Quail hunting tips
Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2010 10:11 am
One of our fellow members of Washington Lakes sent me a note asking about quail hunting. I offered some tips, and I wanted to share them with everyone else, and maybe some of you have some tips, too? (Likely, they'll be better than mine)
1) It seems from around 10 AM - 2 PM, quail like to hang out near trees. Probably, they are roosting during the midday heat. That behavior may change as things cool off
2) When working your way through an area, stop and listen now and again. Quail are chatty creatures, and they chirp to each other constantly when not alarmed. If you can hear them, you can pursue them.
3) Ambushing can work (it's a good way for new hunters to learn some patience). Just sit real still in a grove of trees where you've seen birds before, and hopefully at some point they'll come by.
4) Make sure you are able to identify quail from other birds. The ones we see around here in the Moses Lake area are California Quail (very common statewide), and Northern Bobwhite. I've passed on shooting at bobwhites because I was looking for Californias. Not anymore!
Zog
Columbia River Archery
1) It seems from around 10 AM - 2 PM, quail like to hang out near trees. Probably, they are roosting during the midday heat. That behavior may change as things cool off
2) When working your way through an area, stop and listen now and again. Quail are chatty creatures, and they chirp to each other constantly when not alarmed. If you can hear them, you can pursue them.
3) Ambushing can work (it's a good way for new hunters to learn some patience). Just sit real still in a grove of trees where you've seen birds before, and hopefully at some point they'll come by.
4) Make sure you are able to identify quail from other birds. The ones we see around here in the Moses Lake area are California Quail (very common statewide), and Northern Bobwhite. I've passed on shooting at bobwhites because I was looking for Californias. Not anymore!
Zog
Columbia River Archery