Just wrapped my first full season behind a pointing dog here in Central Oregon, and I'm certain that I'll never go back as long as I can stand on my own two feet. We chase ducks pretty regularly, but start the season with pheasants and grouse and moved on to Chucks & huns. I have yet to experience anything quite so gratifying as shooting partridge pointed on public land.
Just wish they'd let us take Quail with rifle though. I'd clean house w/ .17 HMR at this one spot.
Been kinda diggin on getting into and learning how to do Ducks too!
Went with the boy this last time to Wister.
Kinda neat we're starting to have shared hunt memories now.
I'm from FL originally so I grew up hunting bobwhites and will always have a nostalgic soft spot for them, especially the little dark ones we used to have in the southern part of the state. I've been in NY for 20 years though so all we have here is grouse and woodcock for upland birds. Not my favorite but still lots of fun and woodcock are especially good for training a young pointing dog, in my opinion. Catching the woodcock flight just right is one of the more magical experiences I've had hunting. I love turkey season too but if I could only pick one hunt to do for the rest of my life it would be sharptails on the prairie with my German Wirehair and a 16ga SxS. Looks like I'll have a new Wirehair pup to train this year so my new favorite bird will be whatever she points.
From Maine, living in Utah. My favorite birds to hunt are upland birds. I found spot out here in Utah that has produced forest grouse every time I go into it. It's about a 4 mile hike to get into the area, but it's so worth it. It's a plateau on the side of a mountain at about 8k feet ASL and overlooking a lake. I'll have to dig some pics up and post them. I usually see about a dozen birds when I go in there. To ME, that's pretty damn good.
Back home in Maine I really enjoyed turkey hunting.