I'm no expert, but have killed a lot of quail in my life without pointing dogs.......Trust me.......Western quail aren't bobwhite!
That said, desert quail (Gambel) are many times better without dogs. Tough country with lots of cautus. They also prefer to run rather than fly. Meaning pointing dogs or dogs in general have a hard time keeping up with them.....The best part about having a dog (which I have) is finding them. Especially on multiple downed birds.....It's a good policy, if your hunting without a dog is to take birds one at a time and keeping your eye on that birds downed location. They do leave some feathers many times on impact with the ground, so you can find them.
Also, hunting without a dog means you should slow down. After you get an initial flush, go right to that spot. There's almost always strugglers. Watch where they go and walk in slowly. Even stand around some......Birds get nervous when they know your nearby. They will flush and many times you'll actually hear the chirping sound 1st. Valley quail are very similar, but obviously live in a little different habitat.
Listening for the telltale sound of valley & desert quail (chi-COG-go)) reassembling is also a way to find them without a dog. Quail calls are cheap and many times they will answer.
Hope this helps a little...........