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Man, I dont know how you guys are having such a hard time..

My means huntin buddy and I hunted for an hour and a half. We killed 4 birds a piece, with 5 shots a piece. We went for the trifect of all three birds, so we called it a day on meanrs early.


Ps, about the BP zoomin... probably were going to catch some illegals or some illegal drugs!

Casey,

Okay wise guy...keep going out and you will see it isn't like it was the last two years. I too have found birds but not any days where I saw 37 coveys in 4 1/2 hrs!

Wapiti,

Going to be a tough one for you. I would suggest trying Gardner Canyon just north of Sonoita on Rt 83. There are some smaller canyons just to the south of Gardner which paralled the main canyon. To access them you will have to climb up the steep southside slope of Gardner. One is a hidden valley that is fairly close to Rt 83. There is another almost across from the ranch houses a ways up Gardner.
I would plan it so I could walk back down Gardner canyon to get to the car. You will probably see some on the way back.

Mearns hunting is a gentleman's hunt in that you can sleep late, eat a good breakfast and start mid morning. No point in walking at first light. We usually see the most birds around 11 to 3.

I would also investigate Ruby Road just north of Nogales. Just about any drainage south of the road should contain some birds.

As for identifying males. Yes you can do it while they are in flight. You are going to be very surprised when you finally encounter a covey. Their mushroom shaped flush will suprise the heck out of you even through you know they are there. Your dog will be on point you'll ease up knowing it and you might even hear them but rarely see them right at your feet! Even though you know they are about to flush you will still be startled and not know which bird to shoot. If the covey is large some will fly at you. One friend says sometimes they brush your face as they go by. Be prepared to drop to your knees to shoot under branches. A lightweight shotgun is handy for very fast swinging. And always be prepared for a late riser or two.

There is a breakfast place in Patagonia where many mearns hunters show. The talk is usually of conditions etc. The word this year is that it is very poor hunting. Many guys, myself included have seen ZERO birds on some of our 4-5 hr walks.

good luck

If you have a good dog, hunt the transitions between the grass and the oaks. They sit tight and seldom flush wild. If you get a covey flush reload fast and wait for a single or two to come up. Improve cyl an a light weight auto loader is recommended; however my shooting partner used a SXS and did well. They will almost 99% of the time fly to cover; up hill or down. If you hunt a canyon from the bottom be ready as you climb out as the canyon comes to its end. Sometime they will flush back at you and the shot will be like the Skeet #8 High House. Yellow to orange shooting glasses will help pick out the colors (males to females) dark sunglasses will not help. However while you think about, is it a male or female, it will to too late:-)

Good luck

I just had to get out yesterday. It was supposed to rain but it looked like the weatherman was mistaken. I arrived at 10:30 and the skys parted for some sunshine. I walked around for 3 hrs and saw 6 coveys! Shot 6 with another five or so giving me the slip. I only followed up on one covey that flew up the slope. It was a great time, just the right temperature, a light wind and some sun. When we quit the skys filled in with clouds and the wind picked up. It was a great time. A couple of times I just sat letting the dogs cool down and took in the beautiful grass/oak slopes. IMO there is nothing like mearns hunting.

Bet the dogs were happy to find plenty of birds too yesterday for a change. Those long-range running and flushing Gambels do confirm the joys of mearns hunting and the scenic country that mearns inhabit.

Doug~RR

Redrabbit,

The word is getting out that there are few birds. I am not seeing other hunters or hearing them shooting as in previous years. A friend of mine says that most of the winter visitor/hunters that gather for breakfast in Patagonia have packed it in.

There are some mearns. I agree that it is more productive that trying to find gambels. You can bet I'll continue to get out there a few times a week regardless. I still have many places to walk.

What is the last day to hunt Mearns in Az?

I thought it ran to the end of February; but it may end Feb 7, 2010.

Anyone know for sure?

Thank you.

Feb. 7 ,2010 is the last day for Mearns, Gambel & Scaled quail in AZ.

10-4!

Reba/AZ Shooter,

Thank you for the advice and sharing your knowledge. I will let you know how the quest for a Mearns goes. Do you know the name of the breakfast spot in Patagonia? Has anyone in the forum ever tried hunting Mearns west of I-19? Casey, congrats on the Coues deer. That's a long shot! Was it a nice buck? - Wapiti

Sure we have hunted west of I-19 and there are a few birds there as well as other places we mentioned. The border country has mearns as well as smugglers. Not many illegals coming across to work but drugs are moving. A Border patrol agent was shot a week or so back by two drug runners near Rio Rico.

Wapiti,
I had sent you a PM. Check your inbox in "my stuff"

RR

The last mearns hunt for me this season happened this past weekend. Larry, a friend from another hunting forum, joined me Saturday. We humped the draws and slopes for 6 hours with his GSP and my GWP to find one covey atop a ridge in the grass and out of the oak trees. Larry got a pair with his new Weatherby, and I got a nice male.

On Sunday after some attempted morning sunrise photos, I hunted a few hours and Rica located two coveys. A female and a mounter male came from the firs cove, and my terrible shooting gave the "scatter" gun its name, because that is what the covey did.

Some photos of the nearby country. I did not carry the SLR with me while following the dogs.




Doug~RR