‘23-‘24 AZ Quail season report

ZRob97

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 4, 2020
Messages
243
Location
N. Arizona
Hi all, trying to be more active on the threads and figured I’d post about my quail season here in AZ-

I moved here a few years back and only got out a few times in ‘22-‘23 without any success and was able to turn it around this year. I’m primarily a big game hunter and fly fisherman but living in AZ it’s just too easy to get out for quail, and having such a long season through winter sure helps the time go by.

Me and a few friends made it out about 10 times this year. Sometimes solo but I’d say 2/3rds of my trips being in a group of 2-5.
I have an Australian cattle dog who isn’t much of a hunter but getting retrieving down. I bought a cheap primos quail call last year and it worked pretty well locating birds before and after the shot, although after breaking up a covey 2-3 times they seem to go pretty quite.

I picked up a 20 ga weatherby Orion about halfway through the season and was definetly an upgrade over my mossberg 500. Light weight and love having a quick follow up shot.

We hunted mainly the Wickenburg area and Bloody Basin, both areas having success but Bloddy Basin had larger coveys forsure.

I averaged probably about 5 birds a day and put about 10 miles down per day through washes and canyons, where we had our best luck.

A few pieces of gear that stood out-
- Weatherby Orion (matte) 20ga
Lightweight and great quality for the price.
Shot a mix of 2.75, 3/4 oz loads no problem

- Marsupial small game belt
Worn without shoulder pads made it more comfortable in the heat, holds 50 rounds, two nalgenes, tools, med kits, etc no problem and very comfortable

- Crispi Nevadas
My boots for any off trail hunting, great quality and support but light enough to go all day in the rocky desert

- Orvis upland shirt and Missouri breaks pants
I was destroying my Kuiu attacks in the cactus and had a Columbia shirt getting picked apart. These Orvis pieces held up great and take thorns much better.


Overall it was a great season and definetly will be a new hobby moving forward!
 

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Last edited:

dtrkyman

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
2,974
I did not hunt AZ but was down around Tuscon around Christmas and saw quite a few birds.

New Mexico season was decent, birds seemed more scattered though.
 

SOIHUNT

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
105
I shot a few but they were too young for me to shoot at most coveys, we had 3 hatches where I hunt.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2024
Messages
57
Location
OKLAHOMA
Man that’s really cool. I’m hoping to hunt AZ this year and would love to harvest a few of those quail like that. Are they California quail? Guess I’ll throw a shotgun in and bring my lab and see what happens.
 
OP
ZRob97

ZRob97

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 4, 2020
Messages
243
Location
N. Arizona
Man that’s really cool. I’m hoping to hunt AZ this year and would love to harvest a few of those quail like that. Are they California quail? Guess I’ll throw a shotgun in and bring my lab and see what happens.
They’re Gambrel’s Quail, very similar to California Quail. It’s definetly worth a trip!
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2024
Messages
57
Location
OKLAHOMA
I read about Mearns quail also kinda in the area I’m looking at going. Those things are crazy looking hopefully I find a covey of them.
 

SOIHUNT

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
105
Mearns are great entertainment as well as to hunt them just don’t get your hopes up too much not a easy bird to locate. Pm me if you want a little help on these mearns.
 
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