NM bird hunting ?'s/advice ....

[4ShotB]

I am a school teacher and always take a pheasant hunting trip to midwest/great plains around the Christmas break. This year, I may have to travel to southern NM (Las Cruces) during that time period. I have googled with the intent of finding a guide without a lot of success. Is there good bird hunting in the general area? Can anyone recommend a place to go and/or a guide. any and all advice would be appreciated. If need be, i would travel within a 200-300 mile radius for the opportunity to get in some decent hunting.Thanks.

[codym]

There use to be some pretty good quail hunting around here, but for the past 2-3 seasons its been very poor. The drought and extreme weather has taken a large toll on the birds. AZ has been down too but from what I hear they may have more birds than we do this year.

[gotpointers]

Cody m on this board lives down there you might try and pm him. I'm about 150 miles north if there. They don't have the pheasants that I do. Our season is only three days long and its already passed. NM quail hunting is down with the drought but I'm still locating birds in larger coveys but smaller numbers of coveys. Much different than the 13 a day I was pushing 4 years ago. Need to find cover where the cows haven't destroyed it and be on horseback. Carlsbad, Deming, artesia would be my picks down south.

[gotpointers]

Simultaneous posts that's funny.

[codym]

I need to get a life huh Mark??? lol

[gotpointers]

Me too, I already looked at all the stuff on craigslist a few times over. I'm Bored at work again and chomping at the bit for some good pointer talk.

[4ShotB]

Cody m on this board lives down there you might try and pm him. I'm about 150 miles north if there. They don't have the pheasants that I do. Our season is only three days long and its already passed. NM quail hunting is down with the drought but I'm still locating birds in larger coveys but smaller numbers of coveys. Much different than the 13 a day I was pushing 4 years ago. Need to find cover where the cows haven't destroyed it and be on horseback. Carlsbad, Deming, artesia would be my picks down south.

There are pheasants in NM?? Never knew. Been through your town a couple of times between LC and Albuqurkee (or however you spell the name of that town).
appreciate the responses. Y'all know of any guides in the area? I will be out there for the coming Christmas season (2013). again, thanks.

[gotpointers]

There are quite a few around my house. I just need to keep the feral cats, skunks, coons and coyotes in check. Valencia county is a landowner permit hunt only and its just one day. So I have a good supply of birds to train on around my house that's in a very rural part of the county down in the alfalfa fields. There is a guide out of Santa Fe with the last name of king who does guide wild quail hunts along with big game hunts. I am looking into starting a shooting preserve next year but its depending on paperwork requirements. If not call me and I will take you out for some wild birds on my own.

[4ShotB]

Gotpointers...thanks. I may take you up on your offer. My son married a girl from las Cruces so we've been out there several times in the last few years for different events (beautiful country out there). If we go at Christmas I'll have to miss my annual bird hunt. now, I love my boy and his wife but I hate to miss the hunt so I am looking to combine both. I will save this info and will contact you a couple weeks in advance. Good luck on your preserve. If we do get to hunt together, you wouldn't mind letting an English setter tag along with your pointers would you?

[gotpointers]

I would enjoy having your setters go with us. I haven't updated my pedigrees on my signature box in years. There are a bunch of setters here at my place now and I love them. Thanks for the well wishes on the shooting preserve and I look forward to your visit.