Quail has been tough to find this season in my areas.
I seen good covey's prior years.
The drought took it's toll here.
I seen good covey's prior years.
The drought took it's toll here.
D11 Quail
- Thread starter issue_1
- Start date
Are we even allowed to hunt in the Canebrake ER? DFW doesn't say you can but they also don't say you can't. I looked at the Scodie Canyon unit and you would of had to park in Onyx and it didn't look like the sort of place I wanted to leave my vehicle with stuff.
Scodie, Kelso Valley, and surrounding areas were my go to spots back in the day.....Tough & steep, but it always held birds.....And all 3 species too....Mt. and Valley quail, chukar.
Stayed at Red Rock State Park sun night - Slept under wind and rain and when that stopped the full moon lit up the whole campground. The moon was so bright on the dirt formations it looks as if they were dusted with snow. This morning woke up to a falcon cutting through a swirling flock of swallow. The little birds were pouring out of an overhanging crack in the rock in front of site #17 - the falcon gained on a singled out swallow and 2 large ravens muscled their way into the chase eventually running the swallow into the ground and forcing the falcon to find food elsewhere. First time I've seen a raven hunt.
After our morning meal me and a buddy packed up and headed toward Isabella to look for quail. The places I scouted ended up being very steep and learned an important lesson in checking not just property lines but the topo on the maps as well.
We moved to another location in south isabella and was excited to find some quail. Feel like my scouting is paying off but the hunt is another hurdle. Chased a few coveys which was exhilarating. there were jack rabbits and quail in the same bush. after a few misses I hit one quail with a plum of feathers to show but the bird kept flying unphased.
Do you guys like to walk around loudly to get an initial flush to locate birds or try to sneak around to locate them?
Seems like attempting to taking my time to sneak up on quail gives them too much time to run off undetected. Do you guys prefer to give chase to where they land and keep the pressure on them in order to get another flush?
Quail call today didn't work today. Birds were quiet and I couldn't hear any alert or pit pit sounds before or after a flush. - another skunk. only a few more days to try and get the stink off. Anyone have a dog for rent?
After our morning meal me and a buddy packed up and headed toward Isabella to look for quail. The places I scouted ended up being very steep and learned an important lesson in checking not just property lines but the topo on the maps as well.
We moved to another location in south isabella and was excited to find some quail. Feel like my scouting is paying off but the hunt is another hurdle. Chased a few coveys which was exhilarating. there were jack rabbits and quail in the same bush. after a few misses I hit one quail with a plum of feathers to show but the bird kept flying unphased.
Do you guys like to walk around loudly to get an initial flush to locate birds or try to sneak around to locate them?
Seems like attempting to taking my time to sneak up on quail gives them too much time to run off undetected. Do you guys prefer to give chase to where they land and keep the pressure on them in order to get another flush?
Quail call today didn't work today. Birds were quiet and I couldn't hear any alert or pit pit sounds before or after a flush. - another skunk. only a few more days to try and get the stink off. Anyone have a dog for rent?
I have to check these posts before I head out - could have used it. Loving your lab's unbreaking focus.
How I approach the birds depends on a few things. Before you locate any try to be quiet but you do also want to cover ground. You want to hear them either calling, alarm clucking, or their quieter sounds, or just movement. Use a call every now and then to try and get them to call back. Sometimes you will walk up on them and get a flush to locate them. If you locate them you want to try to sneak within range of them first but depending on the cover of the area that might not happen. For example if you catch them in a more open area with lots of creosote brush they're going to try and run away and you need to get after them.
If they are in a more sagebrush dominated area they are going to feel more comfortable hiding and you need to go up to the individual bushes to try and get them to flush out. Stop at the bush you think they are at it'll make them nervous and flush. I'll also blow air though my lips to make a sound similar to their wings during the flush. They think another bird flushed and it's a better chance for them to go also. This may sound crazy but I think a half rack of the gun action in late season does the same thing, they think your messing with the gun maybe if they have been though this before.
If you miss or don't get a shot watch where they flush to. They just tried to run/sneak and now flush away from you. They used energy to fly away and would prefer to hide from you. They are usually not that far away from where you watched them land. Get over there. They like little draws or depressions with cover. If your chasing them lateral along a hill they will more often then not be hiding in these areas. If the covey flushed in different directions watch where both groups go. Go after one and when those birds ghost you go back to where you saw the others go they are probably still there.
If you believe they are in an area and just hiding and you have lost them you can also do as they do. Sit down and hide, be quiet and wait 10 to 20 mins. Then call. They think you left and are another quail wanting to regroup and they will call back. Now your back on them. Sometimes call, quietly move a little distance, then call again with a different pitch if possible to sound like more then one bird or a bird that moved.
All good advice....The reason you're not getting a lot of calling is, it's late in the season and young of the year birds are less apt to want to reassemble quickly.....Older and smarter birds would much rather hide than fly....Remember hawks and falcons are their #1 killer.....The one thing they don't like is the waiting game.....Once you flush birds.....Get to where the nearest birds went down.....They will normally reflush….The farther birds will run.....And it's almost always up hill.....Also, as stated above, they like small ravines and ditches to hide in.....Without a dog, using your ears and eyes will get you more birds.....Walk slowly, be on the ready to shoot, and pause often.....Good luck
Concur with both post. Very well said.
Sometimes it's waiting game sometimes not. To many factors.
Sometimes they flush, run like hell.
Sometimes they hide and disappear. Most of the time they
Will try to locate each other if you are lucky.
If they flush and try to run.
I get on them if possible.
Because they can run fast and far.
Like I said lots of factors.
In really thick high brush tough
To find without a dog.
Sometimes it's waiting game sometimes not. To many factors.
Sometimes they flush, run like hell.
Sometimes they hide and disappear. Most of the time they
Will try to locate each other if you are lucky.
If they flush and try to run.
I get on them if possible.
Because they can run fast and far.
Like I said lots of factors.
In really thick high brush tough
To find without a dog.
Kind of reminded myself.
When was young I would be
Quite and stealthy. Sneak up on them. I would hunt mountain quail this way. If I was Hunting solo. Depending on the terrain.
Seems to me desert quail. 3 or more hunters working together. Would
Work to. Flat terrain, desert type
Terrain. Mountain terrain seem to me to be the toughest. Seems they most of time like to flush up hill. Better be in shape. LOL
When was young I would be
Quite and stealthy. Sneak up on them. I would hunt mountain quail this way. If I was Hunting solo. Depending on the terrain.
Seems to me desert quail. 3 or more hunters working together. Would
Work to. Flat terrain, desert type
Terrain. Mountain terrain seem to me to be the toughest. Seems they most of time like to flush up hill. Better be in shape. LOL
For the newbies.
Learn the different quail call for each species. Lot of videos on you tube.
See what the different species look like. Lots of pics on line.
While scouting listen for their calls. I zero in on them that way
Most of the time. Dogs are almost a must. But can be done. It's not easy.
If there is a big covey get them as close as they will let you.
As the season progresses, they are on to hunters. And won't let you get close. Do your best.
Take a few. And follow them
To get few more.
Then sit and wait to see if the try
To reassemble by using their locator call's.
This the time to call them in.
Sometimes it works.
Most on line advice is to bust them up good.
Call them in.
Mountain quail are a little different to my experience.
Not normally in covey's.
Usually in singles to my experience.
Trial and error will dictate what works for you.
Now go get them in July.
Learn the different quail call for each species. Lot of videos on you tube.
See what the different species look like. Lots of pics on line.
While scouting listen for their calls. I zero in on them that way
Most of the time. Dogs are almost a must. But can be done. It's not easy.
If there is a big covey get them as close as they will let you.
As the season progresses, they are on to hunters. And won't let you get close. Do your best.
Take a few. And follow them
To get few more.
Then sit and wait to see if the try
To reassemble by using their locator call's.
This the time to call them in.
Sometimes it works.
Most on line advice is to bust them up good.
Call them in.
Mountain quail are a little different to my experience.
Not normally in covey's.
Usually in singles to my experience.
Trial and error will dictate what works for you.
Now go get them in July.
The terrain and methods of take will kind of dictate whether you can use the sneaky approach. Well.. I mean... You CAN ALWAYS use the sneaky approach... which you HAVE to do if using AirRifle or rifle,... but it may prove frustrating if the terrain is like many clumps of low brush nestled very near to each other in thick expansive patches of it. Because then it becomes very hard to observe the entire perimeter of that large "super-clump" of brush in order to spot where they are sneaking out on-foot from it.
Very true like I stated. The terrain and conditions will be a big factor.
But thick and high brush is a lost
Cause with out a dog.
I have hunted different terrains
And it's all different and it would take book for every scenario.
My favorite is desert quail with
Low sparce brush. And terrain that is semi level.
I hunted Texas in the desert
It was fun. Out near El Paso.
Mountain hunting in the thick
Chaparral , with steep mountains
Is not my favorite. But I did it a lot
As a kid. Because no one said I shouldn't LOL.
I was very successful back then.
Of it seems there was more habitat. Less development.
This were the days.
But thick and high brush is a lost
Cause with out a dog.
I have hunted different terrains
And it's all different and it would take book for every scenario.
My favorite is desert quail with
Low sparce brush. And terrain that is semi level.
I hunted Texas in the desert
It was fun. Out near El Paso.
Mountain hunting in the thick
Chaparral , with steep mountains
Is not my favorite. But I did it a lot
As a kid. Because no one said I shouldn't LOL.
I was very successful back then.
Of it seems there was more habitat. Less development.
This were the days.
Quail and Rabbit hunting in the Mojave in AZ is pretty freakin' cool, cause even if they do manage to duck into a thicker super-clump of that low brush... if you slowly work around it's perimeter... they eventually break from cover... either stealthily...or by booking it.. but eventually they always attempt to put distance between you and them, and if you're hyper-vigilant, you catch that movement... and it's game-on again! For me... as long as they didn't get super-spooked and run a long ways away (and sometimes they do), as long as I was slowly and Ninja creep on the stalking around the bush... I might end up flushing'em from like up to 4-5 different places where they managed to run-off and hunker down in. But as long as I was able to catch that movement with my eye when they slipped-out... I was always able to stalk back up, ultra slow and quiet to the new location, and eventually.. they'd go to a new location and not actually duck within a bush... like remain out in an opening so they could "look back" to see if I was coming... but then I'd plan the creep-up so that some other bush or greasewood was covering my approach... then slowly lean-out, or slowly raise-up from behind or beside the bush/tree that was hiding me... with AirRifle up and ready... then it was just a matter of hurrying-up and settling-down with the crosshairs in a timely fashion so you could take the shot before they got nervous again. And the scenario I'm describing was always making use of the cold of the morning and their innate desired to need to and want to get warmed up by the sunshine after a freezing evening of dodging predators all damn night long.
Definitely more fun in the more spacious desert habitat. BUT... it does have some drawbacks... namely freakin' Cholla! Because of the Cholla... little bits of the Cholla fall off and die and break apart and harden. And because of that... you gotta be darn mindful of where you attempt to drop back down to the ground to your knees or to a seated position. And... if you do drop down to seated position... you gotta be dang mindful if you attempt to side-schooch your sit over a bit to see them exit the other side of a bush you just watched them go behind... because you'll go to do that... maintaining eye contact on your quarry... then be met with a painful surprise that's a reminder to you of just where you're at! Yeeowch! @#$@#$
Definitely more fun in the more spacious desert habitat. BUT... it does have some drawbacks... namely freakin' Cholla! Because of the Cholla... little bits of the Cholla fall off and die and break apart and harden. And because of that... you gotta be darn mindful of where you attempt to drop back down to the ground to your knees or to a seated position. And... if you do drop down to seated position... you gotta be dang mindful if you attempt to side-schooch your sit over a bit to see them exit the other side of a bush you just watched them go behind... because you'll go to do that... maintaining eye contact on your quarry... then be met with a painful surprise that's a reminder to you of just where you're at! Yeeowch! @#$@#$
Cholla can and is painful.
Good snake chaps and good boots is a must. Especially spring and fall. Forget about sitting down.
Stealth mode with rabbits is the game plan. Quite and slow.
Don't forget cotton tails love to circle. They wait for you to pass by. In the desert I would pick them off as I hiked. One or two at a time. Fun.in the chaparral one chance. Then gone.
Once upon time there was hundreds of quail. Large covey's.
Fun times.
Good snake chaps and good boots is a must. Especially spring and fall. Forget about sitting down.
Stealth mode with rabbits is the game plan. Quite and slow.
Don't forget cotton tails love to circle. They wait for you to pass by. In the desert I would pick them off as I hiked. One or two at a time. Fun.in the chaparral one chance. Then gone.
Once upon time there was hundreds of quail. Large covey's.
Fun times.
Stupid cholla! I hate those damn plants. Tried going though an area thick of them around Searchlight NV. One of the hardened ones on the ground somehow pierced though my boot and into my foot. So there I am standing on one foot cussing a part of a dead plant out. Well as I try to position myself to pull it out I back into another. Well that hurts so reflex away but I'm only on one foot and fall over and land on... yep more stupid cholla now in the side of my arm and leg on that side!
Ha, Cholla is muy malo ! many years ago I was hunting behind Manzanar at the base of the sierras and my pointer ran back to me with two bolas of cholla on his hind quarters. Lucky I had leather gloves and pulled them out. that dog never even winced or yelped, amazing. Since then I carry a pair of hemostats clipped to me vest.
BUAAHAHAHAAA!!...sorry man... but you have to admit... that scene would be pretty freakin' comical in a movie screenplay! MAN it hurts, doesn't it?
Once time we were bombing along somwhere in Stoddard Valley on some trail. And you know, while you're on a trail, there are often branches from the greasewood's here or there that extend out into the trail. And usually it's no big deal, you've got on all your racing gear and plastics, so you just brush thru 'em, no big deal.
Well... this one time... there's some branches that overhang.... but apparently... they hid from view a bit of cholla that was ALSO overhanging into that trail a lil' bit!!!
F... M... L ...!!!!
I bust thru the branch I see... then I GASSSSP!!!!!! As searing pain shoots up to my brain from the soft skin behind that knee, just above my boot!!!
So immediately I'm like "Ow! Ow! Ow!" and carefully slow down and come to a stop putting down that other foot. And this was on a tall tall Husqvarna bike. Eventually.... my StepDad motors back around to see what the deal is. Thank GAWD he had a toolkit and some needle-nose pliers!! Mother FOCK Me the barbs on those things are stubborn as Fizzuck!
And get this... my front tire was a 6-Ply rated Metzler Desert Tire... and one of those barbs pierce thru an entire knobby!!! I couldn't believe it!
Oh man... gives me a shiver just thinking about the one-by-one yanking of the barbs out of that baby-soft flesh behind the back of my knee...OOOh-hooo-hooo-hooo...!!
P.S. I kinda had an addiction to going fast in the Desert
Well... this one time... there's some branches that overhang.... but apparently... they hid from view a bit of cholla that was ALSO overhanging into that trail a lil' bit!!!
F... M... L ...!!!!
I bust thru the branch I see... then I GASSSSP!!!!!! As searing pain shoots up to my brain from the soft skin behind that knee, just above my boot!!!
So immediately I'm like "Ow! Ow! Ow!" and carefully slow down and come to a stop putting down that other foot. And this was on a tall tall Husqvarna bike. Eventually.... my StepDad motors back around to see what the deal is. Thank GAWD he had a toolkit and some needle-nose pliers!! Mother FOCK Me the barbs on those things are stubborn as Fizzuck!
And get this... my front tire was a 6-Ply rated Metzler Desert Tire... and one of those barbs pierce thru an entire knobby!!! I couldn't believe it!
Oh man... gives me a shiver just thinking about the one-by-one yanking of the barbs out of that baby-soft flesh behind the back of my knee...OOOh-hooo-hooo-hooo...!!
P.S. I kinda had an addiction to going fast in the Desert
Last edited: