Gary Wayne Thornhill released an assortment of bird dogs, and they immediately started working the field. Suddenly, one screeched to a halt and locked up on point, and the others quickly backed him up. Tension mounted as the dogs could hardly contain themselves — their muscles twitched with adrenalin flowing through their veins on their first point of the afternoon.

“Ka-boom, boom, boom,” roared the shotguns a split second after the birds flushed in all directions. Allen Shortridge completed a snappy double with his 20-gauge Mossberg, and I connected with a quail as well. Thornhill’s crackerjack pointers and retrievers burst into action and combed the field in search of the downed birds and soon retrieved them.

Thornhill Shooting Preserve is located near Jayess, on the Thornhill family farm, and has been in operation since 1980. The preserve provides an opportunity for hunters from around the country to experience Southern hospitality and fast-paced wing shooting as in the past glory days when quail was king of the South.

“It’s a tremendous hunting experience, all you could ask for in a quail hunt,” Shortridge said. “The birds fly like the wild quail of old, and it’s a treat to watch the dogs work the field and point the quail.”

The dogs never stopped hunting and kept pointing birds and locking them down. Time after time the birds flushed and flew in every direction. On several occasions, birds flew straight ahead while others flew to the left and right with Shortridge cleaning up any that went his way.

“I hunt with pointers, English pointers, Brittanys, a German shorthair, and I’ve got a white golden retriever that I use as a flush dog when needed,” Thornhill said. “I hardly ever need Whitey to flush, but he’s a nice dog to hunt with, and he retrieves the birds, and he’ll even point some time when the other dogs miss them.”

On one occasion a pointer locked up on point and held fast until the other dogs backed him up, and Whitey locked up, too. After Thornhill gave the command to flush the birds, they couldn’t find any and started working in wider circles.

Whitey never moved from point though.

“I think Whitey’s got him,” Thornhill said. “Go ahead Whitey, flush him.”

“Ffffllllluttttter” the quail fluttered out like a whole covey rise, and Shortridge promptly nailed him. I guess it’s the first time I’ve ever seen a Golden Retriever point a quail!

About midway through our hunt we stopped and took a short break with refreshments and hit it hard again. Thornhill’s crackerjack pointer, Left, was thrown into the mix and showed his stuff. According to Thornhill, Left was so called because of a large brown spot on his left side. He had a brother with a large brown spot on his right side, and he was called Right. He sold Right, and the new owner changed his name.

But there’s only one dog named Left that I’ve ever known, and he is a crackerjack quail dog that never stopped pointing and hunting. Left’s one of the best with which I’ve hunted, and it’s due in a large part because of his trainer and owner Gary Wayne Thornhill.

Left locked up again, flanked by his companions, and we moved up just as Whitey was turned loose and charged into the fray. Quail buzzed out unexpectedly and flew straight away, and Shortridge and me fired in unison, and the bird disappeared in a puff of feathers. Neither knew we’d both fired at exactly the same time. On at least four occasions we doubled up on birds and connected at the same instant.

Shortridge has hunted bear, turkey, quail and deer from all around the country, and he’s a first-class wing shot. Raised in West Virginia and Florida, he’s quick to the draw and rarely missed a bird. That’s quite an accomplishment for a 75-year-old hunter who made me work to keep up with him.

“George Wayne Thornhill is an expert dog handler and trainer, and it’s great to watch him make the dogs work and obey his voice commands,” Shortridge said. “Everything exceeds your expectation for a plantation hunt, and it’s just a first-rate experience.

Our afternoon hunt was quite a success thanks to Thornhill’s expertise and knowledge. At the end of the day we loaded up 38 quail that were dressed and ready to cook. It was a fitting end to a fast-paced south Mississippi quail hunt.

For more information on Thornhill shooting preserve, contact Gary Wayne via cell (601) 248-0245 or (601) 684-2138 after 7:30 p.m., or check them out online at thornhillshootingpreserve.net.

Call Mike Giles at 601-917-3898 or email mikegiles18@comast.net.