jackshoe

I have a two year old female that I bought as a puppy from Desert Point Kennels. She is a beautiful black and white gsp and a great companion and hunter. She was a natural retriever and honored the other dogs points from the first time she saw another dog on point. very smart and biddable and hardly required any training, just did this naturally by instinct. She is great around people and other dogs. I know of three other dogs that came from desert point kennels, and they all made nice hunting dogs.

Don't know of anyone in the east valley. Pratt's feed store in glendale usually has some. Call before you drive over there to make sure they have some. last one's I bought there were $2 a bird.

contact Rick Maher at weimviz.com He and his wife Debbie raise Weimaraner and Vizslas and know all the breeders in the area. They also do really good snake proofing clinics at a reasonable price.

1uglydude, in response to your question, no. If you think that someone who works for a bureaucracy would do something like this without the ok from his superiors you are naive. That would be akin to the whitehouse chief of staff deciding to go target shooting and joining the NRA expecting no repercussions. because he did it on his own time. As far as overgrazing affecting mearns or any other wildlife, overgrazing harms the habitat and all of the animals that live on it. Having said that, I have been told by a AG&F biologist that mearns do better in country that is grazed properly than they do in country that isn't grazed at all. The understory on the grasses becomes so thick and matted that the birds can't get around on the ground in areas that aren't grazed at all.

The reasons that I posted this topic in the first place is because I don't think it is the job of our game and fish department to do anything to put more stress on a resource that is already stressed. I have no idea if Kirby Bristow took compensation for guiding. If I had to bet on it I would give long odds that he did not, as that would be blatantly illegal. I also doubt if he took a bunch of guys hunting that were from the Midwest just because he's a nice guy and he stands on a street corner looking for people he doesn't know to take hunting for free. I didn't make this story up or enhance it any. Go buy Gundog magazine March/April/May 2015 volume 32 number 2 and read it for yourself. If you think no one will come here just to hunt mearns quail, guess again. Go to any café in Patagonia or Sonoita in mearns season and see how many outfitters and their clients are eating breakfast there, and how many rental cars and out of state tags are parked at the motels. Mearns are arguably the premier bird in the world to shoot over a pointing dog because the hold so well, and unlike some of the other great game birds like chukar and pheasant they live in a relatively small area in Arizona and New Mexico and no where else. Guide fees for a day of mearns hunting is typically $600.00 for one hunter and $850.00 for two hunters. I think game and fish shouldn't be involved in commercializing our game and fish resources. I don't know what steps need to be taken to protect the resource, but publishing the article in a national magazine and having no limit on the number of out of state hunters that can come and hunt isn't the answer.

I highly recommend desert point kennels if you want a gsp that is a hunting dog. I have a female that I hunted this year through the quail season, she is ten months old NOW. SHE WAS A NATURAL ON POINTING, RETREIVING AND HONORING other dogs points. the only training I did with her was making sure she was ok around gunfire before I started taking her hunting, and it was a non issue. I didn't hunt waterfowl with her but she loves the water and I'm sure she would fit right in for ducks or doves. Has a great disposition, likes all the people and dogs she's met, and started pointing mearns quail after she retrieved one bird, and is beautiful to look at.The kennel is in Wellton, Arizona. Give Randy Randall a call at 209-256-4853. He has a great breeding program breeding hunting dogs for foot hunters, or check out his website.

TJ- Ann and I send our condolences. Leonard was a great guy and a lot of fun to be in camp with, much like you. Next time you and I share a camp fire we'll tip one in his memory-I hope it's sometime soon.

This is the first year in quite a few that we have had a decent population of Mears quail down south, and all of the upland bird hunters are pretty excited about the prospects of having an above average year next year if the summer monsoons deliver again. Evidently, AZG&F are excited also and want to share the wealth. All I've heard all year from AZG&F is only shoot the covey rise, shoot half a limit, don't shoot at all if a covey has 4 birds or less and so on, to make sure we have enough birds left for brood stock in the Mearns population. Then today I get my copy of Gun Dog magazine, and the title of the letter from the Editor is Mearns Mania. He goes on to tell how he left the frozen Midwest to come to sunny Arizona in mid December for a Mearns hunt hosted by Stevens shotguns and D.T. systems with additional support from Federal Ammunition and Q5 outdoor Products.(an in state company) Guides were Kirby Bristow, A Wildlife Research Specialist with Arizona Game and Fish Department, and Brett Browning of Bella Reta Upland Outfitters. Wonder if Kirby had a guides license? Well known outdoor writer Ron Spomer was also on the trip, and he will write a feature article about the hunt in the August issue of Gun Dog magazine. So if any of you local upland bird hunters who aren't being guided by game and fish staff want a room in Patagonia, Sonoita, or Nogales for the season opener next year, better get it now. Might be a little crowded for those of us who don't have access to guides and private property in Southern Arizona next winter

Weatherby SA-08 youth model shot gun for sale. Semi auto shot gun with synthetic stock. Had it cut down to fit my wife even more than the already short youth stock. She tore a rotar cuff and can no longer shoot it. Would be a great gun for a youngster or a small woman. My wife is about 5'1" and it fits her great with the extra cut on the stock. Has had 5 or 6 boxes of shells shot through it. Has both gas valves for light and heavy loads. Can shoot from light target loads to three inch magnums. This shotgun is about $ 550.00 dollars new + tax. Will take $450.00 firm. Comes with swivels and a sling. Comes with 3 screw in chokes and a choke wrench. You can contact me at 480-250-3937. Ask for Ted.

Thanks guys. I'll give him a call.

I have a pair of mearns quail I would like to have mounted. Any suggestions on a taxidermist who does a nice job on birds at a reasonable price? Thanks. Jackshoe

I remember seeing a post about a member who has a mobile trailer service. I need the wheel bearings packed on my travel trailer and was wondering if anyone has his name and contact information. If so call or text me at 480-250-3937. Thanks. Ted Bounds

Great job Peggy! You put the smack down on that old bird! Thanks for sharing. Really nice job on the video.

Thanks TJ and Amanda. I'm looking forward to being able to walk withour pain again. Wish you could be with us at the Juan this year Tom. The boys will all miss you, and me too. Ted B.

The article also makes mention of the raptor population on the ranch. Pen raised birds don't have a chance against raptors or any other wild predator. I think for the reintroduction efforts to have a chance of success, some serious predator control would have to be implemented and give the released birds a chance to live long enough to become wild. Doubt that this will ever happen with the feds involved. I have read several privately owned plantations have done this in the south, along with habitat improvement, and are having good success reintroducing bobwhite quail in areas where they have been scares for decades.