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Beaver Lake Quail Preserve - Easter Weekend Bird Hunt
Deanna Jones, © September 2005
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 I hadn’t done any bird hunting in over 20 years when I had the opportunity to participate in a family bird hunt on Beaver Lake Quail Preserve in North West Arkansas. I have never bird hunted with dogs - what an experience!
Barry Hester, owner of Beaver Lake Quail Preserve, has spent the last 4 years restoring habitat to increase the wild bird population with the guidance of the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the North American Game Bird Association. The 165 acre tract of land is located on the shores of Beaver Lake and consists of mature timber and fields of native grass, milo, sunflower, winter wheat and special seed blends to promote growth of wildlife. We have always referred to the preserve as "the farm". It has an abundance of wildlife to include deer and turkeys.
2004 was Barry’s first year to offer bird hunts. He has two guides that work the birds for the clients. Chris Raben and Greg Jones. Chris has two German Shorthairs, talented, well trained dogs. Greg Jones has five English Setters. I know the Setters better, Greg is my husband. Charlie and Laci are mature, experienced bird dogs; three are pups that aren’t quite ready for clients but will be great dogs one day. Charlie and Laci have excellent pedigrees to include such greats as Grouse Ridge Will and Temoka. They are the parents of the pups, Two Dot, Dash and Little Bit. Little Bit was the runt and survived at the surprise of everyone - but that’s another story.
 Easter weekend Barry had family from across the state in for a visit and invited us to join in an all day hunt on Saturday. Greg and Barry went out and set the birds before breakfast. After an unbelievable breakfast, we went out for some bird hunting. Greg briefed the group on safety, told us how and where we were to walk and shoot. He released Laci from her kennel and helped her down from the truck. I released Charlie and tried to help him down - he took me down! He was so excited to be going out for birds he just wanted to hunt. Such a change in personality from the docile and gentle dog I know!
Watching the dogs work was an unbelievable experience to me. I grew up in Alabama and we had hound dogs that we hunted deer, squirrels, and rabbits with. However, I had never seen bird dogs in action - except for "Hunting with Hank" and other shows on TV. Charlie and Laci worked so well together it brought both a smile to my face and tears to my eyes! They had set out pheasants, and chuckar. The dogs responded to Greg’s call to "hunt ‘em up!" They honored each other on point. That was just something to see! Charlie has a great nose for birds and will crouch in a sneak crawl when he winds a bird. Greg’s commands to "Whoa!" would bring his stalk to almost a belly crawl. Laci’s nose isn’t quite as sensitive, she is much closer to the birds when she gets wind of them and goes into a near immediate point. Each of them have a different hunting technique, but they worked so well together; when one would point, the other would back them and they would be locked up in perfect formation! Greg would have one hunter come up for the flush and when the bird was hit, the first dog to the downed bird brought it back to Greg. Both Charlie and Laci retrieved the birds without showing much interest in them, they didn’t care about the dead ones, they wanted to pursue the live ones.
After our morning hunt, we had a great lunch! With the exception of myself, all "womenfolk" had stayed back to cook and watch the children. More birds were set and we went out for an afternoon hunt. Again, the dogs were amazing! I was so impressed to watch them - but I didn’t like the shooting. I didn’t shoot much, I couldn’t shoot unless I had a clear shot at the bird and then it had to be completely clear of the dogs. After each shot, I would have to see where the dogs were, and reassure myself that they were alright. They are working hunting dogs, but they are also my pets!
 At one point, Charlie locked up on a Chuckar that was running in a strip of milo. Laci crept up behind him to honor, I don’t know if she saw the bird was running or it was just training and/or instinct, but she circled around in front of where the bird was running and locked up in a point. The bird was caught between the two dogs on point - what a sight! I had a camera with me, but I was so involved in watching the dogs, I didn’t take many pictures.
I said I didn’t shoot much, but I still enjoyed the hunt! To watch the dogs would have been a treat for anyone, but to watch them knowing that they are my dogs and that they were trained by my husband filled me with pride! Greg bought Charlie as a puppy in the spring of 2000. He bought Laci from one of my cousins who has a very successful bird hunting operation in NW Alabama (check out www.quailvalleyhunting.com). Laci was already trained and experienced at hunting set birds. What a team the two make!
The farm is a beautiful piece of property and Barry has spent many hours preparing the fields for the perfect bird habitat. The birds flew good - like wild birds. The dogs were and the guide were the best! Of course, I am partial, but I was so impressed and proud of my husband and Charlie and Laci. The camaraderie we all shared during and after the hunts was incredible. For dinner, we ate the birds we’d taken. What a feast of chuckar and pheasant! All the trimmings - great food, great hunting and friendship!
If you would be interested in booking a hunt for the 2005-2006 season, please call 479 FLY BIRD (359 2473). Barry will give WomenHunters' members a discount with advance booking. They have recently completed lodging accommodations and also offer limited hunts for whitetail deer (archery and/or muzzleloader). Bird hunting rates range from $145 - $195 per gun with a minimum of two hunters and a maximum of four. Hunt with your dogs or ours. The preserve is located east of Rogers/Bentonville, AR.
Check out the website at beaverlakequailpreserve.com
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