While we were in Florida, I received a invitation to go quail hunting with a vendor.  My original answer was no since we were driving nearly 14 hours the day before.  However, after some texts from those hunting I changed my mind and headed there on Tuesday around noon (3.5 hours after driving 14 hours on Monday).  I arrived around 4:30pm at Gillionville Plantation just before the groups returned from the afternoon hunt.  Great company, food, and spirits.

I have never hunted; anything.  I grew up fishing but this was the first time hunting.  I have shot skeet over the years though the last time I fired a gun was over six years ago so I was nervous about the probably of hitting anything in the morning.

Wednesday morning before the hunt a few of us headed over to warm up by shoot skeet.  My first attempt the clay came out, I tracked it, and then pulled the trigger and NOTHING.  That’s right I still had the safety on.  So I pushed the safety up and said “pull” for the next clay which I tracked and pulled the trigger and NOTHING.  That’s right two times in a row with the safety on.  Surely I cannot do that a third time; of course the third time still did not successfully disengage the safety.  After help from the guide I was ready and actually hit the first clay after that.

I felt comfortable with the shotgun, a 20 gauge and was ready for the hunt.  A wagon drawn by two mules, six pointers, and a cocker spaniel along with guides on horse back arrived and it was time to head off.  Jumped on the wagon and we headed out in search of our first covey.  15 minutes after leaving the dogs were released to find the birds and soon were pointing into the high brush.

Tarun and I got down and headed up to the guide and he positioned use on each side; I got briefed on what to expect, where it was acceptable to shoot and we started walking with guide in the middle.  Quickly the first quail flew out of the brush and … check out the video below:

Link directly to the video.

I enjoyed the experience very much.  I missed a lot of shots but in the end downed 12 of the 29 birds we shot in the morning hunt.  My last covey I even had a double!