doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dogs and qauil in southern Arizona

Hey! I am going to the Sierra Vista area to hunt quail with a friend in February. I will take my very experienced spaniel. I have not hunted the AZ grasslands and am wondering what to prepare my dog for there. I would like to know if you have experience in the high grasslands. Are there thorny plants like in the low desert? My dog is not accustomed to that. Please be specific!

Thanks-Mike

In the Elgin/Sonoita/Sierra Vista area you will run into Stag-horn and Beaver Tail cactus, not a lot, but enough to carry a comb to remove it from the dog. You didn't mention what type of Quail your after, the grasslands are noted for Scaled and you will, less frequently, run into Mearn's and Gambel. I hunt these areas often, let me know if I didn't answer your question.

Gene

If you plan to hunt multiple days on a single trip, I'd recommend booting your dog. Lot of rocks in Arizona. Those pics of big grassy fields are deceptive. God forgot to give Arizona dirt.

I've settled on Lewis boots. Inner tubes and patches of leather also work.

Wow, something I can speak to with some authority. There's lots of dirt but it's all been eroded down into the valley areas. Basically, the valleys and flat hill tops generally aren't bad walking, but since the soil is very erodible, walking on the hillsides can be hard because the soils have been eroded off leaving behind lots and lots of rocks, cobles, and boulders. Hunting southeast Arizona is not recommended for the over-weight and out of shape hunter. Couch potatoes need not apply!

BTW that ain't you I'm describing Mike!

Steve

Some images here Mike
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21096662

Be aware that you'll be at altitude in low humidity, and the first week in Feb. it could easily be in the 70s in the afternoon. Carry lots of water for your pup.

Meeting up with Steve this week, and should be beautiful with snow on the Santa Catalinas and Santa Ritas.
Mike: bird numbers are a bit lower this season than last year's, and by February every forest road in the Coronado Nat. Forest will have had an out-of-state vehicle parked, and about every bird will have had hunter contact, and likely moved to less accessible country.
Come on down, but it will be tough hunting.

I shave my setter at the start of the season, but still keep a pair of bandage scissors in my vest to cut out these



and these



and forceps to pick out cactus spines.