range for quail hunting?

trigger1989 · Post by **trigger1989** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:59 pm

What would be an ideal range for my pup here in az? Quail is a little different then pheasant because dogs can't really hold a bird from running or flying. Quail just run like crazy. My pup sometimes goes far enough to where I can't see him. I'm thinking if he finds something I won't be able to see it all before it runs? Any input is greatly appreciated!

cjuve · Post by **cjuve** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:17 pm

The dog should be at a point where the handler feels comfortable. Some handlers are far more comfortable than others with a dogs range. As long as you are finding birds and having a good time it really does not matter

Coveyrise64 · Post by **Coveyrise64** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 3:36 pm

cjuve wrote:The dog should be at a point where the handler feels comfortable. Some handlers are far more comfortable than others with a dogs range. As long as you are finding birds and having a good time it really does not matter.

+1......Couldn't be said any better!

Coveyrise64

ST8 UPPOINTERS · Post by **ST8 UPPOINTERS** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:14 pm

+2... Perfect!

birddogger · Post by **birddogger** » Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:48 pm

+3, that's about all you can say about it.

Charlie

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:08 am

+4 Yep.

Here's some typical terrain. May look pretty, but take your leatherman along

:

DonF · Post by **DonF** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:40 am

I turned an old pointer of mine loose in that cover one time, just one time! I'd rather it got into a porcupine. Then you could at least see all the quills. I didn't vevn like walking in that stuff much but, it sure is pertty!

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 11:55 am

Don you'd be amazed at how smart dogs get hunting in this country, navigating around the really nasty stuff. Tough feet are a must, but a lot of guys put boots on them. Mainly, you have to avoid stuff like this gdam$ "jumping cholla." One tussle with that, and most dogs steer around it. Not the cattle though. You see cows every now and then with facefulls of it.

Mostly it grows in bunches and you can avoid it. No quail is worth putting your dog into stuff like this:

Crestonegsp · Post by **Crestonegsp** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:25 pm

The range depends on the quail. Are you hunting Mearns, Gambles or Scaled? For Mearns I use a shorter ranged dog, Gambles medium range and Scaled I us a dog runs bigger. Oh you have to love Cholla, it jumps out and grabs ya.

trigger1989 · Post by **trigger1989** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 2:33 pm

Gambles quail, ya me and my dog have done a few rounds with that jumping cactus. He avoids the main ones but always seems to stumble upon a single little ball of it. I ne.ed to find some good cactus resistant boots

Coveyrise64 · Post by **Coveyrise64** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:06 pm

Nasty stuff all right! Pair of leather gloves doesn't help much when it is stuck to you or the dogs. I usually carry a multi-tool with needle nose pliers or a hemostat just in case.

Coveyrise64

AzDoggin wrote:Mainly, you have to avoid stuff like this gdam$ "jumping cholla." One tussle with that, and most dogs steer around it. Not the cattle though. You see cows every now and then with facefulls of it.

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:41 pm

The range of a dog should be just far enough to find birds.

Ezzy

ultracarry · Post by **ultracarry** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:48 pm

Desert mule deer hunting you will find a lot of them eating that stuff.

The worst is when your hiking and you pick a chunk up on the inside of your boot. The next step you take shoved it into your calf. Lol too many 16 mile days hunting to not have it happen 3-10 times a day.

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Sun Jan 15, 2012 4:57 pm

ultracarry wrote:The worst is when your hiking and you pick a chunk up on the inside of your boot. The next step you take shoved it into your calf. Lol too many 16 mile days hunting to not have it happen 3-10 times a day.

Ha - jump to your calf - or wherever. I've had them jump up and bite me in the a$$.

I had a buddy who did a FACEPLANT into a cholla plant when he fell during a javelina hunt. That poor dude was whimpering...especially when he started pulling needles out of his groin.

He's probably STILL finding those frigging needle tips.

Usually, you can find birdy spots without having to venture too close to this stuff - but some are inevitable. My little Britt years ago somehow found a way to avoid most of it. Maybe it helped that she was only about 18" tall and was close enough to the ground to see them all.

A plastic comb is good to flick those suckers off. Then the hemostats or leatherman...

Troy08er · Post by **Troy08er** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:52 pm

Coveyrise64 wrote:
cjuve wrote:The dog should be at a point where the handler feels comfortable. Some handlers are far more comfortable than others with a dogs range. As long as you are finding birds and having a good time it really does not matter.
+1......Couldn't be said any better!

Coveyrise64

+4. For me I hunt Valley's in my area, my dog will range in the 300-500 yard range. Once the covey breaks you'll have hold overs and I'll bring in his range 25 yards to 100. I let GSP hunt and find them, means less walking for me. I guess you can say I'm lazy. :roll:

Idylwyld · Post by **Idylwyld** » Tue Jan 17, 2012 9:19 pm

AzDoggin wrote:+4 Yep.

Here's some typical terrain. May look pretty, but take your leatherman along :

Im guessing pics taken west of Tucson. Not quite as far west as Three Points. (Met my wife at Three Points store) Your pics brought back memories.
Go north, look around Oracle Junction. Not as much cholla. Plenty of prickly pear.
Lived in Arizona for 15 years.
been years since Ive been in that area. You might try S Sieretta Mountain road. Take it all the way south until it makes a 90 degree bend to the right. take the dirt road that goes left and follow the fence line back in to a gate. Its rough hunting, but there used to be several coveys of Gambels in that area. Thats been 20 years ago, it might be all houses now.

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:18 am

Idylwyld wrote: Im guessing pics taken west of Tucson. Not quite as far west as Three Points. (Met my wife at Three Points store) Your pics brought back memories.
Go north, look around Oracle Junction. Not as much cholla. Plenty of prickly pear.
Lived in Arizona for 15 years.
been years since Ive been in that area. You might try S Sieretta Mountain road. Take it all the way south until it makes a 90 degree bend to the right. take the dirt road that goes left and follow the fence line back in to a gate. Its rough hunting, but there used to be several coveys of Gambels in that area. Thats been 20 years ago, it might be all houses now.

That top pic is from the west side of Four Peaks, northeast of Saguaro Lake. You may be right on for the bottom one, though!

Thanks for the heads up for some birds! How are the bird #'s over in NM this year?

AzDoggin · Post by **AzDoggin** » Sun Jan 22, 2012 10:37 am

Stumbled across this video today - shows the Az terrain and a couple of longtails at work on some Gambel's quail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhTMQ0dBahE

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