Hi all! Sorry for the lack of posts in the last week or so- it’s been quite slow on the hunting front over here! BUT! As I mentioned in the last #tbt post, I had been anticipating our exciting quail hunt in Denmark, SC for quite a while. This past Saturday was the day, and we really had a lot of fun. Arriving around 9 am, we gathered our gear and loaded up in the Willys jeep (also seen in the previous quail post). Unfortunately, we were unable to use the two mules again, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Inclement weather approaching, we wanted to get as many stops in as possible before getting rained out, and the jeep proved to be a much faster form of transportation. The first stop was quite a success- 7 quail down out of the first covey rise! Those little things can scoot, so reaction time is key. I had forgotten how much your adrenaline gets pumping when you see the dogs take off from their pens, sprinting into the brush, and then stop still in their tracks when they have found the quail. Their typically hyper-active bodies go rigid- almost perfectly still- in anticipation of the covey rise. We recently got a GoPro (Thanks Mom and Dad!) for my dad and me to take to Argentina in a couple of weeks, so this was the perfect adventure in which to try it out. Along with some incredible shots, we got about 35 minutes of video, so I am working on sorting through it putting it together in another video diary for you!
It started off cloudy and around 45 degrees out, which was actually very comfortable. However, it quickly dropped into the mid-thirties by 11 am, also giving us a nice amount of rain and sleet in which to hunt. Brrr rabbit. After only 4 more stops, it was time to head in for lunch. Unfortunately, the rain picked up even more, and we had to call the hunt. I won’t lie, it was pretty cold, and the thought of walking through the freezing rain was a bit too daunting. Nonetheless, we came home with 15 quail, and had everyone over that night for a grilling extravaganza. Bacon-wrapped quail recipe coming soon!
Can’t wait to share the recipe!