I must love it. Why else would I get out of bed on a cool November morning at 5:00 AM and drive an hour and a half to chase a bird (quail) that probably won't be there when I arrive? I guess it's love. I used to drive a lot farther to visit my wife when we were dating and I know that was love so this is probably similar. Not the same but for the purpose of figuring this out let's say similar. Bama and I loaded up the FJ this morning and took the long drive to the Reform Conservation Area. RCA is about 50 miles southeast of Columbia, Missouri and is where the Calloway Nuclear Facility resides. I've hunted the property surrounding the facility for several years. It's actually beautiful country with rolling tree covered hills and farmland. There are a number of ponds and lakes on the property that hold ducks and geese at certain times of the year and in past years I've jumped a fair number of quail on the property. This morning was one of those days. Bama and I hunted a different area than we normally do due to other vehicles parked where we normally do. Good thing. We parked in a field that was near cut corn but was rather unremarkable otherwise. We headed toward a distant tree line that had a number of draws and spotty plum thickets. No sooner had we crossed the field and entered the first draw a covey of thirty or more quail flushed. The game was on.
Just past the short trees in the foreground a covey of 30 - 40 quail exploded off the ground.
One of two I took from the first covey.
Tree line edge along corn field where second covey took flight.
Last of four birds we got today. Great time, great day.
Yes it's love. I think about it all the time and it's the perfect way for me to get away from it all and clear my mind. Can't wait until next time, next place.
