The Accurate Reloading Forums
AZ Quail Opener
21 October 2018, 02:13
AnotherAZWriterAZ Quail Opener
Wow, worst opening weekend ever. Hunted for about 2 hours yesterday (was mostly doing some long range rifle practice) but today I walked from sunrise to noon and did not flush a SINGLE quail - I don't think that has ever happened to me.
AZGF said this year was going to suck, but holy cow.
21 October 2018, 07:43
NormanConquestAZ,I don't know about Arizona but here in Texas we used to have large coveys...until the fire ants moved in. Since the birds clutch on the ground,they were almost wiped out. I still see some on occasion but I won't shoot. I hope they can repopulate themselves. I miss the hunting,there is nothing so adrenalin filled,heart stopping beautiful as when a covey breaks under your feet.
Never mistake motion for action.
21 October 2018, 08:59
TWLI live in Williamson Valley, 13 miles north of Prescott. Used to be I couldn't walk to the mail box without flushing 3 coveys. Birds drove my labs crazy in the back yard.
Very, very few birds this year. And yet, we've had the wettest summer on record. Water everywhere. ??
114-R10David
21 October 2018, 21:26
AnotherAZWriterquote:
Originally posted by NormanConquest:
AZ,I don't know about Arizona but here in Texas we used to have large coveys...until the fire ants moved in. Since the birds clutch on the ground,they were almost wiped out. I still see some on occasion but I won't shoot. I hope they can repopulate themselves. I miss the hunting,there is nothing so adrenalin filled,heart stopping beautiful as when a covey breaks under your feet.
I was in Dallas this week and one of my customers told me the same thing.
21 October 2018, 21:28
AnotherAZWriterquote:
Originally posted by TWL:
I live in Williamson Valley, 13 miles north of Prescott. Used to be I couldn't walk to the mail box without flushing 3 coveys. Birds drove my labs crazy in the back yard.
Very, very few birds this year. And yet, we've had the wettest summer on record. Water everywhere. ??
AZGF said the bird numbers are low due to low winter rains; by the time we got all that rain this summer (and October) it was too late.
I also notice there are less rabbits; most years they are running all over the place. Yesterday I saw one.
23 October 2018, 07:47
NormanConquestWith the rain that we have been getting here there should be a bumper crop of bluebonnets in the spring;as to the wildlife,I can assume that the deer population will increase. I know that in drought years the does often become barren,just natures way of preserving a species.
Never mistake motion for action.
24 October 2018, 04:24
AnotherAZWriterI went out for some long range shooting again this am and took an hour hike for birds; again, not a single flush in a place I always see quail. Saturday I think I will try somewhere else and see if I do any better.
26 October 2018, 18:13
robncoloradoI have some clients from Texas that were up in Durango, and they said the same thing..... fire ants have been super tough on quail.
01 November 2018, 00:40
bwanamrmOoohhhh... booked to hunt the EL Coronado Ranch in January for three species, scaled, Gambel's and Mearns. Hope the mountains hold a few birds!
On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling
Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.