Vol. 23, No. 8 August 2011 · etables and choco-late delight cake; · Green salad with prosciutto, al-monds and grated parmesan cheese, chicken rolls with scalloped potatoes and caramelized

Serving The Hunter Who Travels

1 — The Bird Hunting Report — August 2011Reproduction by any means is illegal© Copyright 2011 by Brunson Publishing Co.

Connecticut ............................p.4Arizona ..................................p.5Texas ......................................p.6Argentina ...............................p.7Oklahoma ..............................p.8Oregon ...................................p.9California ............................. p.10Minnesota ........................... p.10New York ............................ p.11

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Fax Number: 240-599-7679 Order Line: 301-528-0011 Website: www.birdhuntingreport.com

Vol. 23, No. 8 August 2011

Dateline: PennsylvaniaDateline: PennsylvaniaDateline: PennsylvaniaDateline: PennsylvaniaDateline: PennsylvaniaDo-It-Yourself: Ruffed Grouse

and Woodcock on HabitatManaged State Game Lands

• Timetable: October through January• Accommodations: Your choice• Food: Your choice• Hunt: Moderate to difficult

Pennsylvania offers a host of StateGame Lands (SGLs) distributed through-out the state. Many of these SGLs noware being targeted for specific manage-ment of the young forest habitat requiredby grouse and woodcock. Generallyspeaking, these birds favor dense, young

forest regrowth, particularly those thatprovide abundant and diverse soft mastand high-protein buds and twigs (grouse)and overhead cover for safety while prob-ing the soil depths (woodcock).

Recent fall flush rate figures fromcooperating grouse hunters indicatethat hunters enjoy higher flush rates inthe northern parts of the state where theunique mix of northern hardwoods andoak forests provide optimum grousehabitat. Hunters also find success in thesouthern areas as well, with woodcocktraveling the depth and breadth of theKeystone State during migration.

Flush rates for ruffed grouse (alsothe official state bird) reported during

the 2010-2011 season averaged 1.3/hour statewide, off slightly from the 1.4/hour average recorded in 2009-2010 and

Dateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: Argentina California Valley Quail

• Timetable: May 1 through Aug. 1• Accommodations: First-class lodge• Food: Regional• Hunt: Moderate

Yes, what you read above is not amisprint. This is one of the best-keptsecrets in the wing shooting world:There is fabulous California valleyquail shooting to be had in Patagonia,the southernmost region of Argentina!

About 60 years ago, California val-ley quail were brought to central Chileon an experimental basis. Although earlyresults were not encouraging, the birdsgradually adapted and populationseventually grew and spread across theAndes and into northwestern portionof Patagonia. Today, populations ofthese quail are thriving there. As the

region is home to world renowned troutwaters and also to red stag hunting, someof the outfitters catering to trout fisher-man and stag hunters saw the opportu-

nity and have expanded their operationsand added quail hunting as yet anotherspecialized offering.

One such outfitter is TipiliukeLodge, hosted by Kevin and Mary JoTiemersma. Tipiliuke is convenientlylocated just 10 minutes from ChapelcoAirport, which serves the town of SanMartin de los Andes and the surround-ing area. There are currently twoflights per week going each waybetween Chapelco and Buenos Airesdomestic airport served by AerolinasArgentinas. Indeed, the setting is beau-tiful, with the snowcapped Lanin vol-cano and other mountainous landscapeserving as a backdrop. In fact,“tipiliuke” means “upside down heart”in aboriginal dialect after a mountainthat is the first thing one sees when fly-ing into Chapelco.

Adrian Cataldi serves as masterguide and is extremely familiar withthese birds and their habitat. Covering


2 — The Bird Hunting Report — August 2011

For Bird Shooters & Waterfowlers

PublisherStuart Brunson

Managing EditorTom Carney

[email protected]

Senior EditorJohn Gosselin

[email protected]

Senior CorrespondentGary Kramer

Publisher EmeritusTod Sedgwick

Production/Advertising ManagerKathy Thorne

IllustrationsGordon Allen

Circulation . ............... 301-528-0011

Contributors

The Bird Hunting Report (ISSN: 1084-8789) is a newsletterfor the active hunter/conservationist who travels in search ofthe world’s best birdshooting and waterfowling, and is deeplyinvolved in efforts to save that wingshooting for future gen-erations. The Bird Hunting Report is not a booking agent, noris it affiliated with any booking agent, outfitter or guide. Allreports contained herein are based on the best informationavailable at press time. A one-year subscription costs $59.Single copies cost $6. Back issues cost $5.50. In Canada andMexico add $6/year. Overseas subscribers add $21/year andsend payment via major credit card or US bank draft. Materialherein may not be reproduced without permission of BrunsonPublishing Co.

The Bird Hunting Report USPS (1084-8789) is publishedmonthly by Brunson Publishing Co, PO Box 328, BoydsMD 20841. A one-year subscription costs $59. Periodi-cals postage paid at Boyds, MD and at additional mailingoffices. Postmaster send address changes to: The BirdHunting Report, Brunson Publishing Co., PO Box 328,Boyds MD 20841.

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Argentina... (from page 1)Argentina... (from page 1)Argentina... (from page 1)Argentina... (from page 1)Argentina... (from page 1)

Copyright ©2011

Brunson Publishing Co.

James DietschTom Huggler

Charles JordanTom Keer

Gary LewisGreg Morton

Josef A. RiekersNick Sisley

Doug StammButch Thurmond

Mel Toponce

22,000 hectares (approximately 48,000acres), the ranch holds lots of coverwhere these quail thrive and are foundat elevations of up to 1,800 feet. We rodeshort distances from the ranch house andAdrian would stop, get out and start call-ing quail. When one would answer, weknew we were in the midst of a covey,found primarily in heavy, brushy hill-side draws. Adrian’s German shorthairedpointers worked well and were verycooperative. The primary species of veg-etation that heldthese birds was moye(“mo-jay”) andmichay (“mi-chai”).Using a ski pole withthe basket removed,Adrian would liter-ally “beat thebushes” as thesebirds would some-times hold verytight. Surprisingly,the birds wouldsometimes flush up-hill, but most flew downhill with thespeed of a bottle rocket. Indeed, theseincredibly fast, dropping targets madefor some challenging shooting. Oncein a while the hunters would get luckyand a crossing bird would usually makean easier target.

When we got into birds, we reallygot into birds. Coveys of 100 birds andmore were encountered. They’d seldomget up all at once but rather in waves ofsometimes three or four birds, then 30 or40, then a few singles, another 10 or 20and so on. It was at times a rather help-less feeling to empty both barrels on onetricky bird, only to then have severaldozen get up and go while one was des-perately digging shells out of his pocketto reload. But having too many birds isalways a good problem, indeed!

These quail feed mostly uponinsects, which comprise 80 percent oftheir diets. In the cooler winter monthswhen insects become scarce, the quailwill also feed upon wild clover, wild roseand the fruit of the michay bushes.

In Neuquen Province (“no-ken”),where Tipiliuke is located, the officiallimit for quail is 12 per day on public

land, although it is legal to shoot moreon some private properties.

Back at Tipiliuke Lodge, theaccommodations were exquisite. Thehouse is beautifully appointed withnative lumber woodwork. An attentivestaff keeps the place meticulously clean.Breakfasts, lunches and dinners were alltastefully prepared and presented. Thedining area is bright and airy.

Of course, no Argentine menu iscomplete without asado, barbecued

meats cooked overhardwood coals.Typical lunch menusserved at Tipiliukealso include:

· O n i o nquiche with greensalad, tenderloin me-dallions wrapped inbacon with veg-etables and choco-late delight cake;

· Green saladwith prosciutto, al-

monds and grated parmesan cheese,chicken rolls with scalloped potatoesand caramelized carrots, red fruits cupwith ice cream;

· Fried gaucho cakes, salad bar,asado, flan and fresh fruit salad.

Tipiliuke Lodge dinners are alsovery special and will feature, amongother selections:

· Squash terrine with creamsauce, trout with lemon sauce and rice,dulce de leche crêpes with warm choco-late sauce;

· Cheese soufflé with spinachsauce, homemade ravioli with fresh to-matoes sauce, strawberry meringue roll;

· Smoked venison blinis, home-made spaghetti with rucula and driedtomatoes, apple crumble with home-made ice cream.

Wireless Internet service is providedon the ground floor. A comfortable liv-ing area is a good place to read andrelax between hunts.

Tipiliuke also offers Russian boarand red stag hunts as well as incredibletrout fishing for browns and rainbows.Trout in the three to five-pound rangeare not uncommon, with larger fish



Pennsylvania... (from page 1)Pennsylvania... (from page 1)Pennsylvania... (from page 1)Pennsylvania... (from page 1)Pennsylvania... (from page 1)

also not far off from the long-term (44-year) average of 1.44/hour.

2010 also saw a dramatic increasein the state’s woodcock harvest, up by27 percent over 2009.

Lisa Williams, Game Bird Biologistfor the Pennsylvania Game Commission,about SGL hunting for grouse and wood-cock says, “While a list of the ‘best’ SGLsin PA would be much shorter, all regionsprovide opportunity. The SGLs listedbelow likely represent the best you’llfind relative to others in the same re-gion of the state. This list of suggestedSGLs, provided by the PA GameCommission’s regional biologists andgame lands managers, offers some greatgrouse and woodcock cover with thepotential to produce birds for the bagthis fall. With a renewed focus on youngforest management, many of these sitesshould be producing for years to come.”

Here is the list, broken down by re-gion, with notes specific to grouse andwoodcock habitat. The source for mapsfor these SGLs will be provided in thelatter part of this report.

NortheastGrouseSGL 172 – Bradford County – as-

pen dominated SGLSGL 187 – Luzerne County – op-

portunities for both grouse and woodcockSGL 123 – Bradford County – op-

portunities for bothSGL 12 – Bradford County – large

amount of timber harvesting conducted,many stands in the 5-20 year old stage,excellent grouse opportunities

SGL 226 – Columbia County – op-portunities for both

WoodcockSGL 180 – Pike County – managed

for early successional/woodcockSGL 236 – Susquehanna County –

managed for early successional habitat,focusing on American woodcock

North CentralGrouse and WoodcockSGL 176 –Grouse occupy the high-

quality habitat provided by activelymanaged aspen, mixed oak and scruboak forests.

NorthwestGrouseLook for any actively managed for-

ested landscape in this area of optimumgrouse habitat. The mix of northern hard-woods, aspen and oak forests types pro-vides excellent year-round nutrition forgrouse, especially where active forestmanagement creates the dense cover

where they thrive.WoodcockSGL 314 Erie CountySouth CentralGrouseSGL 099 in central Huntingdon

County. Recent habitat work includessome non-commercial regenerationwork.

SGL 088 Habitat work has startedand is ongoing. Multiple non-commer-cial areas have been established andthere is plenty of quality young foresthabitat.

SGL 041 was a historic grouse man-agement area and likely still holdshuntable grouse populations.

WoodcockArea 420, nearly 3,000 acres managed

by the PGC as the “mitigation area” on

Raystown has some palustrine shrublandand a small patch of planted aspen thatprovide nice woodcock coverts.

Milligan’s Cove on SGL 048 offersthe palustrine shrubland where wood-cock thrive.

SGL 107 has large strips of youngforest specifically managed to providenesting cover for the birds singing andbreeding in the creek valley below.

SouthwestGrouseSGL 262 and SGL 174, both Indi-

ana CountyWoodcockSGL 297 in Washington CountySGL 82 in Somerset CountySoutheastGrouseSGLs 110 and 106. The Ruffed Grouse

Society has done some work there.WoodcockThey are highlighted in game

lands plan for SGL 145 and SGL 56,so habitat should continue to improvein the coming years.

Ruffed grouse can be hunted dur-ing three split seasons, Oct. 15 throughNov. 26; Dec. 12-23 and Dec. 26through Jan. 28 with bag limits of twodaily, four in possession.

At time of printing, the federally regu-lated woodcock season had not yet beenestablished but is expected to be withinthe October to mid-November timeframe.

For State Game Land maps: http://goo.gl/pV42j.

For woodcock season updates, li-censing and any other hunting infor-mation: Pennsylvania Game Commis-sion, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg,PA 17110-9797; 717-787-4250; http://goo.gl/UyP0S.

For hotels, restaurants and tour-ism information: PA Chamber of Com-merce Tourism Directory, 800-225-7224, http://goo.gl/4Us4g.

—John C. Gosselin

occasionally being caught. Indeed,many quail hunters will hunt in the morn-ings and fly fish for trout in the late af-ternoons. This takes the “cast and blast”concept to new heights! Understandably,

all trout fishing is with flies and is allcatch and release.

Tipiliuke Lodge is booked by JohnBurrell’s High Adventure Company,7212 Meadow Gate Way, Woodstock,

GA 30189; 800-847-0834; www.highadventurecompany.com; [email protected].

—Jon Krebaum



Dateline: ConnecticutDateline: ConnecticutDateline: ConnecticutDateline: ConnecticutDateline: ConnecticutMixed Released Bird Hunt inClassic New England Settingwith Wild Bird Opportunities

• Timetable: Sept. 15 through March31, with wild bird hunts complyingwith state and federal regulations• Accommodations: Pre-fabricatedmodular home• Food: Freshly baked continentalbreakfast and game-oriented lunch• Hunt: Easy to moderate

The Connecticut River Valley hasbeen home to several easily recogniz-able firearms companies such as Win-chester, Parker, Colt and Marlin. It’s alsoa stone’s throw from Tony Galazan’sConnecticut Shotgun ManufacturingCompany. With this kind of local legacy,it is not surprising to find a serious groupof hunters at Connecticut’s MillstreamHunting Preserve.

Millstream Hunting Preserve wasfounded in 1989 by Jay Limbo andChris Cobb. In 1992, Don Favry boughtout the two partners and has owned andoperated the preserve ever since. As alifelong hunter, dog trainer and dogbreeder, Favry leases and manages anumber of farms throughout the state.Favry offers clients a wide variety ofhunts, which range from whitetail deer,Eastern wild turkey, and cottontail rab-bits to Canada goose, released and wildducks, and released and wild uplandgame birds.

Of primary interest to bird huntersis the 411-acre property that is locatedoff Route 66 on the Hebron/Columbialine. This farm serves as the main-campusfor Millstream Hunting Preserve andoffers released bird hunts for pheasant,bobwhite quail and Hungarian andchukar partridge. At the top of the prop-erty are fields of planted switch grass, clo-ver and timothy, all of which are segre-gated by cut breaks that serve as walkingpaths. The hunting in these fields is wideopen and unobstructed. The fields gradu-ally roll down through hardwood standsof oak, maple, white birch, beech andhickory until they flatten out in a lowland

river bottom of pines, alders, and swampmaples. This is the type of cover wherehunters find either resident or flight wood-cock. Favry allows woodcock huntingfor his clients as outlined during the Fed-eral Migratory Bird Regulations andwith the appropriate licensing.

At opposite ends of the property aretwo, 15-acre beaver ponds. The shallow,one-tier ponds are used as part of aflighted-mallard program. Two blindsare set up on each pond, and the blindsaccommodate two hunters. In season,hunters get additional opportunities forearly season wood ducks and teal, mid-season mallards and blacks, and late sea-son mallards, blacks and occasional pin-tails, among other species. When shoot-ing wild ducks, hunters should remem-ber Federal Migratory Bird Regulations,appropriate licensing, and non-toxicshot apply.

Millstream hunts are broken downinto the standard half-day and full–dayhunts. Half-day hunts are three hours,with morning hunts running from 9 to

noon and afternoon hunts running from1 to 4. Guests have the option of choos-ing to hunt the fields, the woods or acombination of the two. Nine guideswork out of the preserve.

Favry’s goal at Millstream is tocreate a total experience that is simi-lar to the kind of hunt that you wouldexperience with family and withfriends. He includes a complimentarycontinental breakfast and lunch regard-less of a client’s arrival time. In the morn-ing guests find fresh pastries and breadsthat are provided by a local baker. Eggsand bacon or sausage are also included.Lunch is served around midday, withgame-based meals including boar sau-

sage, grouse kielbasa, venison sausageor hamburgers, roast rabbit, pheasantstew or chukar chili. All-day huntershave the option to return to the lodgefor lunch or to pack it with them to en-joy in the field.

On-premise lodging for up to six isin a pre-fabricated, double classroom-sized modular building. One bedroomfeatures bunk beds, and the living roomhas three pullout couches. There is run-ning water and a bathroom, but there areno shower facilities. The accommoda-tions are generally used for hunters whowish to arrive the night before their hunts.A full kitchen may be used for dinnerpreparation. Millstream has neither achef nor a liquor license, but BYOB isallowed.

A small Pro Shop sells orange hats,vests and both non-toxic (waterfowl)and lead (upland) shells. In keeping withthe friendly atmosphere, Favry has aloaner program of hats and vests forshooters who forgot some gear. A shot-gun rental program features nine Stoegerover-under shotguns in 12-, 20-, and.410 gauges.

Millstream doesn’t offer a formalclay target shooting such as skeet, trapor sporting clays. However, there aretwo automatic and two manual trapsthat throw 25-target warm-ups. Theflight patterns are ones that hunters arelikely to see in the field. Left-to-rights,right-to-lefts, quartering away, andgoing-away are some of the typical shots.

Dogs have been an important partof Favry’s life, and he has nine Germanshorthaired pointers and one Englishsetter. His London Kennels is a breed-ing kennel, and his pointers have beenline bred out of P.J. Wildfire stock. Favrylikes his dogs to work close so huntersget quality shots in the open fields andthe thick, New England coverts. Litters,started pups and finished dogs are forsale, and Favry offers all levels of train-ing and boarding.

New for 2012 will be the introduc-tion of two English cocker spaniels thatwill work as flushing-dog counterpartsto the pointing dogs.

Gear selection for a hunt is simple.



Chaps or brush pants are recommendedas are hunting vests. Winter temperaturesin Connecticut can get cold, so glovesand fleece vests or jackets are a goodidea from November on. Most shotstaken are in the 15-30 yard range, whichmakes cylinder, and improved cylinderchokes an ideal choice for 20-gaugeshotguns. Improved cylinder and modi-fied are best for a 28-gauge shotgun. Shotsizes between 7 1/2 and 9 are ideal.Hunts are walk-ups, and an ATV carriesfresh dogs as well as additional gear.

Millstream accepts up to five hunt-ers per group. That said, for safety rea-sons only three shooters per flush areallowed with rotations allowing forevery gunner to experience lots ofaction. A half-day, six-bird hunt costs$285, a 12-bird hunt costs $700 and an18-bird hunt costs $860. Additionalbirds can be added at $23 per pheasant,$16 per chukar, $18 per Hungarian par-tridge and $12 per quail. The flightedduck program costs $430 for 12 mallards,$600 for 18 mallards, and $770 for 24

Dateline: ArizonaDateline: ArizonaDateline: ArizonaDateline: ArizonaDateline: Arizona

Mearns’, Gambel’s andScaled Quail

• Timetable: Late November to mid-February• Accommodations: Southwestern B &B or dude ranch• Food: Regional or other casualdining• Hunt: Gambel’s and scalies — easyto moderate; Mearns — moderate todifficult

Using the picturesque southwesterntown of Patagonia, Ariz., as his winterbase of operations, Dave Brown Outfit-ters offers Mearns’, Gambel’s and scaledquail hunts utilizing his kennel of fineBrittanys and English pointers, alongwith a yellow Lab backing up the point-ing breeds for the more difficult retrieves.

The terrain in this portion of southcentral Arizona is highly diverse withfrequent elevation changes, providinghabitat for all three species of southwest-ern quail that individually require theirown environmental needs to include slotsof elevation. Indeed, all three species arefound within a reasonable distance fromPatagonia and also nearby Sonoita.

Gambel’s are by far the most abun-dant species of quail in Arizona with arange over much of the southern two-thirds of the state and are also the officialstate bird. These birds tend to occupy thelowest elevations, up to 2,500 feet butcan on occasion be found up to 4,500feet and higher. They are typically foundin brushy washes and scrubby desert land-scape. These birds are runners, and cov-

eys can run well ahead of the dog andhunter. The best approach will often tobe to get the covey flying. Birds will flya few hundred yards and then settle downas singles or in smaller groups where theytend to hold better. Once airborne, theirincredible acceleration and unpredict-able flight patterns can make for somerather challenging shooting.

Scaled quail, or “scalies” as they arenicknamed, are also known as blue quail,for the fish scale pattern and blue huesfound in their breast feathers. Scaliesenjoy living in open grasslandsavannahs occupying 2,500- to 4,500-foot elevations. They too are runners,

sometimes even more so than theGambel’s, so the same strategy is em-ployed to break up coveys and thenhunt up the better holding singles.

Mearns’ are the least numerousquail found in Arizona. Indeed, theirU.S. range is confined to areas in Ari-zona and New Mexico along the bor-der with Mexico. There are someMearns’ to be found in southwest Texas

but there is no open season on them theredue to such restricted numbers. Mearns’like higher elevations of around 5,000to 7,000 feet and tend to be found injagged landscapes of ravines lined withbrushy scrub oak and similar vegetation.Indeed, theirs can be the most difficultterrain to navigate of the three species.They are generally considered to be themost “cooperative” when it comes todog work, holding reasonably well butnonetheless not as mindlessly as pen-raised quail can sometimes be. They arealso considered to be a “collector’s”bird because their plumage is totallyunlike any other quail, with the malebird having clown-like facial features.It is for this reason that they are some-times called “harlequin” quail. Anothermoniker they have is “Montezuma”quail as much of their range extends wellinto the higher elevations of Chihuahuastate, Mexico.

To varying degrees, all three spe-cies of quail offered here are relianton the monsoon rains that comethrough the region in the late winterand again in mid-summer. Indeed, birdnumbers will be affected favorably bythe rains or unfavorably by the lackthereof. However, even in dry years thequail will be found, albeit in fewer num-bers, and one must simply hunt harderto find the coveys.

Dove shooting over decoys is alsooffered for variety and the relativerelaxation that can be found with passshooting. Indeed, Arizona is one of thebetter dove shooting places to go in thecontinental U.S.

mallards. Hunting for bobwhite quail isafter an initial hunt at Millstream. Wildbird hunt pricing is available by request.

Millstream Hunting Preserve is lo-cated about 25 miles from Hartford, Conn.,about 55 miles from Providence, R.I., andabout 100 miles from Boston, Mass.

For more info: Millstream HuntingPreserve, Don Favry, 860-295-9974,www.mi l l s treampreserve .com,[email protected]. Thebest method of contact is telephone.

—Tom Keer



Brown offers packages, includinglodging at a most elegant B&B calledThe Duquesne House. The building isauthentically old southwestern architec-ture with very thick walls and tastefullyappointed décor. Breakfasts includecereals, fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, and alsobreads and muffins made fresh on thepremises. Another place to stay is thenearby Circle Z Ranch, an authenticdude ranch operated continuously since

1926, now brought up to modern stan-dards. Breakfast, lunch and dinner areserved here. Other activities at Circle Zinclude horseback rides along theSonoita River and bird watching. Browncan package these accommodations aswell or one can book independently.

Dave Brown Outfitters is the onlyOrvis Endorsed Hunting Guide in thestate of Arizona. Earlier in the season,from mid-September to the end of Octo-

Subscriber Field NotesSubscriber Field NotesSubscriber Field NotesSubscriber Field NotesSubscriber Field Notes

Wisconsin Jumbos ona Texas Savannah

Tonkaway Ranch is situated nearCollege Station in central Texas. Itboasts of 2,400 continuous acres of postoak savannah, which is ideal for white-tail deer, hogs, waterfowl and quail hunt-ing. We were interested in the quail. Theranch is owned by the Kacal family.Jerry Kacal, a lawyer in Houston, leavesthe ranching and hunting operations upto his son, Kyle. Kyle is one of thosefolks that have never met a stranger, andonce you have met him, you feel likeyou have just met your new best friend.

Tim Parris and I showed up at thisworking cattle ranch on a Mondayafternoon around three o’clock. Kylegreeted us warmly and showed us ourbedroom in the main ranch house wherewe unpacked and got out our shootinggear. We were taken to the sporting claysrange to try our hands at clay birds first.One suspects that the real purpose was tosee if we could handle our shotgunssafely and if we could hit anything. Wepassed the test, hitting clay birds spin-ning out in all directions, including thosethrown from a tower at quite a distance.We spent some time looking for arrow-heads around spots where water waseroding the dirt. The ranch was theformer home of a tribe of TonkawayIndians. Many arrowheads and otherIndian artifacts have been found aroundthe ranch over the years. Suppertimecame quickly, and we were treated to hugefilets and sides, and a dessert of shortcakeand ice cream at the lodge. A fire was

started in the fire pit outside the lodge,and stories were told and drinks weredrunk until it was time for bed.

We were up at a reasonable hour andback at the lodge for a big, southern-stylebreakfast. Our cook was Lydia Roof, a stu-dent at Texas A&M who worked part timeat the ranch. Great cook. We got to talkingabout our favorite breakfasts, and I men-

tioned a trip one time to Georgia where wehad grits every morning and Grandma’s-brand molasses on our homemade biscuits.After having eaten more food than weshould have, we were off to find the quail.

Transportation was by Jeep Scram-bler, a pickup truck version of the CJ-7,which was introduced to the public in1981. There were no doors, the wind-shield folded down, and a high seat wasbuilt into the bed. Our Scrambler pulleda trailer with the dogs, there beingBrittanys and pointers for pointing dogsand spaniels for flushing dogs. Once inthe field with the pointers out front andworking, and the spaniel on a short leash,Tim got his 20-gauge ready, and I

decided to try my luck with a 28-gauge.It did not take long for the dogs to freezeup, one pointing and the other backing.Tim and I got in position and the spanielwas let loose, his little short legs barelyreaching the ground as he hurried aheadof the pointers and nosed a covey ofabout eight birds into the air. Shots rangout and birds hit the ground. Kyle had anuncanny ability to not only mark thedowned birds but also keep track of thespots where the escapees landed.

The first thing we noticed was thesize of the quail. Yes, they were bobwhitesbut they were almost twice the size of thebobwhites we were used to seeing. Kyleexplained that these were a Jumbo Wis-consin variety. They were certainly“jumbo” birds; normally I do not mess withthe legs on normal-sized bobs as they aretoo small to deal with, but we later dis-covered at supper that we could take twosmall bites on each of these jumbo legs.

The morning hunt continued withus chasing the ones we missed and theones that otherwise eluded us. Then weheaded to a new location to find anothercovey, and the “work” started all overagain. The brush was usually thin andthe walking easy. The dogs were wellmannered and knew what they were thereto do. The birds were surprisingly goodflyers but a few of them decided theyliked landing in the trees better than onthat hard ground, and they had to becoaxed with dirt clods into taking a sec-ond flight from their temporary roosts.We ended the day with 32 birds, a verynice morning on a lovely ranch.

ber, Dave sets up for Hungarian partridgeand sharptailed grouse in Saskatchewanwhere he also enjoys the status of exclu-sive Orvis Endorsement.

For more info: Dave Brown Outfit-ters, 520-604-2729, www.DaveBrownOutfitters.com.

The Duquense House, www.theduquesnehouse.com.

Circle Z Ranch, www.circlez.com.—Conrad LaPierre



While headed back to the lodge, wespotted four hogs running alongside ourScrambler. I happened to have in myvehicle a Model 94 Winchester .30-30with iron sights, so we retrieved it andTim’s rifle, and went to the rifle range tosee if we could hit anything. We could,but we came up empty-handed when wesearched for a hog to practice on. Withno hogs wanting to be chased, we wereback at the sporting clays range to fin-ish out the day.

Day 2 started, as usual, with break-fast. But, not as usual, this time we hadgrits and Grandma’s molasses to go withour eggs, sausage and biscuits. That is agreat example of how you get treatedon this ranch; just mention somethingthat you like and if it is in their powerto do it or get it, it gets done or gotten.The other change for Day 2 was that wegot a new guide, Ryan Kelso, who wasworking part time at the ranch while

going to Texas A&M. This was to be hisfirst time guiding anyone. Tim pulledout his 20-gauge and I decided to trymy luck with a .410.

Ryan got to the first spot, and welet the dogs loose. After doing their usualmarking of the place, they began run-ning ahead but always close. It tookawhile to find the first bird, and it was along way from where it was expected tobe. We found the remains of one quailthat a hawk had made short work of andthat explained the migration. Listeningto the scattered bob white calls showedus where to send the dogs and soon theywere quickly on point. The 20-gauge and.410 guns did their jobs as we got thegentleman bobs up, usually one-by-one.That reminded me of the old story aboutthe best bird dog in the world, Jake. Jakewould find a covey of quail and gentlyprod them down into a rabbit hole, puthis foot over the hole, and then let the

birds out, one-by-one.We continued our hunt until we

located most of the birds, the rest beingthe ones we missed and which flewacross Carter Creek and out of our terri-tory. Ryan did a good job for his firstday as a guide, and we were well satis-fied. While our birds were being cleaned,frozen and packed in a Tonkaway Ranchcooler, we had another sumptuous mealbefore heading back to Dallas.

If you arrange to go on this hunt,Kyle will probably tell you — like hetold us —”Bring all your toys when youcome: rifles for hogs, shotguns for clays,two flats of shells, your favorite fishingrod for bass on one of their many lakes,and we’ll use them. We want you tohave a great time.”

And we did.Tonkaway Ranch, Kyle Kacal,

979-268-4970, www.tonkaway.com.—Curt Frisbie

Dateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: ArgentinaDateline: Argentina

Ducks, Perdiz, Pigeonsand Doves

• Timetable: April 15 through July 31• Accommodations: Estancia• Food: Regional fine dining• Hunt: Moderate

Less than a two-hour drive southfrom Buenos Aires, bird hunting enthu-siasts will find Los Crestones, David De-nies’ new addition to its selection ofSouth American sporting destinations.In late April, Jeri Booth, founder of TheDetail Company Adventures, told meabout Los Crestones and despite the veryshort notice and a few weather inconve-niences, organized a most professionaltrip in the middle of June.

After hunting for five days in EstanciaNinette in Uruguay, I took the BuqueBus(Boat Bus) on which Booth had bookedme from Colonia, Uruguay, to BuenosAires, Argentina. The BuqueBus navigatesfor less than one hour on the River Plateand bird hunters are welcomed to travelwith their guns. It offers wireless Internet,comfortable seating, a cocktail, a greatview, and it arrives on time in Argentina.

The Detail Company’s Englishspeaking representative awaited us at the

station and had all gun-processing pa-perwork done. Customs and immigrationprocedures at the ferry station are very simi-lar to those at the airport. Soon, LosCrestones’ representative arrived, and webegan driving to General Belgrano.

The picturesque estancia (manorhome) is a classic marvel built in 1886. Itoffers eight large, single rooms all withprivate baths, ample space, high-thread

count bed sheets, plush bath sheets (largethick towels), heaters and AC, a full rangeof toiletries including bathing salts, andlarge canvas laundry bags. Laundry ser-vice, including ironing and dry cleaning,is offered daily for an extra charge, androom turndowns occur every afternoon.Bottled waters, gourmet chocolates, andcurrent sporting reading material arealways displayed on hunters’ night tables.

The 24-hour burning fireplaces acrossthe estancia add an additional sense oftranquility to an already serene ambi-ance. It is clear Los Crestones has thoughtof just about everything to ensure supremecomfort while living monumental sport-ing experiences.

An eight-gun occupancy is the limitand small parties are the rule, not theexception. Parties of just one bird hunterare also welcomed, something not oftenseen in the sporting travel industry.

The classic hunting package at LosCrestones includes a four-day experiencethat includes duck hunting in the morn-ings and perdiz, decoying pigeons oreared doves in the afternoons. One of thebiggest benefits of Los Crestones is thatits small group focus allows customersto ideally design their own hunting ex-perience through their booking agents.

Early morning wake-up calls comein the form of three gentle knocks onyour door and after an elegant and com-plete breakfast, wing shooters board anyone of Los Crestones’ four Toyota, ex-tended cab trucks and embark on a 35-to 45-minute ride. Clients are scheduledto be in their duck blinds roughly 20minutes before sunrise.

Guests will hunt 12 species of ducks



Things to Do, Places to Go,New Developments

Oklahoma — Oklahoma Dept. ofWildlife Moving Forward on QuailResearch

From newsok.com:Oklahoma has long been known

as home to some of the best quail habi-tat and quail hunting in the nation, butthe species is currently in a state of un-explained gradual decline.

State wildlife officials are planninga research project with Oklahoma StateUniversity to try and determine reasonsfor the decline.

The Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife

Conservation also will be working withthe Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranchas well as Texas A&M and Texas Techuniversities on a similar project.

Biologists of the Wildlife Dept. willbegin trapping quail in August andsending them to Texas Tech where re-search will commence in the areas ofdisease, parasitism, herbicides, insec-ticides and other issues.

“The August, September, Octobertimeframe is where we’re focusing be-cause that seems to be the window of dis-appearance — the Bermuda triangle, ifyou will,” said Alan Peoples, chief of thewildlife division for the Wildlife Dept.

For more info: www.wildlifedepartment.com.

• • •Survey Says: Increase in Breed-

ing DucksFrom startribune.com:


Correction:Correction:Correction:Correction:Correction:In the July 2011 issue of The Bird

Hunting Report, we gave the incorrectphone number for Blackfoot GuideService. The correct number is 806-842-3965. We apologize for the error.

Briefly NotedBriefly NotedBriefly NotedBriefly NotedBriefly Noted

including rosy-billed pochards,Argentinean shovelers, yellow-billed pin-tails, southern wigeons and speckled teals.All guests are offered “man-made” dryblinds or comfortable “natural” blindssurrounded by marshes of knee-deepwater. There is a private guide for everytwo hunters, and exceptional dog workcan be enjoyed while ducks continuouslypitch into the fresh water marshes and largeponds. Both pass shooting and decoyingbirds are offered. In addition, single hunt-ers are also assigned a full-time guide andduck dog. The guides place out differenttypes of decoys, including the MOJOwing rotator, do all the calling, are po-lite, friendly and speak English. LosCrestones has established a self-imposedlimit of 40 ducks in the morning repre-senting the best balance between respon-sible conservation practices, local regula-tions and memorable action shooting.Wing shooters are welcomed to bring theirdogs and the staff will gladly board themfor an extra charge.

We returned to the estancia ataround 11:30 a.m. after a fine morningas an “asado” (traditional Argentineanwood grilling) was cooking on the firepit. Lunch would be served in one hour,and I decided to change, pour a glass ofMalbec wine and visit one of the manyfireplaces in the stately rooms decoratedwith age-old antiques. A full bar and finecigars were within arm’s reach.

After we enjoyed medium rare ten-derloin meats, succulent and juicy beefribs full of flavor, and perfectly cooked

local sausages, we were presented withthree flavors of shaved homemade icecreams with melted “dulce de leche,” avery sweet, almost creamish sauce mak-ing all the difference. Hunters may thenchoose to pour themselves more wine,take quick naps and be awakened at 2:30

p.m. for the late afternoon duck shoot.One can choose more water fowling in

the afternoons or opt for decoying pigeons,where guests can expect to shoot between25 and 45 birds. Additionally, hunters maychoose to pursue the perdiz, (spottedtinamou) with a seven-bird limit over en-thusiastic English pointers, German short-hairs, vizslas or French Brittanys.

In the event world-class dove shoot-ing is requested, one can expect to shootabout 10-15 boxes in the afternoon withno limits, as these sporting birds are con-sidered a plague. One box of dove shellswill cost $14 USD and duck loads are $16USD. Both shells are imported and arequality cartridges. In addition, LosCrestones offers a wide range of gun

rentals, such as Benelli Centro Sport andM1 Super 90 models, over-underBrownings and Berettas in all gauges,and semi-automatic Berettas such as theA-390. The daily gun rental fee is $70 USD.Guests who plan to bring their .410 boreshotguns to hunt with need to inform LosCrestones three weeks in advance to givethe managers enough time to obtain car-tridges. Gun slips are also provided at noextra charge. As far as any specialized geargoes, it’s always a good idea to pack somecomfortable rubber boots, which can beworn during both duck hunts and uplandhunts. Hip waders and chest waders arealso offered for borrowing at no cost.

Hunters can visit weather websitesonline to get an idea of the weather andtemperatures in Argentina, but bookingagents can usually inform them as to whatclothing to pack. The months of Junethrough August comprise winter in Ar-gentina, and temperatures may vary from45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the earlypart of the season and to 35 to 50 by July.

American Airlines and Delta offerflights into Buenos Aires and all oneneeds for entry is a passport with pref-erably six months remaining before theexpiration date.

As is customary, ammunition costs,gratuities, telephone calls, baggage over-weight charges, and other items personalin nature will not be included in the price.

The Detail Company Adventures,Jeri Booth, 832-473-1474, www.detailcompany.com.

—Charles R. Jordan



The Fish and Wildlife Service saysbreeding duck numbers across U.S.prairies and in Canada and Alaska rose11 percent from a year ago, to 45.6million birds.

Last year’s figure was 40.8 million.The 2011 count is 35 percent

higher than the long-term average,which dates to the 1950s.

Total ponds counted in prairieCanada and in the north central U.S. were8.1 million, 22 percent higher than the6.7 million ponds counted in 2010.

Duck production and therefore thesize of the fall flight usually vary withpond abundance.

According to the service:• Estimated mallard abundance was

9.2 million birds, a 9 percent increase fromthe 2010 estimate of 8.4 million birds.

• Blue-winged teal estimated abun-dance was a record 8.9 million, whichwas 41 percent above the 2010 estimateof 6.3 million, and 91 percent above thelong-term average.

• The northern pintail estimate of4.4 million was 26 percent above the2010 estimate of 3.5 million, and simi-lar to the long-term average.

• Estimated abundance of Americanwigeon was 14 percent below the 2010estimate and 20 percent below the long-term average.

• The combined (lesser and greater)scaup estimate of 4.3 million was simi-lar to that of 2010 and 15 percent belowthe long-term average of 5.1 million. Thecanvasback estimate of 700,000 wassimilar to the 2010 estimate and 21 per-cent above the long-term average.

In the eastern survey area, estimatedmallard abundance was 400,000 birds,similar to the 2010 estimate and thelong-term average. Estimated blackduck abundance was 400,000 birds,which was similar to 2010, but 13 per-cent below the long-term average. Habi-tat conditions in the eastern survey areawere good to excellent; in particular,conditions in Ontario and southern Que-bec improved from 2010 to 2011.

The service uses the annual surveyto establish its waterfowl conservationprograms and regulatory frameworks forwaterfowl hunting season lengths, datesand bag limits.

•From theoutdoorwire.com:

This year’s survey reveals the sec-ond-highest pond count and a record45.6 million ducks, the most since thesurvey was started in 1955.

But not all is well across the U.S.and Canadian prairies. While water isgreat for ducks, excessive snow pack andheavy spring rains produced extreme

flooding across much of the prairie breed-ing grounds. From the Canadian prairiesto the Dakotas and eastern Montana, tensof thousands of homeowners have beendisplaced by swollen rivers, millions ofacres of cropland remain unplanted andhundreds of miles of roads are under wa-ter. The closely watched May ponds to-tal, the second-highest ever, doesn’t dojustice to the unprecedented flooding stillterrorizing residents of the breedinggrounds. Across the U.S. side of the re-gion, the last three years have been thewettest since pond counts began. The 3.2million ponds inventoried in the U.S. thisspring were the most on record.

The 4.9 million ponds in prairieCanada were 43 percent more than thelong-term average, which dates backto 1955, and brings the total pond countacross the traditional survey area to 8.1million, second only to the 8.3 millionrecorded in 1974.

Not surprisingly, all that water at-tracted a record number of ducks. The12.5 million breeding ducks that settledin the eastern half of the Dakotas wasthe most ever, and was 172 percentabove average.

• • •Oregon — Program Pays Land-

owners To Allow Public HuntingFrom eastoregonian.com:Columbia Basin landowners with

good upland bird habitat on their prop-erties can earn some additional incomeby providing public hunting access.

The Oregon Dept. of Fish andWildlife’s new Oregon Open Fields pro-

gram, funded by a federal grant, seeks toopen 95,000 acres of private land in theColumbia Basin to upland bird hunting.

Landowners who participate willreceive payment based on criteria likethe size of the access area and type ofaccess permitted. The two types ofaccess are advance reservations requiredor walk-in hunting. Payment will rangefrom 78 cents to $3 per acre. Paymentsfor hunting access for similar programsaverage about $2 an acre.

“This is an FSA-funded hunting-ac-cess program for landowners who havefarmland and want to allow public ac-cess,” said Darcy Sexson, executive di-rector of the Umatilla County Farm Ser-vice Agency.

The ODFW staff helps landownerswho participate in the program by post-ing signs, installing permit boxes, pa-trolling properties, coordinating hunterreservations, and managing all otheraspects of the hunting access program.The state also provides liability protec-tion for participating landowners.

The Oregon Open Fields programis administered through the ODFWAccess and Habitat Program and is

BHR Field StaffBHR Field StaffBHR Field StaffBHR Field StaffBHR Field Staff


The Bird Hunting Report is alwayslooking for people to join its Field Staff,subscribers who go above and beyondthe call by filing extensive reports ongreat places to hunt (or to avoid). Thesesubscribers who file the reports found inour “Field Notes” section remain “onstaff” for a year and receive a specialBHR cap.

Our current team members includeCurtis Frisbee, John Hattner, JosephS. String, Brad Watts, Gary Sanden,Mark Rousseau and WoodsWeathersby.

Reports need to be honest and bal-anced, indicating the bad as well as thegood. So instead of just filing the usual“Hunt Report Form,” why not join ourField Staff by submitting a completeaccount for “Field Notes” at The BirdHunting Report, PO Box 328, Boyds,MD 20841; 240-599-7679 (fax);[email protected].



funded by a grant from the U.S. Dept. ofAgriculture’s Farm Service Agency.

For more information about partici-pating in the Oregon Open Fields pro-gram: ODFW, 503-947-6317.

• • •California — Waterfowl Hunting

Check Station Operations to Changefor 2011-2012 Season

From redbluffdailynews.com:The California Dept. of Fish and

Game (DFG) advises hunters to planahead during the upcoming 2011-2012waterfowl season in California.

Check stations at Type A WildlifeAreas will no longer sell passes or anylicense items on-site. Hunters will needto make all such purchases in advance.

One-day passes, which were for-merly available only at waterfowl checkstations, as well as two-day and seasonpasses and stamps, must be purchasedfrom DFG license agents or license salesoffices through DFG’s new AutomatedLicense Data System (ALDS) prior tothe shoot day.

Daily hunting permits will not beissued at Type A Wildlife Areas with-out proof of a pre-paid one-day, two-day or season pass for the 2011-2012waterfowl check station.

Type B Wildlife Areas will stillrequire proof of a season pass for issu-ance of a daily hunting permit.

Through ALDS, licenses, stamps,permits and passes are printed instantlyat DFG license sales offices and approxi-mately 1,500 license agent locations. Thefirst time customers purchase licensesvia ALDS, their customer informationand hunter education certification isstored in the ALDS database, making fu-ture transactions quicker and easier.

The 2011-2012 waterfowl huntingseason will open in October. To find alicense agent near you, to purchase itemsonline, or for more information onALDS: www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing.

• • •Pennsylvania — Public Comment

Sought from PA Game Commission:The Pennsylvania Game Com-

mission is seeking public input on adraft ruffed grouse management plan,which can be reviewed on the agency’swebsite (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by click-ing on the “Draft Grouse ManagementPlan” or “Draft Bobwhite Quail Plan”

icons under the large photo in the cen-ter of the homepage.

Public comments on the agency’sruffed grouse and bobwhite quail man-agement plans will be accepted untilSept. 1, via the website or by mail to:Ruffed Grouse Management Plan orBobwhite Quail Plan, PennsylvaniaGame Commission, 2001 ElmertonAve., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.

• • •Colorado — DOW Done with Jack-

son Area Wetlands ProjectFrom fortmorgantimes.com:The Colorado Div. of Wildlife

recently completed a major wetlandrenovation project at the AndrickPonds State Wildlife Area southwest of

Jackson Lake in Morgan County.This 710-acre property, the former

Centennial Hunt Club, sits in “theGolden Triangle” — the region betweenRiverside, Empire and Jackson reser-voirs renowned for large numbers ofducks and geese and for quality water-fowl hunting it provides.

Andrick Ponds also contains an ex-tensive network of recharge ponds andwetlands. These recharge ponds gener-ate augmentation credits that help tosupport local irrigated agriculture.

DOW bought the property in 2009with funds used from the Habitat Stampprogram. The purchase ensures that as-sociated water rights will remain in thelower South Platte River, eliminatingthe risk of the water being sold or ex-changed for upstream municipal uses.

The recently completed project atAndrick Ponds involved the replacing orinstalling 22 water control structures andrenovating more than 3,000 linear feet ofprimary ditches. This will allow for bet-ter water level management in shallow

feeding zones for waterfowl, shorebirdsand other wetland-dependent wildlife.It also improves the efficiency of the re-charge structures, which should generateincreased recharge credits over time.

Andrick Ponds is open for wildlifeviewing and waterfowl, small game andturkey hunting. Waterfowl hunting isby reservation only.

• • •Minnesota — Counts Indicate

Ruffed Grouse Population RemainsNear Peak

From bemidjipioneer.com:Minnesota’s grouse population

trends are calculated, at least in part, bythe number of drums that are heard dur-ing the annual 10-mile rides through thegrouse range. Identical routes are fol-lowed each year and after each mile thesurvey crews stop their vehicles and lis-ten for four minutes.

Based on recent population figuresand the positive position within the 10-year population cycle, DNR officialsexpected to be kept busy this spring re-cording the drums. And those expecta-tions were met.

Statewide, the listeners heard anaverage of 1.7 drums per stop. In 2009the figure was 2.0, and last spring theaverage was 1.5 drums per stop.

In the Northeast region this year’sfigure was 1.9, an increase of 18 per-cent from 2010. The counters in theNorthwest region recorded 2.1 drumsper stop this spring, a figure that rep-resents a 16 percent increase from the1.9 drums in 2010.

The Bemidji area is located withinthe cusp of the Northwest and Northeastregions in terms of the grouse survey.

Area DNR Wildlife assistant super-visor Blane Klemek conducts two localdrumming route surveys each spring and,even though he expected a favorable re-port, he was surprised by the results.

“My first route is in thePennington area and last year I heardseven drumming males during the 10miles,” Klemek said. “But this year Irecorded 24 drums. The other route isnear Buena Vista and I went from fourdrums over the 10 miles to 17.

“Statewide the increases may notbe statistically significant but my tworoutes increased 273 percent and thatis huge. I think my results are statisti-



cally significant,” Klemek added.A number of factors probably influ-

enced this spring’s Bemidji area drum-ming count increase and among themwould be ideal weather conditions onthe day of the survey.

“If it is rainy or windy, you don’t dothe route,” Klemek said. “You try to picka calm morning and you want to be onthe route by sunup. And this year I hadthe best survey conditions you couldpossibly have,” Klemek said.

High drumming counts do not al-ways translate into birds in the bag dur-ing the fall hunting season, especiallywhen rain and cold are part of the springweather scene.

“The jury is still out as to how mucheffect the weather will have on thegrouse population,” Klemek said.“Based on the drumming counts and thenumber of adult birds that seem to beout there, you could make the leap to agood year for grouse hunting. But somuch depends upon the weather.”

For the second straight yearMinnesota’s sharp-tailed grouse popu-lation experienced a slight drop.

In 2009 observers recorded anaverage of 13.6 sharp-tails per lek. A yearago the figure was 10.7 and this springit dipped to 10.2.

Klemek surveys 12 leks in theBemidji area and this spring they aver-aged 13.5 birds per lek. Most of the leksare located in northern Beltrami Countybut two of them are in Clearwater County.

A year ago the Bemidji area leksaveraged 14.7 birds.

“I would say our sharptail popula-tion is stable,” Klemek said.

Statewide this year’s 10.2 bird av-erage is similar to the long-term aver-age since 1980. The 13.6 average in 2009was the highest of any year since 1980.

Sharptail populations appear tohave declined over the long term as aresult of habitat deterioration.

• • •Florida — Plantation Offers Quail

Hunts

Quail Creek Plantation inOkeechobee is about a 2 1/2-hour drivefrom Miami-Dade and Broward coun-ties. It is located about 20 miles west ofI-95 and Orange Ave. in Fort Pierce.

Open to the public since 2001, this

3,400-acre resort offers guided quailhunting from Oct. 1 through March18;guided turkey hunting in season; andsporting clays year round.

General manager Fred Fanizzi saidhe releases his quail in August and Sep-tember — well before the hunting sea-son opens — and supplements them infall and winter as needed.

“The days of finding eight to 10coveys a day of wild quail are few andfar between,” Fanizzi said. “We are asclose to a wild bird hunt as we can be.”

Quail Creek Plantation, 12399 NE224 St., Okeechobee; 863-763-2529;visit www.quailcreekplantation.com.

• • •New York — Biologists Map Strat-

egy to Save Spruce GrouseBy Mary Esch, Associated Press:Genetic analysis at the state mu-

seum confirms what biologists squishingthrough Adirondack bogs already knew:New York’s population of the sprucegrouse, a chicken-like bird of the bo-real forest, is nearing extinction.

While boreal species are plentifulfurther north in Canada, biologists sayglobal climate change and habitat lossare driving them out of the southernreaches of their range.

The spruce grouse is the most threat-ened of all because it lives in isolatedand shrinking patches of bog and doesn’tfly off in search of new territory like song-birds do. Biologists estimate there are100 to 200 left in the Adirondacks.

The state Dept. of EnvironmentalConservation has drafted a Spruce GrouseRecovery Plan, to be released this sum-mer, which will explore ways to save thespecies. Among the possibilities is captur-ing spruce grouse in Ontario, where they’replentiful, and releasing them in theAdirondacks to refresh a gene pool de-pleted by decades of inbreeding.

Angelena Ross, a DEC biologistwho has studied spruce grouse for manyyears, said the ruffed grouse, while notendangered, is also declining in thematuring hardwood forests of theNortheast because they need the coverprovided by young trees.

The plan will be released for publiccomment soon, she said.

• • •Texas — Toxicologists Receive

$846,000 to Find Cause of Plummet-ing Quail Population

From Texas Tech University:Researchers at The Institute of En-

vironmental and Human Health (TIEHH)at Texas Tech University recently re-ceived $846,000 to fund three studieslooking at diminishing bobwhite quailpopulations across the state.

The money is part of $1.97 millionallocated to Texas Tech as well asTexas A&M University by the RollingPlains Quail Research Foundation todiscover the culprit as to why thesequail populations have dwindled to thelowest on record.

The three-year project is titled Op-eration Idiopathic Decline as a nod tothe unknown reasons.

Though quail have been on thedecline for the past 20 years, RonKendall, director of TIEHH and lead in-vestigator for one of the three Texas Techresearch projects, said last year saw thegreatest decline yet.

“I’d say the fall quail population onthe Rolling Plains of Texas — one ofgreatest quail hunting areas in the coun-try — declined by as much as 80 to 90percent last year,” he said.

Because of an abundance of rain andfood thanks to last year’s El Nino weatherevent, Kendall said most scientists haveruled out the weather as the culprit.

“We think, at the end of the day,it’s a disease or disease/contaminationinterface,” he said. “So we’ll be tryingto find out what those contaminantsare.”

Steve Presley, a zoonotic diseaseresearcher in charge of the central receiv-ing lab and disease studies at TIEHH,said researchers at Texas Tech hadfound evidence of West Nile virus andNewcastle disease virus in quail popu-lations last year.



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Supplement to The Bird Hunting Report

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(please see other side for self-guided hunt)

Dear Subscriber: The Bird Hunting Report gets the word out on both good and bad hunts. Please share yourrecent experiences in the field by filling out this form. Your report is invaluable to fellow subscribers; it willhelp them decide where to hunt and with whom. If you want to order other subscribers’ reports to plan yourhunts, see the Hunt Report Service Box in your newsletter. Thank you!

Date of trip____________________ to____________________20_____Outfitter or Lodge/Preserve Operator ___________________________________________________________Address (please fill out completely, or give name/telephone number of booking agent – see below)Street or box number _______________________________________________________________________City ___________________________ State ________Zip ________ Telephone ______________________Web site ___________________________Personal guide (if different from above)_________________________________________________________Booking agent (if any) ______________________________________ Telephone ______________________Place you hunted (State/Province/Country) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Specific area(s) ______________________________________________ Abundant Average ScarceSpecies sought ______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce

______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce

Type of hunt (walk up, pit blind, etc.) __________________________________________________________

RATINGS

Airline _______________________________________ Please rate overall service, 1 to 10 (10 is highest)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YOUR SUMMARY REMARKSHunt highlights/special features _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Problems (if any) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you recommend this trip to a friend?_____ Why or why not? __________________________________Cost of trip excluding air fare _____________________________ Air fare ____________________________Cost of shells _______________________

PERSONAL DATAYour name _______________________________________ Date of report ____________________________Your address ______________________________________________________________________________Telephone (optional) _____________________________ E-mail ____________________________________

Outfitter/OperatorEquipment condition Excellent Good Fair PoorAccommodations Excellent Good Fair PoorCuisine Excellent Good Fair PoorDog work Excellent Good Fair Poor

Personal GuideKnowledge of hunt area Excellent Good Fair PoorHunting ability Excellent Good Fair PoorCommunications Excellent Good Fair PoorPersonality/Attitude Excellent Good Fair Poor

Mail to The Bird Hunting Report, PO Box 328, Boyds, MD 20841voice 301-528-0011 • fax 240-599-7679

www.birdhuntingreport.com

Mail to The Bird Hunting Report, PO Box 328, Boyds, MD 20841voice 301-528-0011 • fax 240-599-7679

Supplement to The Bird Hunting Report

Hunt Report FormSelf-Guided Hunt

(please see other side for outfitted hunt)

Dear Subscriber: The Bird Hunting Report gets the word out on both good and bad hunts. Please share yourrecent experiences in the field by filling out this form. Your report is invaluable to fellow subscribers; it willhelp them decide where to hunt and with whom. If you want to order other subscribers’ reports to plan yourhunts, see the Hunt Report Service Box in your newsletter. Thank you!

Date of trip____________________ to____________________20_____

Place you hunted (State/Province/Country) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Specific area(s) ______________________________________________ Abundant Average ScarceSpecies sought ______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce

______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce______________________________________________ Abundant Average Scarce

Type of hunt (walk up, pit blind, etc.) __________________________________________________________Permits, licenses, etc., required _______________________________________________________________How obtained _____________________________________________________________________________Special gear needed (decoys, waders, etc.) _______________________________________________________Dog requirement (if any) ____________________________________________________________________Where you stayed __________________________________________________________________________Address (Street or box #) ____________________________________________________________________City ___________________________ State ________Zip ________ Telephone ______________________Transportation in area _______________________________________________________________________How and where arranged ____________________________________________________________________Airline used (if any) ____________________________ Please rate overall service, 1 to 10 (10 is highest)_____Comment ________________________________________________________________________________Whom to contact to set up this hunt and phone number if available) __________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

YOUR SUMMARY REMARKSHunt highlights/special features _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Problems (if any) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Would you recommend this trip to a friend?_____ Why or why not? __________________________________Cost of trip excluding air fare _____________________________ Air fare ____________________________

PERSONAL DATAYour name _______________________________________ Date of report ____________________________Your address ______________________________________________________________________________Telephone (optional) _____________________________ E-mail ____________________________________

www.birdhuntingreport.com

Documents

Vol. 23, No. 8 August 2011 · etables and choco-late delight cake; · Green salad with prosciutto, al-monds and grated parmesan cheese, chicken rolls with scalloped potatoes and caramelized