Wild valley quail hunting ... with a few pheasants thrown in too. Facebook - and now, personal - friend Mark Avolio shares his experience, strategy and tactics as we debrief our recent hunt in Northeast Oregon. Mark runs setters all over the west, and a chance meeting a couple years ago in a faraway chukar spot led to our becoming regular hunting partners.

In this hunt, lush creek bottoms, bunchgrass swales, great weather and wonderful dog work were the standouts. Versatile dog work was on display, working "wrong" wind and tough retrieves in tight quarters. 

Shotgun ammo and choke recommendations for mixed-bag hunts, dog care tips and a few high points from the dogs' work are all covered in this wide-ranging talk between friends. We explore the reasons for singles without a covey rise, where shot birds go, and how to mark downed birds a little better. There's also a little nostalgia ending at an historical sheep ranch.

We'll find out how your last hunt went, and there's a chance to win a Scott Linden Signature Series Jaeger lead, all brought to you by:

Sage & Braker Mercantile, Dr. Tim's performance dog food, Pointer shotguns, RuffLand performance Kennels, Mid Valley Clays and Shooting School, your online shotgun shopping resource; Happy Jack, FindBirdHuntingSpots.com.