I just got back from a weekend trip to Odessa. We had a great time and i figured i would throw up a few pictures to share.

The quail numbers were excellent and so were the pheasant numbers but unfortunately the rooster to hen count was way down from normal. Out of twenty plus birds only three were roosters. Saturday I got ten quail and a rooster with fourteen shells which has to be a personal record and this morning I managed somehow to miss one of the sweetest flushes ever- right in front of me. This rooster, practically in slow motion, got up out of a creekbed maybe fifteen feet below me and made this slow swinging arch ninety degrees to my left. Right at the flush I stopped and waited for him to get further out so not to make a pillow case out of him and watched as he sailed away unscathed after two misplaced shots. Unbelievable. I should have lowered my gun mount and swung back through him in hindsight b; I know the first shot was behind him eventhough I had a sustained lead that looked perfect. I expected him to crumble like a house of cards and when he didn't I then overcompensated and lead him too much. Classic blunder.

I will also introduce my Springer, Lola who had an excellent trip as well. She managed to hook the top of her head on a barbwire fence, puncture a pad on more of the same and presumably took a stick to her right eye. She is fine but definitely worn out completely. Tonight she is a little stiff and deserves some TLC after miles and miles of busting cover, flushing a copule hundred birds and bringing fourteen to hand.

Pictures to follow

A few more...

Nice report. I like the Odessa area. Since it was also deer season and you were packing a shotgun i assume you saw some of those big azz mulies.

nice report and good lookin pup!
did you see any huns as well?

We saw dozens of mulies but not a single one with horns. Not even a spike in the bunch...

Tired dogs are a sign of a good hunt. Nice job on the shooting.

Sweet hunt. Good shooting on those quail...they're quick lil devils!

Good to hear there are a few birds around. I didn't see many uplanders when I was waterfowling last weekend.

How was the waterfowling?

I'm heading over to Pullman for our annual pheasant trip this weekend and was concerned that numbers would be down this year. Good to hear you saw lots of birds. Hopefully there's plenty in the SE as well.

JTD,

Did well chasing ducks opening weekend, all jumpshooting tho. I posted the results in the "just ducky " thread.

Might try to get back over this weekend or next to give it another try for waterfowl/upland.