2024-2025 Arizona Quail Reports
Desert Quail: Dates: Oct. 18 - Feb. 9 Pending AGF Commission Approval
Mearns': Dates: Dec. 6 - Feb. 9 Pending AGF Commission Approval
Mearns': Dates: Dec. 6 - Feb. 9 Pending AGF Commission Approval
Quote from Gene Hill:
"Soak it up, go into it softly and thoughtfully, with love and understanding, for another year must pass before you can come this way again.
For neither you nor next November will ever be the same. "
"Soak it up, go into it softly and thoughtfully, with love and understanding, for another year must pass before you can come this way again.
For neither you nor next November will ever be the same. "
2023-2024 Season: In her second season Sadie has become something special. Ol' Man Gunner, with all his ailments, is slower, doesn't range as far, but is steady and a great dead bird finder. After chasing wild Ariz birds now for 64 years behind 12 different dogs, it is so good for the soul to be in those hills.
I carried the 5 lb, 12 oz Rizzini Iside Prestige SxS 20 ga. all season using IC/IC and 1 oz 7's @ 1,174 fps. I also often effectively carried some of my ol' standard 7/8 oz 7's., especially late season in good scenting conditions. Time to catch a bass. . . . . but can't wait 'til next year. :-)
We are entering the spring with dirt tanks holding at least "some" water. We should hear mating caw calls as the temps rise the next few weeks.
I carried the 5 lb, 12 oz Rizzini Iside Prestige SxS 20 ga. all season using IC/IC and 1 oz 7's @ 1,174 fps. I also often effectively carried some of my ol' standard 7/8 oz 7's., especially late season in good scenting conditions. Time to catch a bass. . . . . but can't wait 'til next year. :-)
We are entering the spring with dirt tanks holding at least "some" water. We should hear mating caw calls as the temps rise the next few weeks.
Spring, 2024
Current 2023 - 2024 rain gauge:
Oct. 0.0" Nov. 1.10" Dec. 2.70" Jan. 2.70" Feb. 4.10" Mar. 3.15" Apr 0.90" May 0.0" June 0.0" July 0.0 " Aug. 0.0" Sept. 0.0"
Oct. 0.0" Nov. 1.10" Dec. 2.70" Jan. 2.70" Feb. 4.10" Mar. 3.15" Apr 0.90" May 0.0" June 0.0" July 0.0 " Aug. 0.0" Sept. 0.0"
Mar 3, 2024 Last spring my tomato sets froze around Easter. It's been a climate shifting trend now for a decade or more. Our springs continue colder, longer. Our fall months are warmer, longer. Last season it was too hot to hunt the Britts very much all the way through mid-November.
Our earlier hunts were usually finished by 10:00 am. Our Feb rains have given us a good start entering the breeding season. Hope is in the air.
Mar. 9, 2024 Lower elevations now reporting snake encounters. As they emerge, rattlers are hungry, aggressive, often have cloudy eyes prior to shedding, and overall can have a nasty disposition. Careful out there.
Our earlier hunts were usually finished by 10:00 am. Our Feb rains have given us a good start entering the breeding season. Hope is in the air.
Mar. 9, 2024 Lower elevations now reporting snake encounters. As they emerge, rattlers are hungry, aggressive, often have cloudy eyes prior to shedding, and overall can have a nasty disposition. Careful out there.
From Gene Hill: "A Hunter's Fireside Book"
"Someday we'll find the perfect gun and perfect dog and live happily ever after. Meanwhile the harsh dark hours of the night are softened and made light by the well-remembered memories of pups and quail . . . that arrived in time to save a day we almost considered lost."
Sweet dreams are made of this.
"Someday we'll find the perfect gun and perfect dog and live happily ever after. Meanwhile the harsh dark hours of the night are softened and made light by the well-remembered memories of pups and quail . . . that arrived in time to save a day we almost considered lost."
Sweet dreams are made of this.
April 1 We had 0.6" on the first day of April. Tonto Creek running flood stage. Another snow packed in our Pinal Mts. Froze only 3 days ago. Roosevelt now at 93% and rising.
Apr. 11 Birds paired and nesting. Desert hackberry, mesquite, catclaw fully budded but yet to leaf out. Roosevelt now at 95%. La Nina predicted to kick in soon which tends to leave us with a drier, warmer winter. Nobody ever certain how that will affect monsoons. Guessing first hatchlings by mid-May.
Apr. 11 Birds paired and nesting. Desert hackberry, mesquite, catclaw fully budded but yet to leaf out. Roosevelt now at 95%. La Nina predicted to kick in soon which tends to leave us with a drier, warmer winter. Nobody ever certain how that will affect monsoons. Guessing first hatchlings by mid-May.
Apr. 17 Dirt tanks still holding water from the Feb/Mar rains. The High Sonoran is drying quickly. Most annuals have completed the flowering cycle and have seeded out. Birds displaying nesting behaviors with few caw calls. Nights still chilly but afternoons warming. A few days in Phoenix predicted to hit 90F this week. Exercise the Britts. Catch a bass. Get in those walks. Lift a few weights. Nurse those tomato settings. Fire up the weed eater, prune the tree suckers. And dream of fall and the next high desert quail camp !!
Time to get the Britts their rattlesnake vaccine. Most dangerous time for them is now until late Oct.
Time to get the Britts their rattlesnake vaccine. Most dangerous time for them is now until late Oct.
Apr. 20 Took my Britts to the vet for their annual snake vaccination. He reported two recent snake bite episodes. One fatal. Dog struck near the face and died on the way to the clinic. Careful out there.
Apr. 28 I hunt, not to kill, but to keep from playing golf !
Some people go fishing all their lives and never realize it's not the fish they are after.
Some people go fishing all their lives and never realize it's not the fish they are after.
May, 2024
May 2 Chick sightings reported at elevations less than 2,000 ft. Desert annuals drying fast. Fire danger will be high as green annuals become "fuel."
Reminder: Rainlog.org https://rainlog.org/map
Can search for any Arizona location and specify date range. Rain Maps>Select Date Range>Get Report> Zoom in on map for specific locations
Can search for any Arizona location and specify date range. Rain Maps>Select Date Range>Get Report> Zoom in on map for specific locations
Ariz Quail Hunting Camp, Bob Corley, [email protected] Use by permission only.