My few yrs of hunting Gambels vs. many yrs of Calif (Valley) quail is that the difference is small if any, in behavior, size, speed. It seems that only region separates them as terrain can be identical in the eastern range of the California quail and western range of the Gambels.
I will say that Mr. O'Connor would probably have had to walk a fraction of those distances if he'd had good dogs with boots. The dogs can handle the terrain, but you have to watch them for overheating if it's still warm out.
One place I will not hunt my dogs on Gambels is in the Eastern Mojave in a particular area covered in Cholla (pn "Choy' ya) Cactus. The 2" tines will penetrate the sides of most good hunting boots for hunters and they are brutal on dogs. The small clusters of tines on the ground cripple dogs thru their boots.
