Not Good News for AZ Quail

[Mike of the Mountain]

I’m glad we did our AZ quail slam hunt in January 2025. Conditions were tough but we got into birds. Our outfitter sent this email out to all their clients. Praying for better conditions in AZ. I’d hunt with these guys again in a heartbeat.

“Nail in the coffin

The month started out with freezing temps, some wind and even humidity over 80%. But even with those conditions being in our favor, we’re just not seeing the birds nor have our dogs found enough birds to keep the entire season sustainable. Overall, Gambel’s are the most predominant bird out here with coveys as low as 10 and topping out at 20 birds several times. Scaled are the lowest we’ve seen.
Usually prominent in the grasslands, their numbers are as low as 6 and high as 10. Very poor numbers.
Best day is 4 coveys per day. Worst is 1 covey per day.
Mearns’ quail? One day in the field was enough to stay away for the season. Even good “pockets” of birds should be avoided. It may be all we have out there.
Once the the high pressure system arrived with temps reaching the mid 70s, no wind and humidity plummeting to the teens mid day, that was the nail in the coffin. No one needs to be snake bit. Especially our dogs.

It was hard but we’ve made the ethical decision to end our season early. John, Gunnar and I spoke nightly of our findings and we just didn’t see the season to be sustainable nor did we feel that we could provide a quality experience in our field.
Even our access on private ranches have produced the same findings. Great cover, good water and few coveys.
Hunting ethics first. Business ethics second.
The birds need a break and more important—the birds need winter rains for a spring insect hatch. 2025 winter rains were almost non existent. That’s what we’re facing right now. Poor survival rate.
We’ve developed a reputation here in Southern Arizona.
We preach ethics and we must uphold to that.
Although we adhered to AZGF failed recommendations in September on limits (5 on desert birds and 2 on Mearns’) we never came close to that. The birds were professional flyers and our clients were ethical with their harvests. We thank them for being true sportsmen and sportswomen.

We have a few groups that want to escape winter back east, want to enjoy Arizona weather in January and hike behind dogs.
All remaining 2025/26 deposits have been rolled over into next season.”

[Andy]

That sucks Mike, hopefully they recover. I was so lucky to fish for Atlantic Salmon in New Brunswick when it was $300 per day all inclusive, now there are just no fish. The world today sucks in so many ways compared to years past.

[Donald McQuade]

Mike, sorry to hear that your desert quail hunt is a no go, but kudos to the outfitter for being so honest and upfront about the conditions out there. For them, no hunters equal no income, and it is great to see them put the bird's wellbeing ahead of their own profits. They are a truly ethical group, and I would love to hunt with them someday. Thanks for sharing this.

[Phil C]

This guide service is a very responsible group.
Thank you Mike for this posting.
Way too many guides are not that responsible. It’s not the individual hunter that gets out once or twice a week that try’s to shoot roosters only, and limits himself to a few birds it’s the guides that hunt 7 days a week doing what ever possible to get their clients as many birds as possible.
The other are the guys that are professional trainers brining a dozen dogs to Southern AZ and get paid big bucks to run the clients dogs.
AZ game and fish department has done very little in depth research on our Mearns quail and can’t even tell you how many resident and non-resident hunters hunt Mearns quail.
Weather conditions affect bird numbers more than any other state due to limited rains coupled with hot weather conditions.

[Mills]

Very sad, but honorable of them to end their season. I have also heard a similar report on AZ quail.

[Mike of the Mountain]

Don, we hunted back in January. The conditions were tough but we got into coveys. We had no plans to return until the conditions improved so we didn’t get cancelled. We’re doing SC in a few weeks.

[hugh rather]

I hope the nightmare we have experienced with our bobwhite is not occuring in the west.I began quail hunting in the early '70s and have lived the horror that we have come to today: just a few token coveys that I would never hunt but am thankful that they survive.We always hope for a better day.