Mountain Quail

[ART_SKYD]

Anyone have any experience hunting mountain quail in northeastern California?

Curious on the type of terrain/ habitat to focus in on?

I have heard to hunt areas in the timber with think ground cover near water.

Thanks

 

[Moe]

My favorite bird. Not far frm water sources early season. Mnt white thorn, manzanita, elderberry, all favorite cover.3500 to the tops. After heavy rains and especially snow birds will move lower, never, ever far frm cover. N Cal, Plumas, Tehama, Mendocino, Trinity counties all excellent.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Man I used to love hunting them. I would go to good looking areas and just sit and listen for their whistle. If they are talking you might roughly locate 2 or 3 groups. A lot of the time they would be far enough away from each other I could go hunt 1, bust a couple then go on to the next.

 

[eshunt]

One of my favorites to hunt! Moe gave some good advice. I find them a lot in the actual timber near cover. Most of my Mt quail hunting is in NW California. Haven’t hunted them in NE California but have got a few down around the Tahoe area. Managed to get one with my bow this year, which was a first for me.

Down in the eastern Sierra south of mammoth I used to find them in chukar country. Lots of more open areas with heavy cover. One they like best is white thorn. Can’t hardly walk through that stuff. Edges of the mahoganies were often productive too. Usually within about mile or so of water. They seemed to stay closer to the water than the chukar did.

 

[ART_SKYD]

Thanks for all the advice.

Did my first quail hunt and I am hooked. We limited in an hour. Im aware that rarely does a hunt go so well but all it took was that first covey to flush and get the adrenaline going!

 

[yotebuster17]

Thanks for all the advice.

Did my first quail hunt and I am hooked. We limited in an hour. Im aware that rarely does a hunt go so well but all it took was that first covey to flush and get the adrenaline going!

View attachment 92754

Maybe I’m an idiot, but if I’m not mistaken, those are valley quail.

 

[ART_SKYD]

Those are valley quail. I was asking for advice on mountain quail for future hunts. I am familiar with valley quail though this was my first time hunting them.