Late in the day we made our final charge back toward the truck. By the time we ended it, I had six bobs in my game bag, enough for my wife and me to have a satisfying quail dinner.

If I'm afield with friends or with my dogs, in wet years or dry ones, be the quail many or few, any time I can walk the rugged landscapes of West Texas with gun in hand is a good day. And that memorable day last December was just one of many good days I've experienced -- even in dry years.

RY-WEATHER DOG CARE
Even though Texas' quail season opens in late October, most hunters I know don't get serious until December. They wait for vegetation to die off, colder weather and improved scenting conditions for their dogs. Unfortunately, in some parts of Texas it might still be 80 degrees or more in December. For these reasons, it's important to take special precautions to keep your dogs safe in the heat.

I asked Travis Wier, owner of Mist Kennels in San Angelo, for tips on hunting quail with your dog when it's hot. Travis deals mostly with English pointers, but his advice is applicable to other dog breeds as well.

"The first thing is to keep your dogs in shape in the summer," he offered. "Don't let them sit in the kennels and get fat. Get them in condition before the season starts. This is important for their cardiovascular conditioning and to get their pads in shape to run on rough ground.

"When it's hot, I change dogs every 30 minutes, usually running one pair at a time. When I start with a fresh pair of dogs I dip each dog in a water trough or tank before I turn them loose. If tanks or ponds are hard to find where you hunt, carry lots of extra 1-gallon jugs of water in your truck. Wet the dogs down every 10 minutes, and make sure they drink often.

"After the hunt, feed your dogs in the evenings, not the morning before the hunt. Add water to their feed and let it soak into the dry dog food prior to feeding; this will help prevent dehydration. Another tip to keep dogs fresh is to put them up for lunch or the evening in the shade where it's cool. At night, return your dogs to their boxes or crates. This saves energy, since bird dogs often dig or bark at night if they are left outside."

Readers interested in buying an English pointer for quail hunting or for field trials can go to www. mistkennels.com for more info.

Another product worth trying on hot-weather quail hunts is Hydro Dog. Developed by a veterinarian, it's like Gatorade for your dog, but without the sugars found in human sports drinks. Go to for details.

Find more about Texas fishing and hunting at: TexasSportsmanMag.com