load at a time until you find the ultimate load. Perhaps a shot of your repute needs only one pellet or as you are getting up there in years you need more, like five or six. This should be more fair to the birds and not waste as many pellets with overkill you are experiencing.
Your concern about not killing too many quail is admirable but did you consider what may happen if others had your lease? I have seen too many lease taken by groups who compare number of birds killed with the lengthen of their peckers. Only happy with big kill numbers to brag about their shooting ability and willing to shoot until past dark or until the last bird has been killed on a lease. A good steward, such as your self, should not be too upset about an occasional accidental double. Some claim every bird you kill is the result of an accident or divine intervention, not of the side of the bird. Nasty things some friends say, nasty or envious.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16 |
Mike, If you and Joe switch glasses, I think that will solve the original problem.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 13,382 Likes: 1321 |
A self-imposed limit is a noble gesture, the mark of a sportsman, and probably shows how much you and Joe have matured since your ground-sluicing, how many can we kill teen age days. It won't offset the amount of chemicals sprayed in farming areas nor the loss of habitat which I believe has contributed to the quail decline. Throw in the feral hog problem along with feral housecats on top of natural predators like bobcats, coyotes, raptors, etc. and the bobwhite quail is in trouble. Compare Mexico's population of quail and ask yourself what the difference is between here and there. Go hunt with a nice .410 double gun if you're worried about pattern spread; makes a nice excuse to buy another shotgun. GaryW, The "chemicals' sprayed were a real problem many years ago, not today. The pesticides sprayed today are almost all pyrethrin based, made from chrysanthemums, which are totally harmless to quail, and people as well. There were some bad ones when I first started farming in the early '70s, almost none in use today, and haven't been for many years. It's a hard idea to get out of most peoples minds, tho'. Interestingly, Mexico still uses a lot of the the bad stuff we banned from use years ago, and still has quail. Kinda makes you step back and question the old belief that "chemicals" contributed to the demise of bobs. I am still very interested in research ongoing, that what happened to quail across the South, and is happening in parts of Texas and Oklahoma according to articles I read, is something completely undreamed of a few years ago ......... a parasite. Amarillo Mike, I've been "iced in" for about three days with no electricity and had to catch up on this thread tonight. Good reading. I'm with Chuck and Gary on the gun, try the little gun. Guarantee you it will reduce the overall number you put in the game pouch, which in a roundabout way may just bring about the desired result, which is taking less birds inadvertently out of a covey. No. 8s and tight chokes out of a .410. I can't remember ever taking two at one shot with mine, but will admit to not killing as many overall in a season as ya'll today. But we sure did in the old days. SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,522
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,522 |
If your intent is to not reduce the coveys during this cycle, why load poppers. Mount one of the Go Pro cameras on the gun and video tape the popper load going off. Might prove instructive and something interesting to pursue while the coveys are small.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,880 Likes: 16 |
I guarantee you'll take less game with a 410 and will be rewarded greater for the fewer birds you put in your bag.
Last edited by Chuck H; 02/15/14 01:03 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,119 Likes: 524
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,119 Likes: 524 |
Mike, take me and if you can learn by example, I will show you how to not only not to take two with one shot, but as a bonus, how to not take one with many shots. Gil
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 709
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 709 |
You don't need a new gun or less shot. Just let them rise, then only take the tough shots. This time of year the birds ought to be running and good shots should few and far between anyway. Another way is to knock of earlier in the day. The birds don't start bunching up again until close to sun down when they are covying up to bed down. Instead of breaking up covies, I always used the end of the day to retrace my steps to where I think I might have wounded a bird that is unlikely to last the night. A wounded bird will start calling for help toward the end of the day.
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16
Boxlock
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Boxlock
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 16 |
A most enjoyable thread. Here in the Rolling Plains we try and protect any covey we happen to find. We have noticed more birds this year than in the past several years. We seem to think moisture at the right time of the year is the crucial element.
tks, jcn
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