Mearn's Quail

Mearn's Quail

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
I wondered the other day how old friend of the show, Ed Bangs from Montana was doing so I called him up. "Just down in Arizona and New Mexico hunting Mearn's Quail and Desert Quail. I've got some friends with dogs and we just mainly got out in some beautiful country and weather and hiked around so it was more hiking than anything. What was the motivation for hunting for those kinds of birds? I just met some friends that had dogs and hunt Mearn's Quail and Desert Quail and this time of year Montana is windy and cold and snowing and you go down there and the mornings are cool, 70° in the afternoon and beautiful country. Mearn's Quail Hold really tight and I don't think you can get them without a dog, you just about have to step on them. They flush, they are an oak forest so they flush in really short ranges so your shots are really close and happen in a second or so. It is exciting. You never get anything but it is still fun. When the dog points, they are about a foot from the dog so it is exciting. Desert Quail are the runners so the dogs, you just have trouble catching up with them. Desert Quail are not doing so well. There are very few of them so there is a lot of walking for not much return. Exactly where were you in Arizona? I can't say.
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