Bobwhite Quail Hunting Dog Power
Bobwhite Quail Hunting Dog Power means different things to different hunters. Differences largely based on habitat and bird most often hunted. That is a statement that most upland bird hunters of pointing dogs can agree on. What is less agreeable is what is dog power specific to central mid-west Bobwhite Quail hunting. We will offer here what is commonly found to be important in dog power of those that have recurring years and generations of dogs finding coveys in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.
Quail Hunting Dog Power - Bobwhites and Terrain
Late summer renewal of a lease in a long time productive Bobwhite region in Missouri. As seen from the fallow pasture over looking the crop ground mostly hidden by the contour of the ridge to the dry, wooded drainage.
Central mid-west dog power relies heavily at downwind linear edge running dogs.
A contrast are the circle running field trial dogs searching open field planted pen raised birds placed as much for gallery observation as for finding by the dogs. Or, another contrast is the big woods Ruffed Grouse hunter that while he can argue hunts edges of varying tree species and ages their dogs continue to run circles around that edge searching for both grouse and Woodcock.
Within Kansas, Iowa and Missouri's best regions the habitat most frequently occupied is just inside or outside that narrow band of transition from woody through brush to crop field. That is where the better dogs will spend the most time. And, those better dogs run the length of that narrow band.
A measure of dog power largely driven by our local 8 bird limit. That is to find 4 coveys. Those with the better dogs find four coveys frequently. Those same hunters are typically good shots. Frequently harvest 2 birds per covey giving each dog (most of the long time hunters in the association will run a brace) a bird after a point. Those that more frequently find less than 4 coveys in a day may evaluate their dogs differently.
Quail Hunting and Dog Power Points of View
Before I go into telling people about our current dogs, I want to share a little of our history. John and I both grew up being very active in sports in a small town in southern WV and got married after graduating college. Up to that point, I had never been on a bird hunt and John had only been after grouse some with his uncle’s dogs.
Shortly after we got married, we picked up a yellow lab puppy (Bo) followed by a Weimeraner (Grady) about 9 months later. John decided to see if he could use the Weimeraner and ended up getting in touch with an older local man called “Sharkey” that has been his mentor ever since. He introduced us to quail hunting and taught John how to train a bird dog.
Quail hunting in West Virginia, as it exists now, is actually going to a field or strip job and chasing some pen-raised birds. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable and we became hooked. The next thing I knew, we had Sharkey’s old Brittany and were planning a trip to hunt Kansas with a Lab (Bo), a Weimeraner (Grady), and an old Brittany (Bill). After that trip, it became obvious that if we were going to hunt, we needed higher quality dogs.
It may have just been beginners’ luck or just good research by John, but we ended up with a young English pointer named Meg that has been a bird-finding dynamo ever since.
A few years later, we joined Mid-America and made our second trip to Kansas with Bo, Grady and Meg. Truth be told, Grady never had a clue. However, Bo and Meg did extremely well. We began in Kansas where we could hunt a mix of pheasant and bobwhite. Bo excelled at pushing pheasants up out of the thick CRP and any other brushy areas. Meg hunted the edges and was steady as a rock.
Over the past six years, Meg has been the cornerstone of our field time. We enjoyed Bo for a couple more years before age and bad hips limited his action. Bo was probably our only dog that was better at pheasant than bobwhites. Meg is a small dog and does not do well in the thick cover. She handles pheasant fine when she finds them, but she’s definitely stronger on the smaller bird. We simply hunted each dog according to their strengths.
We always try to take enough dogs to be able hunt the entire week without wearing the dogs out completely. We've added to and taken away dogs from our crew based on their performance. Some of them have looked great in small fields on pen-raised birds, but are lost in the fields out west. Some of them are fine for short bursts, but quit when no birds are being found. Some have been better in thicker cover and others in the open field. The good ones will hunt the entire time, obey commands, and in doing so, make the hunt both more enjoyable and productive. So, the challenge is to find the good ones.
Bo was a joy to hunt with because he was our first pet and hunted with great enthusiasm. We joked that you needed to have your running shoes on when Bo got the scent of a pheasant, because he was off to the races and he would not stop until the birds came out. Though we now stick to English Pointers, Bo will always be a part of some great memories.
Meg is as steady as they come. She hunts from start to finish, holds tight, and retrieves well. Her true worth becomes more and more apparent with each dog we try that gives out or just will not listen. She’s getting older now and slowed a little, but is still relaxing and fun to hunt behind.
A few years ago, we added a female English Pointer (Dot) to the crew that has been a natural from the beginning. She hunts hard, steady on the birds, and works well in any kind of cover. As Meg has aged, we look more to Dot to carry the workload.
As the season approaches, we prepare to take a few experienced dogs and a couple first-timer’s, we hold high hopes that maybe the next Meg or Dot will emerge. The more you hunt, the more you realize how much difference it makes when you are with good dogs. Being alongside Meg and Dot is just an absolute joy. They work as a team and cover the entire field with minimal to no direction. John and I get to trail behind and enjoy knowing that if they find something, they'll hold steady until we are there and ready to shoot. Obviously, this will result in more good opportunities to get birds. To us, that is the definition of “dog power’.
Highest Risk Self Guided Quail Hunting
Upland birds is our highest risk category. This due to the variables of a hunter's willingness to walk, shooting ability and dog power. When all three are present a good hunt typically results. A contributing set of factors to this hunt quality are weather effects.
These effects are those that enhance or degrade bird reproduction. And, those that affect dog and hunter during the season. These weather factors of course are difficult to forecast and plan around. They can make or break any hunt. How different hunters handle during season adverse or enhancing weather effects has been a good source of observations. Amongst all the bird hunters traveling from multiple states we get to work with the most adaptable at making the most of more difficult conditions are the woods grouse hunters. The least adaptable (now remember folks we are stereotyping at this point) are the southern and eastern hunters.
The woods grouse hunter by far has the most difficult terrain to hunt. Steep slopes and thick cover will bring on fatigue. The wooded terrain makes difficult shooting. Each grouse pointed a welcome sight. Any in the bag a bonus. A rare day any season when a limit is bagged. These hunters more than any other appreciate the day outdoors behind dogs. Southern hunters are at the other extreme on all counts.
Southern hunters are in two sub-categories. The first is the southeast plantation hunter where well groom woodlots. Coveys anchored to feeders and waters score a covey each time stepping on the ground (typically from a mule drawn wagon). A limit for those than can shoot by lunch.
On that covey anchor bit, Association partner John Wenzel does the same on his farm the year he starts a new pup. It works great for a single training hunt or two. Then the feeders are put away so the dog learns to hunt for coveys rather than run from feeder to feeder.
For these plantation hunters a lot of action in a short time is normal. Dog work is not the real reason for the hunt. This plantation hunter description is not an unfair characterization. It may prevent us from wasting our time on the telephone with a plantation hunter that thinks he can come out our way and have a good wild upland bird hunt on a natural habitat.
The next category of southern hunter that has poor adaptability to adverse conditions is the Oklahoma and Texas hunter.
These are the hunters that have the money to pay for a large lease. These hunters put multiple dogs on the ground at once. They chase behind them on 'gators'. Their idea of a good hunt is measured singularly by covey counts. Anything less than 15 coveys is a bad day. Twenty five covey days the ones sought after. These same hunters never have a good answer of why it takes them 20 coveys to get a 10 bird limit! We call these hunters killers. Not the type we work with. This brings us back to the woods grouse hunters.
While woods grouse hunters travel from the southwest, all eastern slope Rocky Mountain states and from Minnesota to Maine down to the Virginias and Carolinas they are all the same. They all know hard bird hunts. For them it is about the enjoyment of the day, their dogs and the hunt, not the kill. These hunters have the willingness to walk our flat land. It would takes days of walking out here to match one day on the slopes where grouse thrive. The woods grouse hunter can shoot fast and accurate as in the thick grouse cover. In their world there is not any such thing as blue sky shooting as we have. The woods grouse hunter has the dog power as grouse far more than any other upland bird are pressure sensitive. These birds require long range point standoff. Whenever a grouse hunter calls to inquire of membership we are far more accepting. Rarely have we declined any grouse hunter application. A southern hunter must talk real good for our acceptance.
Grouse Hunters on Quail Hunting
The letter and pictures below are from a father and son grouse team. They have had nothing but bad luck when traveling our way for upland birds. As we talked before and after their trips they have endured adverse weather of hot temperatures, wind, dry, no morning dew, dusty conditions and rain days. They have hunted on MAHA lease land for two seasons and never have experienced what any locals would call a good day. They have done what many non-residents before them have and that is remind us all that even a hunt under adverse conditions is worth the trip.
This father and son team worked well with us. Calling before each trip to get an idea of their best opportunity. We do feel the pressure to provide as good of a hunt for all. We enjoy it when it works. Have empathy when those that travel to hunt have bad luck on weather.
Most woods grouse hunters find the open spaces of the central mid-west a welcome relief.
Northern hunters always have wool heavy clothing far superior to our local winter needs. The classic plaid outdoors jacket is such a give away.
Dogs accustomed to plowing through snow in search of ruff grouse frequently need to have their hair cut short. Hunters quickly learn for the need to carry water bottles for their dogs. Grouse hunters rarely have dogs that get tender foot.
While the goal was quail hunting it is the pheasant hunt that sees the most success. Bobwhites require that specialist mentality of both hunter and dog.