8 replies to this topic

[BearWhoHunts]

So this year we are going out into the D345 area of the sierras for about a week for some rifle deer. Now I love deer hunting but deep down I my favorite quarry is upland and small game. I was hoping that on the day(s) that our group chooses to fish (deep down their favorite quarry is wild mountain trout) I was hoping to try my hand at some mountain quail. I have grown up hunting valley quail in the central coast,central valley and our south eastern deserts. I have not yet hunted in an alpine environment for our largest quail and I know this is going to be a whole new game. I have been doing my research any advice or pointers from veterans would be greatly appreciated - with the promise of a full report with pictures upon my return of course.

Thanks and happy hunting-

Bear

[turkeyman85]

I've chased them at about 5000ft and they dont like to fly much. I also start to notice that they kinda act more like a chukar,as in they run to an area they can launch into a canyon or off a cliff. They also stay in really thick stuff and fly low, I personally think they fly lower than valley quail. Good luck

[Bisley]

Now I love deer hunting but deep down I my favorite quarry is upland and small game.

Can I get an AMEN!!!

I've chased them at about 5000ft and they dont like to fly much. I also start to notice that they kinda act more like a chukar,as in they run to an area they can launch into a canyon or off a cliff. They also stay in really thick stuff and fly low, I personally think they fly lower than valley quail. Good luck

Pretty much dead on assessment, only thing different is that I have seen them much, much lower. Like a few thousand feet lower also. If you don't want to walk through it, they are there. They also have a much more nasty tendency to fly up sheer walled cliffs than most other upland birds. They are almost as evil as those red-legged birds. And their call is entirely different. If you are going to hunt them, I highly recommend learning what they sound like (throw everything you usually hear from quail out the window).I never worry since I always use it, but a full choke and some (fast) 6's will help if you have to push the pellets through some brush since they do fly right on top of it and stay in thick areas. Best of luck. Be sure and let us kn ow how it turns out.

[dabob]

Bisley is correct about Mountain Quail sounding different than Valley Quail. My mom about 10 years ago when she was in her early 80s got to hear and then see some Mountain Quail close to her house. She was very excited about seeing the Mountain Quail and learning about the sound that they made. My mom had heard Mountain Quail many times before but did not know that Mountain Quail were making that sound.

I can only remember finding Mountain Quail about 4 or 5 times where we got to shoot at them flying. At least 90% of the Mountain Quail that I have shot were shot on the ground.

When we use to hunt Bandtailed Pigeons I shot the heads off of quite a few Mountain Quail with my 1-3/8 oz pigeon loads. At 5 to 10 yards I shot right over them quite often but when I made the shot correctly the pigeon loads just removed their heads.

When I lived on Mt Abel west of Frazier Park back in the early 70s I had a 28 ga Remington 870 Skeet gun. I killed more Mountain Quail with that 28 ga than any other shotgun I have used on Mountain Quail. All around the house I lived in was thick Pinion Pines and Scrub Oak trees. It was so thick it was hard to walk through and it was 15 ft to 20 ft tall. The Mountain Quail NEVER flew in that stuff they just ran.

When I would hear the Mountain Quail in that thick stuff I would get down on my knees with my left hand on the ground so I could see through little openings in the brush. When I saw a Mountain Quail run through a little opening I would point my 28 ga at that opening with my right arm. If another Mountain Quail ran through that opening I shot it one handed. The 28 ga worked good because it was short, light and didn't tear up the birds that were all shot at very close range.

I did good quite a few times hunting Mountain Quail in fresh snow. If you find their tracks in the fresh snow you can track them down pretty quickly because they don't travel very far. They are much easier to see in the thick brush when there is snow on the ground.

[sxshooter]

My experience in the forest with these birds is that they will fly tree to tree once a covey is scattered. During this type of pursuit, I found a eastern grouse type gun was well suited for the task. That is a light, short barreled, cylinder bore or skeet choked gun in at least one barrel and maybe a light modified choke in the second barrel. A well mannered retriever would be an asset as well.

Just my 2 cents, I would only pursue a bird as an aerial target. Although it's perfectly legal, It's just not rewarding to me to ground sleuse a game bird. I've done it and I never felt good about it. Another reason I don't shoot on the ground is for safety of my dogs and any other partner that is running his dog. It's just not a good idea with dogs on the ground running thru the brush, as they can pop out at the least expected place. Last year, in South Dakota, the landowner said there was a coyote in the adjacent cornfield and that everyone should shoot it if they see it. I pulled my dog from the field and put her in the truck. A dozen guys of a large spectrum age and experience, looking for a 4 legged canine to shoot, is a recipe for disaster with a hunting dog in the same field.

[Bisley]

I did good quite a few times hunting Mountain Quail in fresh snow. If you find their tracks in the fresh snow you can track them down pretty quickly because they don't travel very far. They are much easier to see in the thick brush when there is snow on the ground.

Yep, just like chukar, if you get lucky or close enough to see them, even fragment grenades and RPG's are OK to use . We find them a lot on a fire road we take where the incline is about 60 degrees and full of thick, gnarly brush. They just run or fly right up there in a half a heart beat while we usually just have a chance to stand there and watch . But if/when you do get one, it is definitely something to be very, very proud of

Good luck again BWH. And you may as well practice your cursing, you will be using it a lot

By the way, here are two links for you. One is for the call and the other to hear what they sound like:
Mountain Quail - Primos Hunting
Mountain Quail, Sounds, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

[BearWhoHunts]

Thanks for every much to everyone for the information. I have checked out their vocalizations and it is amazing how much the quail species differ. Do you recommend getting a call? I usually only use calls for waterfowl. My uncle uses one to locate the quail from ridge tops and the like but I have never had any luck calling for quail.

Yep, just like chukar, if you get lucky or close enough to see them, even fragment grenades and RPG's are OK to use

I am with you Bisley! That is the reason I love to hunt upland. Dove and quail were a great primer but, I will never forget the first time I chased a chukar. Hopefully, this trip will get me hooked on Mountain Quail in the same way!

Thanks again,

Bear

[Bisley]

Do you recommend getting a call? I usually only use calls for waterfowl. My uncle uses one to locate the quail from ridge tops and the like but I have never had any luck calling for quail.

Absolutely! At least that way you will know where they were before they run away and elude you . All jokes aside, I would not go out minus a call for either chukar or any kind of quail. You can at least get an idea of where they are and give yourself an idea of which way they will flee. I like to call coveys together and then go get them, but they aren't mountain quail either though. Always better to have it and not need it.........especially when it only weighs an ounce or so.

I am with you Bisley! That is the reason I love to hunt upland. Dove and quail were a great primer but, I will never forget the first time I chased a chukar.

Like they say, first time for fun, the rest for revenge . Then you can also relate to why I say it only takes three rounds to hunt chukar. First round is for when they finally do fly after 8+ hours of walking at 2 minutes before dark thirty. You will not hit them with the first round because you have convinced yourself there are no birds in this valley and are in no way ready for them. The second shot is while that same covey is flying away at 75 yards out and you have no prayer in Hell at hitting them, but you can't help but lob that hail Mary shot in desperation. The third round is to use on yourself when you realize it is now dark and you have missed your one and only chance to take them, plus, you now have a 2 hour walk back to your truck in the dark and you realize it would be less painful to shoot yourself and get over with . Sound familiar? And I think your looking at the same thing with the dang mountain quail .

Now you got me all pumped up. I was just showing my dad earlier the new shotgun I picked up last week for quail/chukar. A friend needed money bad, and I have no will power. Can hardly wait to pattern and shoot it this weekend, and get it all dialed in for the upland opener. (Dove guns have been dialed in and ready since may ) Be sure and let us know how the mountain quail hunt goes, I will be looking daily after opener for a report . Best of luck again.

[TonyS]

With mountain quail the assessment that they tend to fly straight up is correct. Last year I shot several and had one fly straight up to the top of a cliff. Not thinking I whacked it and then realized the predicament. My bird was about 40 feet up. I looked for other birds for the next hour.

I came back and taking off my pack and setting down my gun, I clawed my way up the cliff to where I saw the bird land. Still feathers but no bird. I think a cat got it.
When I looked down I realized I could fall and no one would know I was laying there for quite a while. I don't whack birds flying up a cliff anymore.

Be careful.