AZ quail

Gobbler

Gobbler

Member
Any word on the bird numbers in AZ so far this season? I'm looking at a 35 hour solo drive here in Jan. and I was hoping somebody could talk me out of it?
 
Well I’m probably not the best source since this is the first year I have really tried it. Anyway the talk in the campground where I’m staying is the bird numbers are down. One outfit said they have been coming here for 26 years and it is the worst they have seen it. Me not knowing squat move a covey or 2 a day so don’t really know. It has been really warm like in the 70s, I quit when it hits 60 so am done before noon most days.
 
imo if quail is the focus I’d suggest other states. Worst I have seen; And have been in this general region since 2017.
I’m in se Az. chasing desert quail. Mearns is really tough I hear!
 
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dustin mudd said:
imo if quail is the focus I’d suggest other states. Worst I have seen; And have been in this general region since 2017.
I’m in se Az. chasing desert quail. Mearns is really tough I hear!
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I heard rumors all summer that parts of Arizona were primed for a great year, early rain with monsoons still to come. Sad to hear it didn’t pan out.
 
Thanks fellas...my wild hair is tickling my hams so I think I will try anyway. I tried to go last year but had to pull out. Any general location tips?
 
I can’t verify but have heard north of Tucson and phoenix did get more rain. Should have decent gambles population??
 
Where are you driving from and is it quail you must hunt? 35 hour drive would be the eastern seaboard.

It might be worth an audible this year.

How far are you from Idaho, Oregon or Nevada? Hun and chukar numbers are up this year with the possibility of bonus valley quail.
 
South of Tucson is a total bust. I recently spent three days with good dogs. Not one bird in the air. There are a few birds around but conditions are so dry dogs can't find any scent.
 
I winter in southern AZ, and the above reports aren't an exaggeration. Bird numbers are terrible. In fact, all of the guys I know who come down for Mearns and usually stay for a month or two all went home well before Christmas. There just aren't many birds and I wonder if there is some sort of disease (bird flu?) impacting numbers, since we had good rains in July and August.
 
dustin mudd said:
How bout no rains since August and record heat for weeks on end????
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Yeah, that hasn't helped, but there were no Mearns broods to be affected by the subsequent drought as far as I can tell. It's like the nesting season never happened. Although I saw many adult birds paired up in July, I saw no broods in Sept/Oct.

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KCrowley said:
I winter in southern AZ, and the above reports aren't an exaggeration. Bird numbers are terrible. In fact, all of the guys I know who come down for Mearns and usually stay for a month or two all went home well before Christmas. There just aren't many birds and I wonder if there is some sort of disease (bird flu?) impacting numbers, since we had good rains in July and August.
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Buddy says they apparently moved to the golf courses but birdies are hard to come by
 
Citori16 said:
Buddy says they apparently moved to the golf courses but birdies are hard to come by
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So every campground has a couple covies which the dogs are supposed to ignore while we put on miles for a couple birds out in the field. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the dogs just looses it one day and woofs one down under a picnic table.
 
I'll be there Jan 3-26. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. I've learned a lot the past 6 years, we'll see if it helps. Honestly fewer people in the mearns hills, even without great bird numbers, will be alright with me.
 
For rest days for the dogs, or if there aren't enough birds to keep you entertained, I suggest looking into kartchner caverns, the Pima air and space meusam, chirachaua national monument and the titan missile museum.
 
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