Quail, 10-20-12

J

jmac

New member
Went out today and chased Quail. Not a great day. Walked 6+ miles and only came home with one. The darn birds are acting like late season birds. Flushing at 60 yard, or holding in thick brush,and flushing when you are past them. Lots of pairs, small coveys, and singles. Strange year so far. Maybe to much pressure in the area we hunted.

Anybody having better luck??
 
I got out today with my brother, dad and uncle. We moved about 110 or so birds before noon (3 coveys). The cover is pretty tough at the river but the birds are doing good. Dad and uncle got skunked, my brother ended up with one and I got 7. It was to hot for the dogs by noon so we decided to call it a day.

I'm heading into the foothills tomorrow so we'll see how the birds faired up there, I'm afraid not as well as their cousins who live near irrigated farm land.
 
what i dont get out there is how come your season starts so early when its so hot? Of course its hot all year out there to me,i hate hot weather unless i am on a white sandy beach looking at bikinis
 
only a pointer said:
what i dont get out there is how come your season starts so early when its so hot? Of course its hot all year out there to me,i hate hot weather unless i am on a white sandy beach looking at bikinis
Click to expand...

It was nice yesterday morning. 58 at start of hunt, by 10:30 it was upper 70's. The season imho does start to early, but thats up to Azgfd, not me.:)


Qh,
Good report glade you got into them.:thumbsup:
 
only a pointer said:
what i dont get out there is how come your season starts so early when its so hot? Of course its hot all year out there to me,i hate hot weather unless i am on a white sandy beach looking at bikinis
Click to expand...

I think lots of quail (most years) and lots of public land for the average Joe to hunt equals long seasons and liberal bag limits. No other states can compare to the amount of quail and public land that California and Arizona boast.

I got out this morning with the two pups for their first ever quail hunt. We left flat land and headed for the hills. 10,000 acres of prime quail hunting and we were the only ones there on the second day of the season.:confused: The pups moved 4 coveys of 20-40 birds. We didn't even shoot our guns, just enjoyed the boys figuring it out and having a ball flushing and chasing birds. I have 2 tired, happy, and filthy pups sleeping in the game room right now. The birds seem to be doing well despite the dry weather this year.

I'm hoping to get some reports from other Cali members on my thread there to see how the rest of the state looks. I have a pic from yesterday there, not the best pic ever but just a glimpse of a good morning.:cheers:
 
NM quail

should be better than last year, but that is not saying much

will have a better idea after this weekend, guiding a deer hunt, but it is just an excuse to check on the quail numbers

jmac, been hearing mixed reports regarding AZ, seems like there are pockets that did well and others not so good, let us know how your season progresses

ElectricShorthairs, PM sent
 
Last edited:
I've been out four times and seeing lots of birds every time. Done by 10:30 as it gets too hot by then. I agree JMac they are acting weird for early season - big coveys flushing wild, hard to split them up, but when I finally do, getting the singles up close has given me 3-6 birds in the bag every trip. Would be more if I could shoot worth a #@$! I've been hunting Tonto Basin and central Pinal county - all Gambel's. Haven't heard anything about how the cotton-tops or Mearns are doing.
 
beaker said:
should be better than last year, but that is not saying much

will have a better idea after this weekend, guiding a deer hunt, but it is just an excuse to check on the quail numbers

jmac, been hearing mixed reports regarding AZ, seems like there are pockets that did well and others not so good, let us know how your season progresses

ElectricShorthairs, PM sent
Click to expand...

Yes there are pockets, that got rain, in the right part, of the year. This is key down here, without rain in the right part of the year quail broods don't make it. Gambels need winter/ spring rains. Blue/scailed need spring rains. Mearns need summer Rains. So there are pockets that got rain and the birds did well. Still now where near the birds that we had 2 years ago.

Down south of here, in South East part of the state, Got more rain than we did around the valley of the sun. I have not been down there this year, to hunt, but I'm hearing the same reports from my contacts in this area.

I will keep you Informed as the season goes on.:)
 
cokid said:
I've been out four times and seeing lots of birds every time. Done by 10:30 as it gets too hot by then. I agree JMac they are acting weird for early season - big coveys flushing wild, hard to split them up, but when I finally do, getting the singles up close has given me 3-6 birds in the bag every trip. Would be more if I could shoot worth a #@$! I've been hunting Tonto Basin and central Pinal county - all Gambel's. Haven't heard anything about how the cotton-tops or Mearns are doing.
Click to expand...

Cokid,

Hunted the same areas your talking about. I'm not seeing what your seeing??

Biggest covey I've flushed had maybe 30 birds. Most are 10 or less.

Glade your getting into them.:10sign::thumbsup::cheers:
 
Oh how I miss the quail...........

It appears all gone in Michigan. Can remember coming home with quail, woodcock, grouse and pheasant all in one outing. Oh how I miss the quail.
 
jmac said:
Cokid,

Hunted the same areas your talking about. I'm not seeing what your seeing??

Biggest covey I've flushed had maybe 30 birds. Most are 10 or less.

Glade your getting into them.:10sign::thumbsup::cheers:
Click to expand...

Beginner's luck, I guess! :D

Seriously, I've only hunted Gambel's last season and this, so i'm barely a novice. But I've been pleasantly surprised how easy it's been to find the birds - even last year, though the coveys were definitely smaller. I'll send you a PM with a bit more locational detail.
 
I went out pheasant hunting and shot a Quail. The thing is there never been Quail there for years just happen to come across 2 today and got a shot at 1.
 
Great day today. We moved a lot of quail and had a lot of good shots but less good shooting.:eek: Of we were half as good as the dogs we would've filled two limits but 16 birds in the bag by noon ain't to bad.:cheers:

100MEDIA_IMAG0574.jpg
 
Robert,

I'm so jealous.:D LOL Looks like you had a great day chasing Californa quail.:thumbsup: Great pic.:cheers:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top