Randy and Jody Perkins came down to run their setter, Jesse on some quail and chukar getting her tuned up for the season. Gene, Randy’s dad came along to help with the harvest. They hunted the prairie strips in the East Bottom for two mornings, giving Jesse a bunch of early season work. They had a few chances on stray pheasant and finally connected on a rooster the second morning.

Larry Jones came out with his brittany, King and pointer, Ike for their first quail hunt of the year. Jimmy Robinson brought out his two new puppies, Zeke and Pete, for their first hunt. I put some 4 and 5 bird coveys in the East Bottom Prairie strips and they took the dogs in pairs to point them. I had a chance to video one of the rises, but didn’t get to see the puppies work, next hunt.

Jack Krackenberger came down to enjoy a local dog trial and then came looking for some shooting bird action. I set out a few mini-coveys of quail in the East Bottom Field and got Hildy and Ava to find them. We had a couple of good rises and a few good shots, a bit of good dog work and fun hunt.

Mark Perkowski set up an upland bird hunt for his son, Blake Rabon and friend Michael Breen. He brought along the chocolate lab, Roy to find the pheasant, quail and chukar I hid in the South Tinkerfarm Field. This was Michael’s first upland bird hunt and he was nails on the pheasant and chukar, but the quail were a different story. They cleaned out that field and headed to the Cabin Field to try to find some of the quail they left behind two days before, but the birds were still not leaving the thick cover.

Spencer Patton came out with his young setter, Flip and his buddy Brent Geiler, who brought his Brittany, Tucker to hunt some chukar. This was Spencer’s first hunt with his new dog and she did well, both dogs working together found the chukar and a couple of stray quail. Just as his pitching season ends in game 6 of the Japan Series in less than a week his hunting season begins at Sandy Run.

Shaun Lance set up a hunt for Dustin and Kodde Lance, along with Brian Clark and Hunter and Matt Horn. They brought along their short hair, Remington and pointer, Skeeter to find the quail, chukar and pheasant I set out in the north Tinkerfarm Field milo strips. The thick strips made for a tough hunt, but they were able to get all the big birds and some of the quail. Matt Hunter did a nice job on the GoPro Session.

Laura Kovarik. writer for Guns America Digest, brought her dad, Jim, out for his first upland bird hunt. Travis Devall came out with his dogs to do the guiding on the pheasant, chukar and quail I set out in the Clubhouse and pasture fields. They picked a beautiful day and had some great points and rises, including the one where Jim brought down his first pheasant.

John Cavaletto came out with his old buddy, Burl, a stylish English Pointer. I threw out some quail from the tower in the Clubhouse Field the flew out in random fashion, finding their own spot of cover to duck into. Burl and John hunted the thick prairie habitat and found nearly all of the birds, and chased a few pheasant around. I got out to film a couple of the rises. Great first hunt of the season.

Brad Pardue came out with his chocolate lab, Jake to get some early season work on pheasant. This was Jake’s first trip of the year so I stashed some birds in the East Bottom Field prairie strips for him to work. He found and flushed them all and Brad did his part coming back with almost all his birds.

Dale Phillips brought out his wirehair, Franklin and two buddies, Tim Lillie and Adam Mercer to hunt some upland birds. I set out some pheasant, chukar and quail coveys in the Cabin Field for Franklin to find. They all knocked down some birds that Franklin pointed, including Adam on his first upland bird hunt.