Lone Jack CA

I find it hard to multitask on my trip to lone jack. I carry my camera, a youth-sized 20ga. pump shotgun, and a backpack to carry extras, bones and game in. Like today, I often find myself stuck between raising my gun or camera; or which one to set on a stump while I shoot.




Today was cloudy, cool and windy. There were periods of sunshine, and those without wind- but by 10am, the day was lost to the poor weather.Today I hoped to get my first quail and maybe a duck while I was at the lake. i loaded a few rounds of steel #4 shot into the gun.


I circled the lake, and found nothing in the wooded portion of the property. The nieghbor has re-marked the property line with violet painted trees and fence posts. Once I got to the first clearing, and frequently from there on, I found a dead deer. The first was a large buck. his hind end was smashed- hit by a car? Many skeletons of deer, turkey and small game lay beneath the trees where they were killed days, weeks and years before.

I continued through the thickets of the far end of the area, and burst out onto the field of indian grass. A small, yellow and red-lookin sparrow welcomed me to the stand. Maybe a le conte's?

Cardinals and juncos swarmed the woodland edge.

In the grass, where I was hoping to flush those quail for a shot, I found this guy. My best guess is a song sparrow. A flock of goldfinch were nearby. no quail

Here, edible oyster mushrooms which are often inhabited by small black or black and red beetles scale a dead tree. I picked a bunch, stashed them in my bag and continued.



A bit further, while crossing a stream I found a handful of cricket and bull frogs. He posed for a picture where i found him and then left him
I walked. All of the sudden a squirrel poped up. This was no dilema-I mounted my gun. Within a split second, the smaller covey of quail erupted from a few feet away. five birds I counted.

I usually hear the quail in the leaves before I get so close- but this time the wind blinded me. Now I was in a dilema. Quail or Squirrel; camera or shotgun? I safetied my gun and took a second to hand my camera and pack on a tree limb next to me. I was about 20ft from the thick stand of trees where the squirrel had startled me, and was facing into the woods-where the quail had flushed to. I creeped up on the tree where i saw the squirrel- no squirrel. I continued in the direction where the quail appeared to have flown, with my gun ready. I found nothing for a long time, and then a single bird flushed from beneath me. he quickly dove behind a stand of trees and continued flying out of sight before i could get my shot off. I kept my gun aimed, and then he appeared. I disengauged the safety and pulled the trigger-

For all you hunters- considering the information I have given you- what was my mistake?

The quail burst into a flurry of feathers; I knew he had been shot. I went to where the feathers were still floating in the air- and spotted my bird- he was running behind a tree.

I had shot at him with a 3" #4 round- much too large for a tiny bird.I was lucky toi have hit him.I put my gun on saftey and chased him. the poor guy ran into a raspberry thicket. I continued after him until he stopped. I couldnt reach him, so I mounted my gun. He was only 3 ft away from the end of my barrel. I knew that if I pulled the trigger, there would be nothing left of the little thing- I continued to chase him until I had become so entangled and cut by the thorns and briars-- -I lost site and gave up.

On my way out I flushed a woodcock. I hadnt seen one in two years!?

I had a very good day- even if all I was able to kill was a bunch of mushrooms. It got very cloudy and windy by the time I arrived at the car- it was kinda nice in a not-so-nice way. My arms, face and neck burned from the tiny cuts of the quails' thorney trap- but I noticed only the cool wind stirring the leaves that float on lake and relieving the sting from my skin. It roared through the trees above me and was the icing on the cake that was my morning excursion.