Home Forums Birds & Dogs Upland Game Western bird hunting.....

For the last couple of decades, work and family obligations have kept me away from the rewarding hobby of frightening game birds with the report of a shotgun. So, I'm about ready to pull the trigger on retirement and move somewhere in the southwestern US. I'd like to get in on hunting wild quail while that's still a thing There looks to be a lot of acres of public hunting land within a 12 hour drive of some nice places to live in AZ.. I need to learn about species, seasons, bag limits, weather, places to hunt, guns, gear, guides, dogs....everything. So spill.





PS: I'm only half kidding.

Here's a good place to start looking: https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/species/smallgame/quail/

It has been a few years since I hunted Az.. The quail were few and far between.. When I first retired in 1999 my wife and I took the camper to Az.and spent 6 weeks to 2 mths. hunting dove and quail.. I was great.. I didn't hunt quail all day a bit in the morning and again in the evening.. But the last years we found very few quail.. One year I just hunted coyotes.. My pal continued to go for a few more years and he finally gave up.. We talked later and he said I doubt the quail come back in my life time.. Now it seems like there is a good rain fall this winter, so that should bring the numbers back up.. I considered buying a small home there, but I am glad I didn't.. Too many years with too few birds.. Also something else.. The Californians over run the place.. One guy told me a Californian had a small trailer near Alamo Lake I believe.. He killed three hundred that year and that is only one of them.. Truly if you have decent hunting where you are I would be mobile.. Get a travel trailer and go down and try it... If you like it stay as long as you wish.. If the hunting sucks, move on.. Some states I would consider are of course South Dakota, Kansas, Neb. and Idaho... To me Idaho is a real sleeper for birds...

Our quail here in southwestern New Mexico have been taking it on the chin for the last few years, but I have always been able to find enough to justify an early morning or late afternoon sortie.

We had a wet winter this year, and the Gambels are already paired up--I have actually seen one brood. I suspect that is the case with the Scalies, too. Haven't had a chance to check on the Mearns yet, but the habitat that I have seen looks pretty good. With any luck, and reasonable monsoon rains, this fall should be really good.

Mudhen that is really great news.. I haven't chased quail for quite a number of years.. I wasn't sure how quickly they would come back!! Enjoy!!

A buddy of mine went to ID last fall with his family. It wasn't a hunting trip and he didn't pick the location for birds in the least. I honestly can't remember which town, but he reported seeing pheasants just walking around (season hadn't opened) , and seeing a couple coveys of quail in just a few hours that he could sneak away from family obligations. I can't remember if he reported seeing any chukar. It definitely sounded interesting enough to consider a trip, but much like WY or MT it would have to be an early season trip to interest me. When it gets much below freezing and the wind is howling the fun level drops......

My experience growing up in New Mexico was the bird populations were boom and bust depending on the rain fall with 1 year of boom followed by 20 years of bust. When I lived in Kansas the bird populations were much more stable but the public land is very small. Today they have walk-in hunt areas which seems like it would open a lot of hunting.

A good way to know what Arizona has to offer and where to go is to get Web's book, A Wingshooter's Guide to Arizona.

https://www.amazon.com/Wingshooters-Guide-Arizona-Guides/dp/1932098607

We have quite a few birds you can hunt, with long seasons. I agree with Wyomingcoyotehunter that you might want to give it a try and RV it first. Lots of Forest Service campgrounds near bird areas and plenty of private ones too.

Gambels and Scalies populations are beginning to increase from some very dismal populations due to dry conditions the past few years. Last year was wetter and the gambels coveys my friends and I are seeing are quite large. Mearns have been slowly increasing from the major bust due to a deep freeze several years ago. So things are looking a bit better.

FYI Gambels and scalie season begins October 16. Mearns used to open just after Thanksgiving but in recent years season opens in early December, this year December 6. All quail seasons end February 7.

Dogs?

Most serious quail hunters use dogs. Have a friend that uses a call for gambel's. He gets on dirt roads and stops every 1/4 mile or so and calls. If he gets an answer he will hike in that direction. He does quite well. For me it is all about the dogs. I even use them for doves.

Yeah, dogs.

Dogs are almost a necessity for most western quail hunting. They locate and hold coveys, and they work out scattered singles from the covey rises. They also catch cripples and find downed birds in heavy cover.

There's the reason for "dogs?".

you need to re read that ......its a ? for him........bob

I wasn't flaming at all, but I guess it could be taken that way. It was just my enthusiasm about dogs that popped out.

Dogs?

I am with Windridge on this one. I wouldn't be hunting birds without dogs. I could hunt without them but it is the dog that makes the hunt so interesting.

Mearns quail are almost impossible to locate without dogs. Those birds are well camouflaged, and hold very close. A hunter without a dog would walk right past them and they would not flush.

I've had the most enjoyment hunting the Mearns near the Mexico border. Beautiful birds and country, and they hold for the dog. The Gambels I refer to a devils quail as they flush out so far ahead or you and the dog. Avoid desert areas with cholla cactus if you have a dog.
There are some Dusky/blue grouse in the White Mountains in eastern AZ, and also on the North Kaibab. I have only hunted those on the N Kaibab.
Like Azshooter, I have a GWP, but I think a GSP or English Pointer would be a good choice too with their shorter coats more suited for the heat and cockle-burrs. A couple of friends hunted with Brittanies too.