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Gentlemen:

I have in my hands Very Happy

a permit to hunt for quail on the Denmark Unit of Pyramid State Park tomorrow - with two friends.

This unit is a mix of copped fields, prairie grasses, some shrub brush and several small lakes - all on previous strip mine property. Not far from Pinckneyville IL about 500 acres.

I will be hunting with 2 friends (both 12 ga types) and a GSP and a Lab. I will of course be carrying the 16 ga grIII sissytori Wink

. I will shoot 8s and 7.5s out of ic/lightmod briley extended tubes - 26 inch barrels.

Last year we hunted the Captain unit and put up 4 coveys of WILD birds - about 20 per covey - some flushing wild. I shot the 28 ga skb 585 gold and dropped 4 birds in 6 shots.

I will report of course at some point - may even have pictures.

The only downside to the day is that it probably will hit 60 in the afternoon.

My friends also have a permit for this coming Saturday and Jan. 3rd - will go then too.

stay tuned.....

Wow

-how many good things can happen to one guy?:
Barrel full of Rem black hulls
2 more brls for the new Sterly with endless possibilities for upgrades
permit for wild quail in Il. (they got quail in that state?? Wink

)
hunting in Russell in less than a month
a new Elsie to enjoy also

Time for some serious Thank-you-giving brother Very Happy

revdocdrew:

Don't know what to say - except this must be payback for stayin ahead of the lynch mob in the department this semester.

I look forward to spending my money on your fox project - haha...

I cannot wait until we meet in Russell. Stuart emailed that things were really hopping this week. I will call after weekend to check in. Since I have had much good fortune lately, I will let you run down the first bird (can't wait to see it actually Laughing

)

Now back to the fox planning....

oh and I still need to call Mr. Orlen about Ms. Elsie and Ms. Guilds barrel work....

Et tu docere XVI Wink

(and after all those sermons about redemptive suffering Very Happy

)

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Illinois

Definitely let us know how it goes. I hunted at Pyrimid State Park a couple of years ago. I'm not sure which unit, but I think it was Denmark. I only got into 1 small covey of quail, but I did get 2 roosters. I also flushed quite a few hens. I'm not sure where they came from because I didn't think they had pheasants that far south in Illinois.

h1tdk100 and others....

Met my two friends at the Cracker Barrel at Green Mount Crossing (Shiloh IL exit 16 off I64) at 6 am for a pre-hunt breakfast. Enjoyed the repast and the discussion. Drove to Pyramid State Park down 127 and got to Denmark Unit about 7:45 am. Drove around (first time in this unit) and located some cut corn with grass nearby with mowed runways (standard management at IDNR facilities). Hunted along cut corn and grass to edge of property and GSP on point - 20 birds up and I dropped a double (16 ga sissytori comes through), but first bird not finished and ran across road into private ground (with cattle) before dogs could pin down. Found second bird - whew. Later on at other end of corn field (1/2 mile) in same grass - got up another covey of 20+ birds and we dropped several and then hunted singles for some time (spread out in about 100 acre grass field with mowed strips. While picking up singles, we jumped another covey of about 25 and dropped 2 birds, but remainder flew across lake (strip mine, narrow, long, and DEEP). By the time we hunted around other end of lake and back up to where birds crossed, we did not relocate.

Between the 3 hunters we came home with 11 birds and lost 2. Dog work (GSP and Lab) was outstanding. Friends and I had good time. Did get hot (55+ between noon and 3 pm).

I am betting the pheasants that h1tdk100 flushed and shot were over on the Captain unit (where we have a permit for Saturday). On the Captain unit they allow dog training and trials and in one area with big mowed grass strips in years past we have flushed a lot of hen pheasants (but never any roosters Sad

). In this unit you are allowed to pick up any roosters you can find.

All in all a good time was had by all.....

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 81 Location: Illinois

bustingclays,

Thanks for the report. It sounds like a great hunt. I tried to get a permit for Pyramid last year but was unsuccessful. I did get a permit to hunt the Siloam Springs Quail management area on Jan. 2nd this year. I think it is about 2 hours north of Alton. I'm sure it will be pretty much shot out by that time, but I will give it a try.

That is so great and a testimony to the fact that all those wonderful little birds need is some habitat to come back: crops, cover, water, weeds and prairie grass all intersecting and creating 'edge.'