Guys, While in the OK at a 3D shoot a short time back I saw 3 huge(to me) Quail. These things were a gray/blue colour and the size of a small chicken. Does anyone know what the heck it was that I saw. And no,they weren't Spruce Grouse, I've taken enough of them to know the diff. derf

Could be that they were Chukar Partridge. I know that they're around Kamloops and that area. It wouldn't be too tough for me to believe that they are in the Okanagan area.

If you got a good look at them, and they had a black "collar", they're Chukar.

Thanks for the reply Sniper. I don't think they were Chukar but I could be wrong. They had that funny little Quail topknot that I have seen on Bobwhites and (forgive the spelling please)Catournix(?). derf

Here in central Idaho we have lots of valley quail and some mountain quail. The former being much more plentiful and has a curved topnot. The later is slightly larger and has a straight topnot. Neither approach the size of a chicken. Perphaps you saw a grey partridge also known as a Hun. Pete

Pete, Thanks for the reply. I was somewhat stunned by the size of those things and focused on the forward slanting top-knot and the colour so didn't notice any other markings. Being from the centre of Canada I am fairly familiar with most of the game bird species but not Quail except for the Bobwhite and the Catournix(sp?) both of which are small. Next time out I will have to take a camera! derf

They were most likely quail if it had that thing on their heads. The Kelowna area is overrun with quail. By Kelowna, I mean the town. They are everywhere. I see more hit on the roads then I do of any other birds. There ia about a flock of 30 that live around my parents house (a residential area). All the quail I have seen are always in residential areas. I saw one last fall in the hills and wanted to shoot it but I onlt had my .22. You must use a shotgun to shoot quail in BC.

Alex

Alex, I used to have a good friend living on Blue Grouse Mtn. up above Traders Cove. There were lots of Bobwhite Quail up there and no one seemed to be hunting them. I was talking to a fellow from Cawston at lunch time and he said there are lots of those big Blueish coloured Quail on his property,are they good to eat! His boss was with us and told him to leave the birds alone for the summer and he would come out in the fall and relieve him of the burden! Thank you for your reply. derf