The weather turned a bit chilly and ominous here in the Valley of the Sun this past Friday and Saturday with the threat of rain in the forecast. Not one to be deterred by a little water, I opted to head to one of my old favorites not far outside of town to see if there would be any birds willing to cooperate.
After parking the truck in the bottom of the wash, I quietly started to put on my vest and load my gun while the birds in the bushes started putting and squeaking, as if to warn each other that I was getting ready and it might be a good time to split. Thirty yards from the truck my day began with the thunderous sound of flushing Gambel’s quail. The thick cover prevented a shot and I started hiking up. (It always seems as if you have to hike up in Gambel’s country.)
From that point on, I climbed one hill after another as I found many coveys that were vocal, but few willing to really cooperate with me. Some flushed a hundred yards out in front of me while others would allow me to stalk right into the middle of them and then clam up. No matter how long I waited and no matter how many bushes I kicked, they would disappear. That is Gambel’s quail hunting at its finest.
I connected on a couple of birds which always makes the day a success, but the miles that I put on my boots and the sore body at the end of the hunt are often their own reward. My time in the field this fall has afforded me the opportunity to put some new gear to the test and I have a whole slew of great reviews for the weeks ahead.
I found some time as I sat to catch my breath, to stop and take in the beauty that often is over looked in Arizona. It is in these moments, where the deafening silence of the desert is broken by the wind and the calling quail, that I thank God that I have the time to get out and walk around in this awe-inspring creation and chase these beautiful, and sometimes frustrating, birds. Hunting makes me feel alive and even though my lungs are burning and my shirt is soaked through with sweat, it is tough to think of doing anything else at 7:30 on a Saturday morning.
I have a few favorite haunts north of Globe. Although is is a drive out there, do you think AZ has the birds to see a few coveys per day?
Randy,
There are birds here, but this has been a strange year. Personally I have not been as successful as in years past, but I don’t know if it’s me or the birds. The beginning part of the season was extremely hot and dry and everyone I talked to spoke of the low numbers in their areas. Having said that, I moved quite a few birds this past weekend. I think the Gambel’s numbers are very spotty with some areas having faired well while others are seeing extremely low numbers. If you are going to make the trip, I would be happy to show you a few spots that I know hold some birds. Shoot me an email if I can help.
Ben
Wonderful story and photography. Getting out is what it’s all about…finding birds is the bonus!
Thanks Shawn. It was a blast to be out in the desert for sure. Very thankful to connect on a few birds as well.
Ben
Beautiful photos, Ben….and you capture their mood in your words, perfectly.
Thank you Erin. Not too often that I get to take pictures with overcast skies here in AZ. It was a perfect day to be outside.
Ben
stocking up on soft hackles, eh?
nice piece. you capture the calm and tranquility of an often misunderstood harsh and complex environment. not many are capable of that (at least in the blogosphere)…
your prose is an inspiration to me.
Thank you very much Mike. I appreciate your support and am thankful for the kind words of friends. I have been saving a whole bunch of feathers and been tinkering around with Gambel’s soft hackle. They are a bit longer than some other feathers but I like the idea of using what I’ve got. It has been fun to experiment. Thanks again for the thoughtful comment.
Ben
Good morning Ben: Just wanted to say how nice it is to find someone willing to share hunting experiences in current time.
I have been hunting AZ since 1995. While I have hunted all over AZ (for Quail) I am currently living in Tucson.
I have been out 6 times this year since nov 10th. I believe this may be the poorest year I have ever experienced. Around Tucson the coveys are very small (less than 10 birds) and far between. I have been feeling sorry for my bird dog (she hunts her heart out with little reward!) I have felt guilty if I do shoot a bird.
I am going to have to venture out to other parts of the state to find huntable birds. From the reports I have been getting I am not sure where that would be.
Thanks for your reporting. Max
Max, Nice to hear from you and thanks so much for the comment. I think you are seeing what most people are seeing with the poor numbers. It is a great year to check out some different areas and do some exploring. If and when you find birds this year, you know that it’s got to be a decent spot in the better years. Take care and good luck with the rest of your season.
Ben
Ben, you’ve captured exactly what I feel about hunting out here in the Mojave. The desolation, the quiet, and never ending panoramas are what makes the hunt. Of course its always nice to put a few birds in the vest, but not necessary for a good day. Keep the picture laden (a picture is worth a thousand words) essays coming. Thanks for the report.
Thanks John. I appreciate your support. I’ll do my best to keep up on the postings…
Ben
PS. You’re correct. That’s my new bird dog. His name is Spot…
Oh buy the way is that second picture your new bird dog???
Ben, a great read on quail hunting here in Arizona, you have a good eye for photos as always, I enjoy and am inspired by your stories. Thank you.
Marc. That’s really nice of you to say and I appreciate your support. One of these days we need to get together and chase some birds.
Ben
Enjoyed your story. Thanks. I’m finding only 10% birds of the year over in the Globe area. On good yrs we should see 75-80%. I’ll continue to hike w/ the Britts, but harvest will be self-limited.
All the best, Bob C., Globe, Az.
Arizona Quail Hunting Camp
Thanks Bob. It sure has been slower this year than in years past. I enjoyed looking through your site and all your info. Best of luck with the rest of your season.
Ben
Beautiful shots, beautiful birds. I’ve always wanted to try quail hunting out there. I love that country.
Thanks Jason. If you ever make it out to AZ during the season, we can go scare up a few birds I’m sure. The country is not what I grew up on, but it sure does make me stop and appreciate God’s handiwork. Thanks for the kind words.
Ben
Great post and awesome photos! It brought back memories of the quail hunting I did with my grandpa when I was a kid.
Thanks for the kind words T. Chris. I really like your site as well.
Ben