Does anyone hunt mountain birds? My grandfather and I have hunted the higher elevations above Kern river/ Lake Isabella over the past 5 years and usually we are able to jump a few coveys, but last year we didn’t see 1 bird. The only thing we seen in the areas usually holding mountains was some smaller coveys of valley. Has anyone else come across this? The goal this year is to get at least one for mounting, such good looking birds.
Mountain Quail
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Ha !, funny you mentioned this area. In 1989, we were deer hunting in the kennedy meadows area and found mountain quail and no deer and then when we returned in upland season, we found deer and no mountain quail. Elusive bastards they are...
I tried hunting that area for Mt. quail years ago with zero success. We did have fair success with valley quail. I hunted the Piute Mts. for several years and had a few exceptional years for Mt. quail. My brother had 160 acres up there and I would spend many days up there hunting for deer, squirrel and quail, I would hunt the Mt. road from Kelso valley up over the Mt. and back down the other side heading towards Lake Isabella. The Mt. Pinos area use to be a good spot but, a lot of the area was private property so, you would need to do some investigating to find and you could hunt. I have not hunted in Ca. for some years now so a lot of those areas may well be closed to hunting these days.
Hunted Lake Isabella, Bodfish, Kelso Valley, Scodie Mt. and just about everything in-between for mountain quail...Just like most quail, there's good years and bad years...I am sure they're there...Wait till the snows push them down off the highest mountains for the most success.
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We usually go up for the early mt. season around baker point. Heard that there is some good area around peppermint creek, but haven’t scouted that area. The lower river area is usually pretty productive for the valley every year. Heard some turkeys up there last season, so I might try my luck during fall season . Thanks for the input guys, I’ll use onX and check some of these areas for public land. I don’t get much time to put the boots on the ground, so this helps a lot.
That is Mike the Dog...Probably the best pure chukar, quail, and pheasant dog I ever owned...He hunted for himself...Would howl like any other hound when he got on a hot scent...I was young and could keep up with him...lol
Best story...One day I was at Walker Pass and got into a covey of chukar high up...I could hear Mike howling and as crested a small knoll...There's Mike under a yucca tree with the chukar up on a limb going nuts chirping at him...I whacked one off the limb and bagged two in the air...Mike was my man.
ps...You had to get to Mike quick...He would bury birds after he found them...lol
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unforgettably with little rain and with predators the mountain quail have not seen a come back in numbers. This is truly sad....
There is mountain quail in the local mountains just not many of them any more. use to be tons, with out a dog it was tough finding them.
I use to stock them and be quite like. see them pop up. take them one at a time.
in spring I could hear them but good luck trying to sneak up on them , they just disappear.. lol.
I use to stock them and be quite like. see them pop up. take them one at a time.
in spring I could hear them but good luck trying to sneak up on them , they just disappear.. lol.
They are, and very tasty little birds.
Yep in spring time they call to each other. In the valley, then in October
They disappear into the high country.
Yep in spring time they call to each other. In the valley, then in October
They disappear into the high country.
They're around here and there. Usually run into them by accident when I'm doing something else like chasing bandtails.
Fine example of a mountain quail...Palomar Mt.
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Saw the largest covey of mt quail (22+)I’ve every seen two weeks ago on otay mountain. If I can find out how to post photos I’ll put it up.
