Serving The Hunter Who Travels
Vol. 24, No. 8 Fax Number: 240-599-7679
August 2012 Order Line: 301-528-0011
Website: www.birdhuntingreport.com
Dateline: Illinois Bobwhite Quail and Pheasants in Native Habitat • Timetable: Sept. 1 through April 15 • Accommodations: Upscale lodging • Food: Wholesome, country-style cooking • Hunt: Easy to moderate Located within the delta formed by the Illinois and Mississippi rivers is the Orvis-endorsed wing shooting operation, Harpole’s Heartland Lodge in Illinois’ Pike County. This family run operation has its roots on this same land going back over 100 years. The land is mostly comprised of rolling, grassy hills intermingled with wood lots, spanning a total of approximately 5,000 acres. Of that, 1,000 acres are designated as the upland hunting area and is managed for pheasant and bobwhite quail habitat, to
include prairie grass and milo fields. A bit of history of Pike County: It is not named after the species of fish but rather it was named in honor of Zebulon
Pike, leader of the Pike expedition in 1806 to map out the south and west portions of the Louisiana Purchase. Pike
served at the Battle of Tippecanoe and was killed in 1813 in the War of 1812. Prior to the coming of the first European settler to Pike County, French traders, hunters and travelers passed through the native forests and prairies. It is in far westcentral Illinois with its western border formed by the Mississippi River. The area along the river is studded with steep rocky mounds that were formed as a result of glacial activity. In addition to quail and pheasants, Pike County now also has notability for offering some superb whitetail deer hunting. Indeed, Harpole’s Heartland Lodge offers hunting opportunities for all three, as well as turkey and waterfowl, and offers combination packages for all species. Wing Shooting Manager Terry Abney knows every inch of the prop(continued on page 2)
Dateline: Alabama Classic Southern Quail Hunting • Timetable: Oct. 1 through March 31 • Accommodations: Local lodging • Food: Wild game and a variety of local restaurants • Hunt: Very easy If you are looking to get in a quail hunt in a classic Southern setting then Taylor Creek Hunting Preserve could be just your ticket. Located south of Mobile in Theodore, Ala., it offers guided or do-it-yourself hunts with good numbers of birds on the property. One also has the option of hunting open
fields or pine wood lots with the added choice of either half- or full-day hunts. We met at the 1,500-square-foot lodge for an afternoon hunt. As we drove up to the lodge, we spotted pheasants walking the brushy edges. Although the lodge offers no overnight accommodations, it does provide excellent facilities for day use, private parties, banquets and socializing. After visiting with Taylor Creek owner Keith Walker at the lodge, we headed to the sporting clays range for a warm-up. Operating since 1996, the preserve offers shooters the only 12-station fully automated sporting clays course in southern Alabama. The preserve periodically hosts National Reproduction by Report any means is illegal 1 — The Bird Hunting — August 2012 © Copyright 2012 by Brunson Publishing Co.
Sporting Clays Association sanctioned tournaments. In addition, Walker hosts about 15 to 20 “fund shoots” through(continued on page 3)
Inside: Idaho ...................................... p.4 Oregon ................................... p.5 Oklahoma ..............................p.6 Argentina ............................... p.7 Briefly Noted ......................... p.9 Mississippi ............................. p.9 Montana ............................... p.10 Arizona ............................... p.10 Outfitter Critiques ............... p.11
Serving The Hunter Who Travels
Briefly Noted Things to Do, Places to Go, New Developments Canadian Maritimes — Travel Tips for Visiting Wing Shooters by Tom Keer: —U.S. citizens do not need a passport to enter Canada, but passports are required for re-entry into the United States. —Anyone transporting dogs into the country must show a current certificate of vaccination for rabies to the customs officer at the window. Owners need a certificate for every dog they import. —Nonresidents must fill out a Non-Resident Firearms Declaration form, which they can find online (www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/information/visit/index-eng.htm) or fill out at the border crossing. The cost is $25 CAD, and the registration is valid for 60 days. The form is granted if traveling in Canada for “specific purposes.” The fee serves as both license and registration. Hunters must carry paperwork with them at all times. —Three copies are necessary and some of the necessary information requires the firearm serial number. Hunters will need serial numbers and descriptions of the weapons they are bringing into Canada. All firearms must be left in the vehicle and must be secured in either a locked case or with a trigger lock, so write down the serial number information on a piece of paper prior to leaving on your trip. If an officer has a question about your particular firearm, then he will direct you how to proceed. Under no circumstances should a firearm be brought into any governmental buildings. —To return to the United States with firearms requires the filing of U.S. Customs form #4457. Hunters should obtain this form and have it filled out and signed by a U.S. customs agent before leaving the United States. You’ll also need to present it to U.S. Customs upon re-entry. The form is free and can be obtained in advance at: http://forms.cbp.gov/pdf/cbp_form_
4457.pdf. It may be reused in the future provided that it remains legible. —Hunting guides are required for all nonresident hunters, so bring along
proper documentation from the destination of your hunt. A proof of confirmation from your outfitter or lodge will suffice, and the officer will be interested to know the duration of your stay as well as your departure dates. —200 rounds of ammunition per hunter may be imported without paying duty. If you’re bringing in additional shells, they must be declared at the border. —Proper conduct and communication with officers expedites crossings. Be polite, answer questions succinctly, and be helpful and courteous. —All birds brought back into the U.S. must have a wing attached for easy identification. When you return, an officer will direct you to declare the species and number of birds you’re bringing back into the country. —Currently, small game licenses cost $92.66 USD, and Migratory Permits for woodcock are $19.21 and are supplied by your outfitter. Actual rates may change with currency fluctuations. —To obtain a hunting license in New Brunswick, hunters born after 1981 must provide a Hunter Safety Course certificate. Hunters born prior to 1981 can provide a copy of any current or previous hunting license. —Hunters must wear a solid blaze orange vest and cap and the garments must be a minimum of 400 square inches and visible from all sides. ••• 9 — The Bird Hunting Report — August 2012
Mississippi — Game Bird Restoration at the Heart of Quest From news360.com via NBCI: The calls and answers of the bobwhite quail — the unofficial mascot of the outdoors in the South, have led one wildlife biologist through a long series of hoops — but his work along the way is showing major results. (John Gruchy, a wildlife biologist with the Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks since 2007, has worked in cooperation with the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative and other groups to restore quail populations to their 1980 levels. ((Through education, prescribed burning, replanting of native prairie grasses and inspired cooperation of landowners interested in returning quail to their property, his work and that of countless others has begun to show real results. “The bobwhite is a good representative of how we’ve used the land,” Gruchy said. “Previously, we didn’t have cattle herds the size they are now, and we didn’t have row crops that extended end to end and edge to edge on the land they occupy, clean farming so to speak. ((“In all cases, fields were bordered by wide fence rows that supported quail, rabbits and other non-game species in their natural habitat. Work benefits many species “When we go in and make habitat restorations, it’s impactful across a broad range of bird spectrums.” ((Birds like field larks, grasshopper sparrows, Henslow’s sparrows and others use the same habitat occupied by quail. They all nest on the ground and feed on seeds and bugs common to native grassland undergrowth. ((When the grasslands are removed to make way for more rows of soybeans, or when the grasslands are allowed to grow unchecked to become sweet gum thickets, the conditions quail and other birds need to thrive are removed. ((By restoring field edges to conditions that promote native grass growth, and by keeping this and other areas