Thanks for the welcome.

The reason all the blue quail are gone is because mark3 potshoots them, kicks them in the face, and slides into them like he's sliding into home plate. I can't recall how many slaughters I've been to with him, but it ain't purty!! 12 Ga magnum with #4 shot so he can shoot them before they fly! The poor things don't have a chance!!!

Huh, if I remember right you are the plugless wonder with the 20 gauge out the window. And I have never kicked a blue in the face that I shot on the ground. Maybe off the high-line wire, but not the ground.

That Beretta's sure quick to spit out 4 shots, ain't it?? I wish it held 5!!

i hunted gambels before i moved to texas. gambels are just like blues. now i hunt blues. love it. i think all this boils down to some hunters are out to kill as many birds as possible. those are the skillet hunters. then there are those that are out because they want good dog work. they shoot just enough birds to keep the dogs motivated. they hunt terrain that have just enough cover to hold the birds after the first flush. no skillet shooting here. i feel there is a sense of maturity at this level

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i think all this boils down to some hunters are out to kill as many birds as possible. those are the skillet hunters.

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I'll take a skillet shot, and probably shoot less birds a year than the average hunter. I rarely take more than 12 birds a year.

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i feel there is a sense of maturity at this level

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So it's immature in your opinion to take a skillet shot?

i am speaking in general terms, not all hunters but those hunters that feel they have to kill there limit every time out are either young hunters who havent reached a level that being outdoors is more than limiting out or older hunters who do not hunt very often. these are the guys who will do whatever it takes to kill a limit. so in terms of being a responsible outdoorsman yes if feel they have not yet reached the same level as hunters who do not have to kill as many birds as possible and feel like it was a waste of time if they didnt. again i am speaking generally here and not saying ALL hunters who skillet shoot are immature.

In 11 years of guiding quail (blues and an occassional covey of bobs) as a sideline to deer hunts I have never seen anyone bring in their limit of quail. They have hit enough to fill a limit but very few people listen when you tell them if it is flopping on the ground you better go get it because it will not be there when you get back. I have seen a blue take two 12 guage blasts (he was in the center or the patterns as the pellets hit the ground) and fly away. They are tough beautiful birds and deserve more respect than what they get. Blues in cactus are murder on dogs in my opinion. What bothers me is not so much ground shooting them is when people don't spend anytime trying to find the bird or very little time. They do the same on whitewing. And before you blame the guide you need to blame the outfitter for encouraging it. I no longer guide for this person.