Host: Bob Corley
2013 - 2014 Arizona Quail Reports
Oct.4, 2013 - Feb.9, 2014, Gambel's & Scaled
Dec.6, 2013 - Feb.9, 2014, Mearn's
My 2012-2013 bird season ended on Feb. 8. It was a better season than last year, but not by a lot. I hunted 32 full or partial days. Most Mearn's hunter friends reported a season slightly better than last year with coveys in the 8-10 bird range. I hunted with some new friends and had some great days with family. I made no trips at all -- again -- down south to hunt Mearn's. I made two trips to east central Ariz and one trip to west central. Did not find conditions or bird populations much different than around here in central Az.
|
I was thrilled with the season my little 3 yr old girl, Belle, had. She was a marvel to watch hunt on almost every hunt. My Rusty had spectacular days interspersed with just good days. My ol' man, Max, was again his super self. But he was feeling his age. I hunted him no longer than about 2 hours, then he was more than willing to rest and recover. I would love to keep that gene pool alive and well.
SPRING, 2013
Mar. 7, 2013 A sad, sad day for me. Lost my 10 year old, Max. May he rest in peace out where the Gambel's come in to roost at night! April 6, 2013 Male mating calls are in full chorus. Spent the last two days in Casa Grande. The low desert birds are calling dawn to dark. Birds at the higher elevations are a bit behind that cycle, but not by much and still pairing. Annuals starting to dry up. Still, lots of promise. Let's just say I have purchased shot and powder for the MEC reloader! April 15, 2013: ATV scouting trip. Rode the Honda Rancher for 3 hours and covered 15-20 miles and 7 different water sources @ 2,300 to 3,100 ft elevation. All the grasses have seeded. Desert wildflowers in abundance. Violet bloom of the hedgehog cacti particularly beautiful. Every bird I saw was paired. Male mating calls still in chorus. |
AUG. 27, 2013 QUAIL OUTLOOK, by Jonathon O'Dell, AG&F Smallgame Biologist
For the full 2013 - 2014 Small Game Outlook, Click: http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/small_game.shtml
Sept 11, 2013 Good rains, green-up. Tropical moisture moved into Ariz this week. Some good soakers. Flooding in the west central portions. Desert looks great. On a scouting hike yesterday observed swollen, and ripe prickly pear fruit and a nice green stand of annual grasses. Sweet. Along with that . . . . some small coveys of 1/2 to 2/3 grown youngsters. The AG&F outlook was a bit bleak with very low spring Gambel's call counts. Maybe cautiously optimistic is a good overall term. On a 10 point scale, if 2011-12 was a one, and 2012-13 was a two, my 2013-14 prediction is a three - four.
For the full 2013 - 2014 Small Game Outlook, Click: http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/small_game.shtml
Sept 11, 2013 Good rains, green-up. Tropical moisture moved into Ariz this week. Some good soakers. Flooding in the west central portions. Desert looks great. On a scouting hike yesterday observed swollen, and ripe prickly pear fruit and a nice green stand of annual grasses. Sweet. Along with that . . . . some small coveys of 1/2 to 2/3 grown youngsters. The AG&F outlook was a bit bleak with very low spring Gambel's call counts. Maybe cautiously optimistic is a good overall term. On a 10 point scale, if 2011-12 was a one, and 2012-13 was a two, my 2013-14 prediction is a three - four.
OCTOBER, 2013
Oct. 20, 2013 My first Az quail day. 2013 - 2014 Personal Season Opener. Good for the soul to hike the Ariz hills after returning from the Northwest. Hiked 5 1/2 hours at 3,500 - 4,000 ft. Habitat looks really good. Good ground cover. Many small woody shrubs in bloom. Large patches of dried sunflowers from the last precip. Dirt tanks full or at least with water. This area must've had some really decent monsoon moisture. Staghorn cholla yellow fruit ripening. Some grasshoppers. Chick survivability should have been good given these conditions.
I let three birds fly away untouched. Just felt like they were not mature enough to shoot at. The birds I took were half birds of the year, but they flew like adults and were fully developed -- not like the chicks.
First two hikes of 2 1/2 hours. Zero. No tracks, no calls, no birds. P.M. 3 hour hikes, 4 coveys. Smallest 12, largest 25, all Gambel's. Birds of the year at 50%. Little Belle put on a show. Lots of hugs and happy talk. Bird crops with very few bugs or green -- 95% seeds. AGF prediction is for below average bird populations but better than last year. After my first hike, I would concur. Legs tired -- but a good tired. Feet sore -- the Ariz desert will put a hurt on you. And I've always said your feet will notice it before your legs do!! All the best for a really good season. See you in the hills with my Britts. Bob C.
Oct. 20, 2013 My first Az quail day. 2013 - 2014 Personal Season Opener. Good for the soul to hike the Ariz hills after returning from the Northwest. Hiked 5 1/2 hours at 3,500 - 4,000 ft. Habitat looks really good. Good ground cover. Many small woody shrubs in bloom. Large patches of dried sunflowers from the last precip. Dirt tanks full or at least with water. This area must've had some really decent monsoon moisture. Staghorn cholla yellow fruit ripening. Some grasshoppers. Chick survivability should have been good given these conditions.
I let three birds fly away untouched. Just felt like they were not mature enough to shoot at. The birds I took were half birds of the year, but they flew like adults and were fully developed -- not like the chicks.
First two hikes of 2 1/2 hours. Zero. No tracks, no calls, no birds. P.M. 3 hour hikes, 4 coveys. Smallest 12, largest 25, all Gambel's. Birds of the year at 50%. Little Belle put on a show. Lots of hugs and happy talk. Bird crops with very few bugs or green -- 95% seeds. AGF prediction is for below average bird populations but better than last year. After my first hike, I would concur. Legs tired -- but a good tired. Feet sore -- the Ariz desert will put a hurt on you. And I've always said your feet will notice it before your legs do!! All the best for a really good season. See you in the hills with my Britts. Bob C.
Oct. 23, 2013 Four hour hunt @ 2,000 - 2,500 ft. elevation. Most dirt tanks were dry. Temp @ 85F! Too hot for hunting birds after about 10:00 am. Ground cover was minimal. Decades of overgrazing was obvious. Saw two really good coveys but couldn't stop 'em. No cover. They were race horses. And when they did stop it was mostly in 15' tall thick bottoms. Even at mid-morning, crops mostly empty. Birds of the year @ 20%. Whole different experience than my first day out.
Oct. 25, 2013 Five hour hunt @ 3,000 ft. Ground cover, habitat looked way better today. Water sources, however, were mostly dry. Ranchers not maintaining springs and drinkers because their cattle #'s have been cut back. Saw cattle sign, but no animals. Decent bird coveys although small. Birds of the year @ 40%. Prickly pear fruit better here than other spots and one bird crop completely stuffed with this purple fruit. By 11:00 a.m. -- again -- way too hot to hunt. Can't wait until the temps finally turn.
Oct. 29, 2013 Windy, blustery day. The birds act weird in the wind. Jumped some of my largest coveys of the year and got almost no hunting on them. Little Belle picked up the scent cone and pointed the best covey from about 25 yards away -- into the wind -- all under one little cactus. Without the point, would've missed them completely. And, in fact, two coveys jumped in the late p.m. that I never heard flush at all. Just happened to look up as they sailed over a ridge-top. And if you think Gambel's are hard to hit on a "normal" day, You haven't experienced tough until you try to swing on one that hits a tail-wind of 25-30 mph! Wowzer.
Oh, a short aside. Rattlesnakes are still out. Good grief! Britts found him warming himself on a rocky slope. 66 years old today. And after a 5 hour hike, the legs are a bit tired. But it's a GOOD tired! :-)
Oct. 29, 2013 Windy, blustery day. The birds act weird in the wind. Jumped some of my largest coveys of the year and got almost no hunting on them. Little Belle picked up the scent cone and pointed the best covey from about 25 yards away -- into the wind -- all under one little cactus. Without the point, would've missed them completely. And, in fact, two coveys jumped in the late p.m. that I never heard flush at all. Just happened to look up as they sailed over a ridge-top. And if you think Gambel's are hard to hit on a "normal" day, You haven't experienced tough until you try to swing on one that hits a tail-wind of 25-30 mph! Wowzer.
Oh, a short aside. Rattlesnakes are still out. Good grief! Britts found him warming himself on a rocky slope. 66 years old today. And after a 5 hour hike, the legs are a bit tired. But it's a GOOD tired! :-)
NOVEMBER, 2013
Nov. 8, 2013 A gorgeous 5 hr hike. Rusty found our first covey. Temps starting to cool down some. But scenting conditions tough because no precip in many weeks but had some great dog work today. Am not the best shot in the world, but took a couple of doubles this morning. Size #7 shot, 7/8 oz loaded at 1,200 fps using choke tubes IC/LM. On the simultaneous flush, the LM gives that extra 5 yard range on the second shot. Birds of the year at 75%. Crops filled with seeds and small reddish beatles. May be time for me to explore some different parts of Ariz and even check out some scalie habitat. Hiking the hills today am reminded of our infamous Corley Boy quote: "Today is the best day of the rest of our lives." And today was -- good for the soul.
Nov. 14, 2013 Hunted a "different" area. Traveled to east central part of the state to explore today. Most disturbing were the four locked gates I found -- and at least one new home built adjacent to a great hunting area. Small chunks of private land -- locked, which essentially locked me out of hundreds of acres of public BLM, State Trust and Forest Service land. Frustrating to the point of disgust. Makes hunting one of my old (last 20 years) areas really, really difficult. Public access to public lands is something AG&F does work on -- at least minimally it seems. I'm just seeing more and more of this issue cropping up around our state. Maybe that needs to be a topic of conversation in our Quail Forever organizations.
After 6 hours of hiking, the Britts and I did find birds. Am reminded of one very important hint when you are hunting an area -- look for tracks in the washes and on game or cattle trails. If you find no tracks, move on. All the coveys we found today were found right after we located their tracks. Birds of the year were at 35%. Crops filled with the pulp of succulent cacti, seeds, and grasshoppers. (Found no water sources anywhere near these coveys -- hence, the pulpy cacti for moisture.)
Nov. 16, 2013 Tried for some scalies. At over 4,000 ft elevation and in some good grassland, scalie habitat. In a two hour hike, one very small covey of maybe 8. Habitat and ground cover looked good. Hearing mixed reports from scalie hunters from other areas of the state. And, of course, everybody is collectively "holding their breaths" waiting to see what the Mearn's year will look like. Most are just hoping for a bit of a rebound with "something" better than last season! P.S. A pretty decent rain shower hit us this evening. Anything is welcome!!
Nov. 8, 2013 A gorgeous 5 hr hike. Rusty found our first covey. Temps starting to cool down some. But scenting conditions tough because no precip in many weeks but had some great dog work today. Am not the best shot in the world, but took a couple of doubles this morning. Size #7 shot, 7/8 oz loaded at 1,200 fps using choke tubes IC/LM. On the simultaneous flush, the LM gives that extra 5 yard range on the second shot. Birds of the year at 75%. Crops filled with seeds and small reddish beatles. May be time for me to explore some different parts of Ariz and even check out some scalie habitat. Hiking the hills today am reminded of our infamous Corley Boy quote: "Today is the best day of the rest of our lives." And today was -- good for the soul.
Nov. 14, 2013 Hunted a "different" area. Traveled to east central part of the state to explore today. Most disturbing were the four locked gates I found -- and at least one new home built adjacent to a great hunting area. Small chunks of private land -- locked, which essentially locked me out of hundreds of acres of public BLM, State Trust and Forest Service land. Frustrating to the point of disgust. Makes hunting one of my old (last 20 years) areas really, really difficult. Public access to public lands is something AG&F does work on -- at least minimally it seems. I'm just seeing more and more of this issue cropping up around our state. Maybe that needs to be a topic of conversation in our Quail Forever organizations.
After 6 hours of hiking, the Britts and I did find birds. Am reminded of one very important hint when you are hunting an area -- look for tracks in the washes and on game or cattle trails. If you find no tracks, move on. All the coveys we found today were found right after we located their tracks. Birds of the year were at 35%. Crops filled with the pulp of succulent cacti, seeds, and grasshoppers. (Found no water sources anywhere near these coveys -- hence, the pulpy cacti for moisture.)
Nov. 16, 2013 Tried for some scalies. At over 4,000 ft elevation and in some good grassland, scalie habitat. In a two hour hike, one very small covey of maybe 8. Habitat and ground cover looked good. Hearing mixed reports from scalie hunters from other areas of the state. And, of course, everybody is collectively "holding their breaths" waiting to see what the Mearn's year will look like. Most are just hoping for a bit of a rebound with "something" better than last season! P.S. A pretty decent rain shower hit us this evening. Anything is welcome!!
Nov. 20, 2013 WARNING: The last several hunts I've been in foxtail grasses it seems. These little dried seeds can "burrow" into the skin -- especially the web of the feet and cause infections. I've treated both Belle and Rusty now for swollen, pus filled sores due to foxtails. I use iodine solution for the infection, then EMT gel to help in the healing process. After each hunt it is very important to go over each dog looking for cactus thorns, cuts, abrasions, and now foxtail seeds. A little TLC at the end of the day will prevent dealing with something more serious later on. The Britt pads are toughening up really well now. I have run them barefooted every time and have not needed to boot them yet this season. If I hunt them multiple days in a row, might have to boot them up, but we're good for now. Bob C.
Nov. 21, 2013 Rain!! Hunted w/ two French Britt friends, Bil Gilchrist (REI) and Don Rice, of Sun Country Bretons -- some mighty fine dogs. Hiked 2 days about 8 miles per day according to Bill's pedometer. Tough finding the birds. Scenting conditions were good, cooler, good cover, but saw only about 3 coveys per day. Tough to get good dog work with so few birds. It's so neat to be with outdoor types who share common experiences, backgrounds and hunter ethics. We ended the hunt with wet tents, muddy roads, and flash flood warnings around the state.
And, I'm practicing singing to my French Britts -- inside dog training technique. You'll have to ask Bill, Don, or even Bill Gibbons, of dog training fame, for the lowdown on that one. Belle & Rusty hunted hard -- time to give them both a little TLC and a big dinner!
Link to Don's Sun Country Bretons
And, I'm practicing singing to my French Britts -- inside dog training technique. You'll have to ask Bill, Don, or even Bill Gibbons, of dog training fame, for the lowdown on that one. Belle & Rusty hunted hard -- time to give them both a little TLC and a big dinner!
Link to Don's Sun Country Bretons
Nov. 24, 2013 SNOW in Globe. 2.85" total precipitation. Great for the habitat. Ground soaked. Pinal Creek puddled and running. Storm front was mostly state-wide.
CHOKE CHANGE: I started the season with IC/LM, but the last couple of trips I've gone with IC/IC. Birds always seem to hold tighter as it gets colder and wetter. My EB friend, Don Rice, shoots Skeet/IC, and did great. Looked up info on Briley: Skeet, 0.005", 22.5 yrds optimum; IC 0.010" optimum at 25 yrds; LM 0.015" optimum at 30 yrds. Reinforced the idea that many bird shooters are over choked. Just FYI. Everyone recommends patterning your gun with your shells and various chokes. Most are surprised to find how tight the pattern is with IC at 25-30 yrds. |
Nov. 27, 2013 After the big storm and snows, bird daily habits changed! Check out this photo and habitat difference in my previous photos. We found them on slopes facing the sun with much bare ground trying to WARM UP. Quail are creatures of comfort. Every draw had puddles from the big 3 day storm front. Bird crops all had seed sprouts! Oh yeah.
First covey: Belle got birdy. I moved up. She relocated. I moved up. She snuck, belly down, and relocated 3 times@!! Finally, after about 50 yards, she locked on the covey all under one small mesquite. I should have doubled, but only got the first half. It was beautiful to watch. We definitely sat and hugged and did dog high fives on that one! The French Britts and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Bob C. |
Nov. 29, 2013 A good, short article in Nov., 2013 Outdoor Life, p. 90 titled, "Shotgunnings's Deadly Sins" by Brad Fitzpatrick. You might want to check it out. For Ariz wild bird shooting, I would expand on three things.
But first, on positioning your feet -- if you're at a trap or clay course, sure. But good luck with that on the side of a mountain with rolling rocks under your feet!!! I've seen outstanding sporting clay shooters humbled by our desert birds. In fact, if you hunt Arizona long enough, you too will be humbled. And many times it's because you really don't have much choice where your feet are when the bird flushes.
1. Hold your gun lightly. Squeezing or gripping your shotgun will be detrimental to smooth gun movement.
2. Gun mount. Gun to cheek, wood on wood, not visa versa. Gun "fit" here is very important! A good fit becomes an "old friend."
3. Swing and follow-through. But not with your arms! Rotate your hips and entire upper body. That keeps wood on wood, stock to cheek.
When I get into a shooting slump, a mental review of those 3 things helps put me back on track. Bob C.
DECEMBER, 2013
Dec. 5, 2013 Just back from a 3-day bird camp down south. Wanted to check out some traditional Gambel's/scalie habitat that I hunted 10+ years ago. Cover looked good in most places. They had good monsoons. Found several good water sources. Tough, very tough finding the birds. Long, long hikes with an average of one covey per DAY. That's not per hour! LOTS more private land development. If I lived down that way, would definitely make friends with local ranchers and pseudo-mini-ranchers. Always discouraging to be on a good hike and have to stop or change directions due to posted land. In fact, the best scalie covey of the trip (20-25) flushed in public land right over a posted fence. AAARGH! Shades of hunting in Texas or Montana, eh. . . what with all their private land issues?
Tomorrow, Dec. 6 is the big Mearn's opener. Preliminary reports are cautiously optimistic. Dec. 6 down in the SE corner might be "Combat Hunting." Similar to combat fishing when the salmon are running, i.e., be ready to run into lots of hunters. Personally, that pretty much ruins the whole experience for me, so if I make it down the chase the wiley Mearn's, it'll be way later after the birds have been pushed back into the gnarly, thick steep stuff. See you in the hills with my French Britts. Bob C.
But first, on positioning your feet -- if you're at a trap or clay course, sure. But good luck with that on the side of a mountain with rolling rocks under your feet!!! I've seen outstanding sporting clay shooters humbled by our desert birds. In fact, if you hunt Arizona long enough, you too will be humbled. And many times it's because you really don't have much choice where your feet are when the bird flushes.
1. Hold your gun lightly. Squeezing or gripping your shotgun will be detrimental to smooth gun movement.
2. Gun mount. Gun to cheek, wood on wood, not visa versa. Gun "fit" here is very important! A good fit becomes an "old friend."
3. Swing and follow-through. But not with your arms! Rotate your hips and entire upper body. That keeps wood on wood, stock to cheek.
When I get into a shooting slump, a mental review of those 3 things helps put me back on track. Bob C.
DECEMBER, 2013
Dec. 5, 2013 Just back from a 3-day bird camp down south. Wanted to check out some traditional Gambel's/scalie habitat that I hunted 10+ years ago. Cover looked good in most places. They had good monsoons. Found several good water sources. Tough, very tough finding the birds. Long, long hikes with an average of one covey per DAY. That's not per hour! LOTS more private land development. If I lived down that way, would definitely make friends with local ranchers and pseudo-mini-ranchers. Always discouraging to be on a good hike and have to stop or change directions due to posted land. In fact, the best scalie covey of the trip (20-25) flushed in public land right over a posted fence. AAARGH! Shades of hunting in Texas or Montana, eh. . . what with all their private land issues?
Tomorrow, Dec. 6 is the big Mearn's opener. Preliminary reports are cautiously optimistic. Dec. 6 down in the SE corner might be "Combat Hunting." Similar to combat fishing when the salmon are running, i.e., be ready to run into lots of hunters. Personally, that pretty much ruins the whole experience for me, so if I make it down the chase the wiley Mearn's, it'll be way later after the birds have been pushed back into the gnarly, thick steep stuff. See you in the hills with my French Britts. Bob C.
Dec. 7, 2013 Spent a beautiful day with son Matt, from Fairbanks, and his Floco. We hiked long and hard at about 5,000 ft elevation and barely beat a major storm front approaching from the SW. Matt shoots the same lightweight Rem 870 20 ga that he learned with when he was 12 yrs. old. Just changed the length of the stock as he grew. Talk about an old friend!!
Newly sprouted green coming up everywhere from the last precip. Birds have moved into their winter mode. Searching for warmth as the sun comes up. We found enough birds to make a good hunt, but each bird in the bag is truly considered a trophy. You have to earn it -- with boot leather, good dog work, instinctive muscle-memory shooting skills, and mostly just a passion for what we do. Upland bird hunting -- it gets in your blood and overlaps generations. Bob C.
Newly sprouted green coming up everywhere from the last precip. Birds have moved into their winter mode. Searching for warmth as the sun comes up. We found enough birds to make a good hunt, but each bird in the bag is truly considered a trophy. You have to earn it -- with boot leather, good dog work, instinctive muscle-memory shooting skills, and mostly just a passion for what we do. Upland bird hunting -- it gets in your blood and overlaps generations. Bob C.
Dec. 14, 2013 Hunt with Matt again @ 5,500 ft. Birds were tough, tough to find. Two small coveys of 10 all day. Very few shots. Just didn't scattered them well, and Britts couldn't do their thing. Believe me, we put in the boot leather and hiked long & hard. It just didn't happen for us today. Just goes to show that many times the difference between a great hunt and nothing but an "armed hike" is only one good covey scattered and sticking in good cover. Another familiar quote seems appropriate: "If it was easy, everybody would do it." They beat us bad. We saluted as they returned to the gene pool !!
Dec. 15, 2013 Can't believe it. I've pulled a ligament or in some way injured or "tweaked" my right gun shoulder. So have decided to shoot my back-up 20 ga Benelli Montefeltro semi-auto the remainder of the season. Almost no recoil. Good for shoulders that need some TLC for a few weeks! Without doubt, I'll miss my little Beretta O/U. It just fits and carries SO well. But it does have more recoil than a semi-auto. After 8-10 months of PT exercises and rest/recovery, hopefully I can be back to my ol' O/U friend next season! See you in the hills, Bob C.
Dec. 15, 2013 Can't believe it. I've pulled a ligament or in some way injured or "tweaked" my right gun shoulder. So have decided to shoot my back-up 20 ga Benelli Montefeltro semi-auto the remainder of the season. Almost no recoil. Good for shoulders that need some TLC for a few weeks! Without doubt, I'll miss my little Beretta O/U. It just fits and carries SO well. But it does have more recoil than a semi-auto. After 8-10 months of PT exercises and rest/recovery, hopefully I can be back to my ol' O/U friend next season! See you in the hills, Bob C.
Dec. 18, 2013 Took my son and his brother-in-law, Keegan, from Fort Collins out for his first desert bird hunt. Keegan has hunted pheasants and waterfowl, but never desert quail. He brought his 12 ga duck gun with mod and full chokes. After a hike using tight patterns, he changed to IC. Way better. He is a young, quick, strong, military dude with three US Marine Corps tours in Iraq, but he talked repeatedly about how quick, hardy and fast these birds are -- and how tough the hiking was over softball sized rocks all day long. After a couple of twisted ankles, Keegan got several opportunities to shoot over pointing Britts. And if you've never done such as that before, it's an entirely different bird hunting experience. On our last hike, my little Belle put on a show for him. It's on days like this that I prefer to not even shoot my gun. It's a huge pleasure just to watch the young guys and see the little French Britts do what they love. It was a beautiful, shirt-sleeve day in the high Sonoran.
|
Dec. 26, 2013 I am always asked: "Does Ariz have birds this year?" The answer is always yes, but just how hard are you willing to work to find them? The Alaska SmokeJumpers train like Navy Seals with some intense PT requirements. My French Britts and I tagged along on the last morning of their 3 day hunt. I mean, these dudes put in the miles over rough country.
Oh, they found them all right. But if they invite you along, you'd better be in shape. This kind of quail hunting is not for the faint of heart, the ATV warriors or the NFL couch potatoes. Oh, and it helps to be young as well !!! Bottom line: It was a beautiful morning, was great to see the comraderie these guys enjoy, and every bird was a trophy. A hard-earned trophy.
Carpe diem, AK Bros, carpe diem!
JANUARY, 2014
Jan. 4, 2014 Adam, brother-in-law from Nashville and leader of the Christian rock group, Stellar Kart, spent a one-dayer with us hunting the desert quail. He only gets to come out and hike the hills once a year. Quite a change from the music entertainment world to the world of the high Sonoran, bird dogs, rocks under the boots, huge vistas and bluebird skies. At least twice today we came within a hundred yards of turning and missing a really good covey with some good shooting. Fortunately, we pushed on, found the covey, and even got really good dog work. Matt's Flaco and my little Belle put on a show after the birds were split and sticking tight. 6+ hours, 4 coveys.
Oh, they found them all right. But if they invite you along, you'd better be in shape. This kind of quail hunting is not for the faint of heart, the ATV warriors or the NFL couch potatoes. Oh, and it helps to be young as well !!! Bottom line: It was a beautiful morning, was great to see the comraderie these guys enjoy, and every bird was a trophy. A hard-earned trophy.
Carpe diem, AK Bros, carpe diem!
JANUARY, 2014
Jan. 4, 2014 Adam, brother-in-law from Nashville and leader of the Christian rock group, Stellar Kart, spent a one-dayer with us hunting the desert quail. He only gets to come out and hike the hills once a year. Quite a change from the music entertainment world to the world of the high Sonoran, bird dogs, rocks under the boots, huge vistas and bluebird skies. At least twice today we came within a hundred yards of turning and missing a really good covey with some good shooting. Fortunately, we pushed on, found the covey, and even got really good dog work. Matt's Flaco and my little Belle put on a show after the birds were split and sticking tight. 6+ hours, 4 coveys.
Jan. 9, 2014 Want to find 'em? Explore some new ground! Don't hunt the same ol' areas. Leave the truck, hike about an hour, then "start hunting." Son & I hiked long & hard in the high country and had a mixed Gambel's and scalie day. The French Britts were glorious. Can't even imagine hiking these hills without them. Long day ~7 hours, 4 coveys. And tough, tough shots with wild, wise birds. Ya gotta believe -- every bird in the bag is a trophy.
Mearn's Report: I have not been down south to hunt Mearn's now in over 3 years. But second hand reports have Mearn's enthusiasts seeing "more" than last year. Still tough, but better. Of course, last year's reports were dismal. So "better" is completely relative. If you hunted Mearn's in 2000 or even 2007, don't expect a repeat of that season.
Mearn's Report: I have not been down south to hunt Mearn's now in over 3 years. But second hand reports have Mearn's enthusiasts seeing "more" than last year. Still tough, but better. Of course, last year's reports were dismal. So "better" is completely relative. If you hunted Mearn's in 2000 or even 2007, don't expect a repeat of that season.
Jan. 11, 2014 Son, Matthew O., and I had a tough day. Very, very few shot opportunities. 6 hours, 3 small, wise coveys. But the highlight of the day was well worth the hike. A triple. A true triple. With a LW Rem 870 20 ga pump. His old friend since age 12. His French Britt, Flaco, got birdy on a split covey. Eased froward, then put him right in the middle of a staggered second flush. Lots and lots of happy talk. We stopped, took photos, and just basked in the moment. A rarity. But oh so good!
Jan. 14, 2014 We had 3" of rain & snow on Nov. 27 and a very small 1/4" follow-up rain two weeks later, but NOTHING since that time. Over 2.5 months with no precip. We're still finding green growth under protected, shaded areas, but this will soon dry up without rains soon. My ol' Dad used to say that we need some hunts rain out to have a good year next season.
Matthew O. and Dr. Ted L. joined me for an all-day hunt today. All Gambel's. Windy, tough shooting. But we did find 3 good coveys. One covey we almost missed by 50 yards. It would've been SO easy to swear there were no birds in that square mile -- then we found 'em. Have a great rest of the season. See you in the hills with my French Britts. Bob C.
Jan. 14, 2014 We had 3" of rain & snow on Nov. 27 and a very small 1/4" follow-up rain two weeks later, but NOTHING since that time. Over 2.5 months with no precip. We're still finding green growth under protected, shaded areas, but this will soon dry up without rains soon. My ol' Dad used to say that we need some hunts rain out to have a good year next season.
Matthew O. and Dr. Ted L. joined me for an all-day hunt today. All Gambel's. Windy, tough shooting. But we did find 3 good coveys. One covey we almost missed by 50 yards. It would've been SO easy to swear there were no birds in that square mile -- then we found 'em. Have a great rest of the season. See you in the hills with my French Britts. Bob C.
Jan. 24, 2014 Spent the day hiking with 3 old friends from Alaska. They all had Alaska "winter tans." Sunblock was the order of the day!! Even though it's been 2 1/2 months since our last rain, found pockets of water in different places. And found birds, but only in isolated pockets and a LONG way from any water. The birds are getting their required moisture from the green annuals, and we found green in all the bird crops. We found no succulent cacti that was being used by quail. Only about 2 weeks left in our 2013-2014 season. Savor the moment! Carpe diem! See you in the hills! Bob C.
Jan. 29, 2014 Was a joy to hike w/ Dan P., of Az Quail Today fame and his setter, Holly, for the first time. Son, Matthew O., and I enjoyed the hunt, the stories, the observations, and even found out we might have been football opponents in high school. Small world, eh? Little Holly was like no other setter I've ever seen -- and smaller it seems. Close ranging with a great nose -- in almost all cases ranged closer even than my French Britts. Have to mention Dan's choice of shotgun -- 20 ga pump, short 22" barrel, open cylinder choke, 1 oz of size 6's. And he shot it extremely well -- even out to 25 yards or more. In fact, both Matt and Dan shot lights out today! For sure plenty of birds for seed. Still green growth under the grasses and cacti. Rain predicted in one week. Bring it on! Bring it on.!
This was my 33rd full or partial day of bird hunting this season and with lots of different family & friends. Will be interesting to compare the journal results with past seasons.
Jan. 29, 2014 Was a joy to hike w/ Dan P., of Az Quail Today fame and his setter, Holly, for the first time. Son, Matthew O., and I enjoyed the hunt, the stories, the observations, and even found out we might have been football opponents in high school. Small world, eh? Little Holly was like no other setter I've ever seen -- and smaller it seems. Close ranging with a great nose -- in almost all cases ranged closer even than my French Britts. Have to mention Dan's choice of shotgun -- 20 ga pump, short 22" barrel, open cylinder choke, 1 oz of size 6's. And he shot it extremely well -- even out to 25 yards or more. In fact, both Matt and Dan shot lights out today! For sure plenty of birds for seed. Still green growth under the grasses and cacti. Rain predicted in one week. Bring it on! Bring it on.!
This was my 33rd full or partial day of bird hunting this season and with lots of different family & friends. Will be interesting to compare the journal results with past seasons.
FEBRUARY, 2014
Feb. 1, 2014 With the season almost over, only have a few more chances to hike behind the Britts. Today hiked some lower elevations. Enough birds to make it interesting, but fewer young birds of the year. Older, wiser, tougher, survivors. Covey would jump, land together, run, then all flush again the second or third time 30+ yards from any dog or hunter. Tough to get good dog work with birds acting like that. But survive they will. Rains predicted this Friday. Man, oh man, do we need it!
Feb. 9, 2014 The Last Hurrah for the 2013-2014 season@! Our French Britts, Rusty, Belle, and Flaco were beautiful to watch. All had great points and Flaco led Matthew with a "trailing scent" right into a nice covey of 15 as we headed back to the truck at the end of the day. Green spring annuals were in evidence with plenty of birds for seed for next year's hatch. Come on rains!!
This was my 37th full or partial day hunting this season. Which means I averaged 2.3 days per week. I hunted in every direction from Globe. It was a tough year. But here in central Ariz better than 2 years ago, 2011-2012 IMHO. For my 4th season in a row, I never made a trip down to the SE for Mearn's. Here's my effort at conservation: I can say that in 37 days, we never hunted the same covey twice. No need. Arizona is a huge place with lots of places to hunt. I'm convinced that hunters cannot really hurt populations UNLESS you (WE) -- and others of course -- go back to the same covey over and over again. And that fact, of course, is the reason why it is a good policy never to talk about specifics and WHERE to hunt.. Which becomes a problem with Mearn's quail -- they live in such an isolated specific geographical area, coveys may be hunted repeatedly! Local populations can be hurt with repeated hunter pressure. We did our best to explore new areas, hike in different directions, get far, far back off of roads. This was the best day of the rest of my life. And every day in these hills will be!! All the best for 2014-2015. Bob C.
A final note: Last year in Dec and Jan we had almost 5 inches of rain. This year Dec and Jan have been completely dry. Zero precipitation. Spring rains now through May and then the monsoons will be critical.
Feb. 1, 2014 With the season almost over, only have a few more chances to hike behind the Britts. Today hiked some lower elevations. Enough birds to make it interesting, but fewer young birds of the year. Older, wiser, tougher, survivors. Covey would jump, land together, run, then all flush again the second or third time 30+ yards from any dog or hunter. Tough to get good dog work with birds acting like that. But survive they will. Rains predicted this Friday. Man, oh man, do we need it!
Feb. 9, 2014 The Last Hurrah for the 2013-2014 season@! Our French Britts, Rusty, Belle, and Flaco were beautiful to watch. All had great points and Flaco led Matthew with a "trailing scent" right into a nice covey of 15 as we headed back to the truck at the end of the day. Green spring annuals were in evidence with plenty of birds for seed for next year's hatch. Come on rains!!
This was my 37th full or partial day hunting this season. Which means I averaged 2.3 days per week. I hunted in every direction from Globe. It was a tough year. But here in central Ariz better than 2 years ago, 2011-2012 IMHO. For my 4th season in a row, I never made a trip down to the SE for Mearn's. Here's my effort at conservation: I can say that in 37 days, we never hunted the same covey twice. No need. Arizona is a huge place with lots of places to hunt. I'm convinced that hunters cannot really hurt populations UNLESS you (WE) -- and others of course -- go back to the same covey over and over again. And that fact, of course, is the reason why it is a good policy never to talk about specifics and WHERE to hunt.. Which becomes a problem with Mearn's quail -- they live in such an isolated specific geographical area, coveys may be hunted repeatedly! Local populations can be hurt with repeated hunter pressure. We did our best to explore new areas, hike in different directions, get far, far back off of roads. This was the best day of the rest of my life. And every day in these hills will be!! All the best for 2014-2015. Bob C.
A final note: Last year in Dec and Jan we had almost 5 inches of rain. This year Dec and Jan have been completely dry. Zero precipitation. Spring rains now through May and then the monsoons will be critical.
Ariz Quail Hunting Camps Copyrighted by Bob Corley, Use by permission only.