A Primer of Tips and Tactics for Hunting Arizona Quail

by Ron Zickert

As I write this, the watercolor Desert Flush by Eldridge Hardie hangs above my desk for inspiration. Quail hunting in the Arizona desert is one of the most spectacular bird hunting experiences you may ever encounter. If you enjoy fast covey bird action, great dog work, soaring vistas, breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, challenging shooting, cool mornings, warm afternoons, and great camaraderie with your hunting companions, it’s hard to beat desert quail hunting.

As a young man growing up in the Midwest, we hunted grouse, pheasant, and ducks, always behind flushing dogs; quail specifically, and covey birds in general, were foreign to me.  In Arizona, I was fortunate to make a once in a lifetime connection with a true quail hunter and mentor who was willing to share his passion and knowledge of the sport of desert quail hunting. I learned everything from Jim. He was a true master quail hunter and willing to share his best quail covers with me. I have been blessed.

For the last 40 years, I’ve hunted all species of quail with pointing dogs across much of the southwest United States, most of that time focused on chasing Gambel’s quail (but also scaled and Mearns’) in every corner of Arizona. Since my earliest days, we have always hunted with a small group of experienced hunters, but over the years, some less-experienced hunters have come and gone. When hunting with the same group of experienced quail hunters, you do not often take the time to consider what you’ve learned over 40 years, much less try to write it down and share it.

But we’re called to pass on the knowledge and experience we’ve gained, in the same way it was passed on to us. So what can I share with an inexperienced desert quail hunter to help them be safe, ethically take birds, and enjoy the sport?

This opportunity presented itself recently as my brother and I invited our nephew to join us on an Arizona quail hunt, and we were discussing what we needed to share with him as he prepared to fly down from Minnesota to hunt desert quail for the first time and come up with these bulleted lists. I hope you, too, find this information helpful. To experienced quail hunters, most of this will be remedial, but so is a good safety briefing that should be held before every hunt.

 

Before you arrive:

• License – purchase and carry it with you (hard copy and phone image). State license, conservation stamp, habitat stamp, or whatever is required.
• Medical issues – discuss any pertinent medical issues with your hunting partners. What do they need to know should something happen? Copies of medical/ insurance cards left in the truck is not a bad idea.
• Boots – sturdy and lightweight. Break them in and have plenty of time walking in them before you arrive!
• Cut your toenails short. You will be jamming your toes in these hilly/rocky conditions, and I have seen plenty of toenails fall off after hard hunts.

 

Safety:

• Like every hunting experience, safety is the most important thing we do. Safety is no accident, take it seriously. It is the one thing experienced hunters will not compromise on, and it often determines if you will get invited back.
• If you see something that is unsafe, it is your responsibility to immediately make that person aware of it – call out safety violations. If the violator reacts negatively to your request for safe behavior, you are hunting with the wrong person! The proper response is, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. Thank you for letting me know.”
• If there are dogs on the ground, never take a shot that risks injuring someone’s hunting dog. Only shoot at birds flying above head high and never shoot a bird on the ground (cripples or running birds). If there are dogs in the field, never means never.
• Wear orange clothing so you can see others and others can see you. Hat, vest/coat, shirt, all need to have some orange to prevent a serious mishap or injury. It doesn’t matter if the state requires orange or not.
• Muzzle awareness – you need to know where your muzzle is pointed at all times and make sure it is never pointed at your hunting partner or dogs.
• When you load your gun, it needs to be pointed in a safe direction. I have seen hunters close their over and under and the gun has gone off – almost killing his own dog.
• There is no alcohol use with firearms – none. Once the guns are put away, social relaxation can take place.
• Ear and eye protection. We are better educated on this and know its importance.
• Your gun’s safety is always on until the bird is in the air and you have decided to shoot. You are not saving time by having your safety off when walking. All you are doing is endangering your hunting companions (dogs included).
• Crossing fences or opening gates, your gun needs to be unloaded. Lay it on the ground or hand it to a hunting partner after it is unloaded and cross the fence.
• Line management and your shooting lane: One of the hardest things to do in quail hunting is to maintain a straight firing line, especially with inexperienced hunters. When covey birds start flying, it takes a lot of discipline to stay in line, understand what’s your proper shooting lane and what is someone else’s shooting lane. I have seen more quail hunters peppered with shot because they did not stay in line or failed to honor their shooting lane. Quail flushing between hunters, behind you, or on the far side of a tree/bush/cactus is the norm, and if you do not honor your shooting lane and know where your partners are, that’s when hunting accidents happen.
• When a bird flushes behind you, if you are going to swing and take that shot, your muzzle needs to be pointed skyward until you are turned around and you are in a position to take the shot. Too many inexperienced hunters swing with a waist high muzzle, which in turn causes their barrel/muzzle to sweep right across their companions. At the same time, they are probably taking their gun off safety.
• When you fall, where is your muzzle pointed? Quail hunted in the desert is like walking on marbles. Chances are you will take a tumble no matter how experienced you are. Now the question is, how can you fall safely? It starts with always having your gun safety on. Next, make sure you direct your muzzle away from hunting companions and yourself. After that, hopefully you did not hurt yourself or the gun too badly. After a fall, unload your gun and check your barrels to make sure you did not plug them during the fall. Falling happens to all of us, be safe!
• If your gun jams or you have a misfire, stop, let everyone know (so they can also stop), and fix the problem.
• We have a practice in our group that each time we are returning from the field and getting close to the vehicle, we unload our gun in a safe manner and yell, “Clear!” in a loud voice so everyone in our party can hear it and understands we have unloaded our firearm before bringing it into the group.

 

In the Field Hunting:

• Dress in layers for your hunt. You warm up quickly and the less you can wear to start, the less you have to take off and carry later. Always bring a Leatherman or pliers with you to pull cactus!
• Walking safely through the desert is not easy. There is a lot to be aware of and as I mentioned before, walking in the desert is like walking on marbles. Maintaining good footing and stability is the most important thing you can learn when hunting in the desert. Proper footing increases safety, prevents falling, and improves your chance of being in position to make a quality shot on a bird.
  • Rattlesnakes – they are out early in the season and you need to be aware of them, especially when looking for downed birds. Early season, always wear snake chaps or gaiters. You should also consider snake-breaking your dogs.
  • Javelina (wild pigs) – they travel in family groups and can be aggressive if startled or cornered. You can usually smell them or hear them, and a gored dog will require veterinary medical attention. Know where the closest vet to your hunting spot is located.
  • Varmint holes – they are everywhere. Often, they can be obscured by grass. It is hard to avoid them and can lead to the tumble we mentioned earlier.
  • Everything in the desert has thorns! Learning how to walk through the desert and avoid most of the interactions with cactus and catclaw is an art. Wear the right protection (brush pants and/or chaps) and always carry a Leatherman/pliers. A thorn through your boot is the worst!
• Listen – when you first arrive spend some time listening (and calling if you know how) to see if the quail are calling (or will answer). It will help you strategize on how to hunt the area you have selected. If birds are not calling, it does not mean they are not present.
• I prefer to walk with the sun at my back early in the morning. Quail do not always like to fly high, and I do not want to deal with the rising sun.
• Once we line up and know the direction we are headed, the key is to walk slowly! Half as fast as you think is what I mean by walking slowly. Every 15-20 yards, you should stop for at least five seconds. Stop in an area that provides you clear shooting lanes, and visualize the potential flight paths birds could take. Before you move, stomp your feet, and wait another two seconds before taking your next step.
• Zigzag as you move forward. Never walk in a straight line. Move from birdy looking cover to the next birdy cover (bushes, grass, or cactus). Again, walking slowly and stopping often. You need these birds to get nervous and fly instead of running in front of you. The later in the season and the more these birds have been shot at, the flightier they become and the coveys will break further in front of you.
• Hunting covey birds is different; the hardest part of shooting covey birds is the discipline of selecting a bird to shoot and staying with it. Inexperienced quail hunters can easily get confused and flock shoot, take their head off the stock, or change their focus from bird to bird as the covey flushes and never get a good shot. Pick out a bird that is in your shooting lane, stay focused, and lead it appropriately.
• If you are successful with your first shot, locate a second bird if there is one in range and shoot again. If your first bird was not a hard kill, use your second barrel to shoot it while still in the air. Better to have one dead bird down rather than two cripples! Only through experience will you know when to do this. Again, never shoot a bird on the ground – even cripples.
• Reload – before you take your next step, reload (if you shot both barrels). These are covey birds and most likely, there is another bird at your feet, so be ready. If you only shot one barrel, wait to reload until you know the covey has all flown off. Too often when you break your gun to reload, more birds flush.
• Downed bird! You were successful and you have a bird down (or two). If you have dogs, mark the spot visually where you think the bird might be and call in the dogs first. If you do not have dogs, move to the spot you think the bird hit the ground as quickly as you can. Drop your hat or a handkerchief to mark the spot and start looking for feathers. Feathers are the best indicator that you hit the bird, how hard you hit it, and where it might have hit the ground. You also need to factor in the wind, the terrain, and the direction the bird was flying. Once you find feathers, move your hat (marker) to that spot and begin your search. Look for movement and listen (flapping wings). Dead quail blend into the cover and are often hard to see. Work your way out in the direction the bird was traveling and realize that birds usually bounce when they hit the ground and are often further away from the perceived landing spot than you thought. Look 5-10 feet farther in the direction the bird was traveling.
• If you only crippled your bird, more than likely it was a broken wing and the bird is running. Hope you have a dog to help or it will be difficult to find. Without a dog, see if you can find feathers and work in the direction the bird was headed. Crippled quail usually look for nasty cover to run into and sometimes you can find them hunkered down there. Other times they are running in front of you and can be challenging to find. Break your gun open while looking for crippled birds. Do not stick your hands or arms into areas you cannot see well (snakes) and be careful around jumping cactus!
• If you shot well and have hit two birds, the trick is finding them both. It starts with how good are your marking skills and which bird do you try to find first (dogs or no dogs). Usually, you believe one bird has been hit harder than the other. I tend to try to locate the bird I think is a solid kill or the one I have the most accurate location on (closest, next to a unique bush or cactus, etc.). Once I find the first bird, then I begin the search for my double. This is a good problem to have, and finding doubles is an advanced skill in desert quail hunting!
• Covey flush – Later in the season as birds have been shot at a lot, they will either fly before you can get within range or they will run ahead of you.
  • Fly early – If they are skittish and fly before you can get within range, watch where they go and mark them down. Chances are they will move but you can often follow them and get them up again. Quail typically only fly 100-300 yards before they set down.
  • If birds are running in front of you but they do not want to fly, you must decide if you are going to chase them (no dogs with you) or do you have some terrain in front of you that will hold them and you can walk them to the terrain-break? Typically, quail will run to the edge of a hill/break in the terrain and sit tight until you get there and put pressure on them. Then they will fly. Walk them to the edge and stop, stomp your feet, and get ready for an explosion of wings.
  • Over the past 40 years, I have noticed quail fly less and run more. I think they have learned their survival rate is higher when they run. When they do fly, they fly lower and weave more.
• Dogs in the field – There is nothing better than hunting quail with dogs, especially with pointing dogs. We hunt behind English setters and it’s special.
  • Being aware of how to read dogs in the field and when they get “birdy” is a refined skill, but truly rewarding. If you are hunting with someone else’s dog, ask the owner how to read their dog’s actions and any do’s or don’ts.
  • A good place to start is;
    • Never criticize someone’s dog
    • Do not communicate with someone else’s dog in the field
    • Never feed someone’s dog anything unless you ask the owner
  • Guns – shoot what you are comfortable with. I like to shoot a 20-gauge with IC and light Mod chokes with No. 7.5 shot.
  • Communicating in the field – the more you hunt with known partners, the easier this becomes. I have never been a fan of walkie-talkies but they work. Never give a walkie-talkie to an inexperienced hunter (except in the off position to help if he gets lost!). I prefer hand gestures and subtle noises between hunters in a line and close enough to see/hear them.
  • Pick up your spent shotgun shells after you shoot. It is the right thing to do and it does not show other hunters where the birds have been. I also pick up any old empty shells I find on the ground from previous hunters for the same reasons.
  • Make sure you have these things with you before you go in the field:
    • Plenty of water/Gatorade for you and the dogs
    • Enough shells for a long walk with lots of bird action
    • Toilet paper. Going in the desert without it is painful
    • Snack (power bar, apple, orange)
    • Compass and map
    • Leatherman

 

Back at the Vehicle: Items you want access to now or later

• Water/Gatorade
• Chairs to relax
• Food
• Suntan lotion
• Chapstick
• Mole skin
• Advil
• Extra clothes – dry clothes and socks
• Raincoat
• Duct Tape

Happy trails!

 

Ron Zickert currently resides in Minnesota and regularly travels to Arizona to hunt quail and enjoy the generous public spaces the state has available for sportsman pursuing upland game.