Upland bird hunting has long been a staple of the hunting community. Bird hunting has played a crucial role in both dog breeding and the development and popularization of the shotgun. Hunting experiences and birds hunted can be as diverse as the hunters themselves. Some hunters prefer guided hunts while others trek through the wilderness by themselves or with personal friends. Many bring a dog with them while others hunt alone. Of all the plentiful choices of bird for one's hunting pleasure quail is perhaps the most common.
The widespread popularity of quail hunting is due to the fact that the quail name refers to a class of birds in the pheasant family rather than a single species. Quails are similar to, but smaller than, the partridge family, another member of the pheasant clan. Species of quail can be found the world over with several species and subspecies hunted and farmed in North America. The various species means quail hunting will bring hunters into diverse environments as there seems to be a species adapted to every habitat.
There are five types of quail common to North America that range from Mexico to southern Canada and from the East Coast to the West Coast. They can be found in forests, grasslands and deserts; pretty much anywhere you can go hunting.
Starting in the desert, the Gamble's quail is also known as the desert quail since arid climates are their preferred home and if possible they will roost in brush close to water. The Gamble's quail is similar in appearance to the California quail with males featuring a black patch on a creme belly and reddish heads. Like most quail species the female will be similarly colored but duller and in the case of the Gamble's quail will lack the black patch. Both sexes do feature the forward sloping plume on the top of their head which is the biggest identifier of quail. This type of quail can be found in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah in addition to the American Southwest.
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Next is the state bird of California, the California Quail. Known as the helmet quail and top-knot quail for it's large plume it is a plump, chicken-like bird with a small build measuring only 9.5 to 11 inches in length. Aside from its notable plume, the California Quail can be distinguished by their gray or brown-gray bodies, blue-gray breasts and finely scaled belly. They have been known to fly at speeds up to 85 miles per hour and run up to 12 miles per hour. Unlike other quails the California quail is known to roost in trees or shrubs in stead of on the ground. |
Another southwestern quail is the Mearn's quail, also known as the Montezuma and Harlequin quail found in Arizona, Texas and Mexico. Males can be picked out by their Harlequin face pattern, heavy white spotting on the flanks and slight bug-eyed look. Both males and females are short-tailed birds with slight crests on their heads.
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The quail best known for their crest, however, is the Scaled quail. Male and female alike have white topped crests stating right in the middle of their head extending down to the back giving them the name cotton top quail. They are a grayish-black color with scaled undersides responsible for the name “scaled.” These birds will roost on the ground from Mexico up to eastern Colorado and southwestern Kansas and generally run from danger more than fly from it meaning they won't fly far when flushed.
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| The last of the common species of quail is the most common and wide ranging of the New World Quails. The bobwhite quail can be found almost anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains up to New England and even southern Canada. The males have white throats and bands covering the eyes which extend down the neck while females have similar patterns with duller coloring. The bobwhite quail is named for the sound of its call which you have probably heard many times before as a high pitched wail that sounds like bob-white. |
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The bobwhite quail is a hunting favorite and the kind most likely to be seen in the wilderness. Since quail are ground based birds it is usually preferred use a hunting dog to point out a covey (group of quail) or flush one out, forcing quail into the air. The shotgun is the obvious choice of quail hunting gun and most experienced hunters suggest that the 20 gauge shotgun is the perfect choice for bagging these small birds with minimal damage.
Here at QuailHuntingStore you can find all of the essential supplies for quail hunting. We feature 12 gauge, 20 gauge and .410 bore shotguns, quail calls, cleaning kits and even training supplies and accessories for your hunting dog so you can have a fun and successful hunt. |