Texas bob-whites I have known flush straight up in a spherical arrangement when you're almost about to step on them, and then break away in every three-dimensional direction. Cheney must have been trying a long shot on a bird lighting-out close to the ground, which is a low probability kill shot, given the way they bob and weave. If you don't nail a bird or two (or even three with luck and a semi-auto) within a few seconds and more-or-less overhead, forget it.
Understood...I and Texas born and a Quail hunter since the 50s... Each hunter in the line has a radius to respect....