PA24
When there used to be Quail in VA the dogs played a major role in finding and retrieving the downed birds. A great number would never have been found without them.
Without the use of dogs do you lose many birds in the desert ?
No not many, again as Jack O'Conner wrote for 50 years about quail hunting in the Southwest, mark the spot the bird went down and don't lose sight of it, go right to it.......if a Gambel's quail is only wounded then they will hit, run and go down a badger hole or other hole and you've lost 'em.............
Much different type hunting than that of the central flat lands and eastern leafy woods........The desert has lot's of Cholla cactus, a.k.a. "Mexican Jumping Cactus" which eats up dogs and people, horses etc........if you've ever had some barbs in you, you will never forget.....the 3" barbs go in and hook on the end creating a fishook like barb......very painful......Lot's of birds use the Cholla for nesting........obviously safe from predators........
Most of the drainages, what we call "washes" have
many species of cacti....we hunt up and down the washes.....
We almost always limit out on birds.....been hunting them for over 55 years, nothing new.......
Best,
