Bobwhite Quail hunting tactic #1

This tactic assumes you have a trained dog and are now focusing on where you hunt.

Tactic #1 is Knowing your hunting area. ……

Consider that you should know:

1. Where all the watering holes are including whether they are seasonal water holes or reliably hold water in dry times.
2. What areas are in the conservation reserve program (see my earlier blog post about this program for info).
3. If none of the land is in the c.r.p., then what areas does the rancher not graze cattle?  If he does, what are his rotation policies?  Often areas that hold quail in September may be barren in January depending on cattle rotation.
4. Know what crops are planted or are to be planted.
5. Look for quail roosts and map them out so you remember.
6. Do pre-dawn quail counts.  See my blog article about listening for quail calls in the early pre-dawn minutes.  Map them out.  Try to estimate how many coveys there are per 100 acres for an overall view of how season will turn out.
7. Do road counts in the late afternoon just prior to season opener and make note of where you encountered quail.
8. Get free aerial maps of the land you will hunt.  You can easily obtain them off the internet via Google earth.  It may just surprise you by pointing out edge cover and unknown watering holes as well as pasture characteristics.
9. Do a pre-season scouting trip with your dog.  Do NOT take a firearm or have one in your vehicle.  Do it as a training exercise with your dog.  Make sure it is legal in your state and county and ok with the land owner.
10. If new to the area, call the local game warden and tell him who you are and where you will be hunting.  Follow-up with questions about his take on the upcoming quail season and bird density/distribution.

These are but a few ideas for quail hunting.  You should do preseason scouting routinely, even if you hunt the same place annually.  Doing the suggested items noted above in September should only be a preseason guess.  You need to go back and do the same studies just prior to season as covey locations, food sources, water, etc. changes from month to month.

Don’t believe summertime bobwhite calls as an indication of birds.  Males are very vocal during mating season and it can offer you false hope.

Hope that helps!

Take a non-hunter hunting and open the door to a new friendship!

Dave