FIRST SHOT OUTFITTERS

Chosen as The best Wild Quail Hunting in the World.

Great dog work and lots of quail ought to go together like butter and biscuits but with wild bobwhite populations down by over eighty percent over the last two decades throughout much of the birds historic range, hunters have found their field fare pretty dry of late. Those seeking quail hunting like it use to be- wild birds aplenty shot over classic pointers- should look to Mike Wyatt’s First Shot Outfitters, headquartered in Coleman County in North-West Texas. Sited just south of Rolling Plains Country, Wyatt’s operation offers a wide variety of hunting opportunities throughout the year- from Spring Turkey to Dove to Ducks to Deer- but his first love is catering to discriminating quail hunters.

I first hunted with Wyatt back in the late ‘90s when he was guiding part time for a large ranch near Guthrie, in Dickens county, Texas. During my first 3 day bobwhite hunt Wyatt clearly proved the most successful guide on the ranch with the best dogs, and he consistently produced almost double the daily covey rises of other guides. My father, My uncle and my self were so impressed we have been repeat clients since, following Mike when he returned to full time outfitting for himself. Now in his ninth year of operation, Wyatt is considered my many one of the best independent quail guides in Texas- which, given the states size and bird- hunting traditions, sounds like big talk.

But I don’t doubt it. Last year Texas suffered what was arguably its worst quail season in twenty years. A scotching summer and severe drought produced a disastrous breading season through much of the state, especially for bobwhites. In a year in which many Texas wild- Quail lodges simply canceled their bookings, we were able to push fifteen to twenty coveys and take limits of fifteen birds daily- of blue quail mostly, with a hand full of bobwhites tossed in. The latter have traditionally been Wyatt’s staple because he leases vast amounts of territory- more than two hundred sixty thousand acres last year- he was able to move his hunters where the birds were, to West Texas where blue quail populations had held up much better than those of bobwhites.