doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Looking for quail guide around Tucson, AZ

I've hunted Ft Huachuca and the surrounding region for quail. I've had more issues with cactus in SD than I did down there, but it may be because I was mostly hunting 4-5,000 feet, as mentioned above. I understand it's perhaps the worst year for Mearns' that anyone can recall. And that's very sad. They're special birds with a pretty limited range.

Phil and I have taken some heat in the past for discussing SE AZ quail hunting on public forums. Especially in low bird years, the extreme pressure will move the remaining Mearns to less desirable habitat. Gardner Canyon road off 83 looks like a California plate parking lot in Dec. I was hunting near Greaterville yesterday and had 3 vehicles drive by my spot, and met 3 more on my way out on FR 229. Part of the problem is that access to the Coronado National Forest west of 82 between Sonoita and Patagonia is mostly through private property and strictly limited. Lots of pros winter out here and several times I've seen quads loaded with a guide, 2 hunters, and a 3 dog box.

2 nice threads by Walt Lister here about Gambel's hunting north of Wickenburg with pics of the country
http://bbs.shootingsportsman.com/showthread.php?1851-Honey-hole
http://bbs.shootingsportsman.com/showthread.php?1889-A-walk-in-the-desert
And more pics here http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21096662

In a good year, a fella could harvest all three quail in a day. Gambel's are found in the prickly pear on the northern (lower) end of Las Cienegas, and as Richard said, no cholla above about 4000 feet. Keep climbing (south) to the oak canyons for Means, then back down into the big grass for Blues. You can access the south end of Las Cienegas off Curly Horse Ranch Road, and work along the private ranchettes.
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/az/images/cuenegas.Par.89522.File.dat/LasCienegasMap.pdf

I am finding more of these SOBs around



Dennis is another good one but likely booked http://www.montanabirdhunts.com/

I killed a lot o quail on Fort Huachuca when I was working there. More across the Border in Mexico. I dont think there was public access on the post grounds then. Is there now?

No personal experience with Bob Corley, but good reading
http://myweb.cableone.net/rcorley/index.htm

and should probably pay attention to these signs

I hunted in the area near Fort Huachuca and the border last year for Mearns. Pretty slim pickin's. It took all day to find a covey. We found it within an hour or two of sunset as I recall. I intentionally took only two birds. I'd say the Mearns need a break. No sense in erradicating the bird entirely. I'm not going there for Mearns until the reports of their numbers are on the rise. Beautiful land to hunt quail in, though.

Your dogs after a good day will learn to avoid it. Some dogs take a little longer than others. The country varies greatly in the desert and it is not all solid cactus as it is often portrayed.
Gambels Country






Scailed Quail Country




Mearns Country

Thanks guys for the suggestions. Really looking forward to some quail hunting in the area.

That last picture looks like it was from the southwest side of the Huachuca mountains and Parker reservior.

When I first hunted there, you had to be either military, retired, or a civilian employee on Huachuca. Last time, they'd changed the rules so that someone in one of those categories could bring one guest. I'm retired military, so good to go.

I just spent a month in Tucson, where I was born, and hunted some Gambel's and doves. Please, DON'T HUNT MEARNS QUAIL. They are extremely low in numbers this year and last year. Every bird you take won't be able to help replenish the population, if/when the area gets a good monsoon season. Gambel's and scaled quail have a much larger range, and while low in numbers, they are still huntable at least. Seeing all the out of state, retired hunters crawling all over the Mearn's habitat the last few years (me included), makes me wish that people would respect the birds, and keep their mouth's shut! I know some will disagree and say that hunting doesn't adversely affect the populations, but in the case of Mearns, I think it does. Taking even 2 birds out of a small covey can't help. In a good year 8-10 birds is a good covey. In a bad year there may be only 2-3.