Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: snowshoes22 on October 04, 2012, 12:14:19 PM

Title: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: snowshoes22 on October 04, 2012, 12:14:19 PM: I try to hunt every bird opener unless they overlap with a big game opening day. Just curious who goes out for quail, huns and chuckars. It seams like a lot of people wait for pheasant to open before hunting upland birds.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Dhoey07 on October 04, 2012, 12:37:35 PM: I'll be going out for quail and huns because my muzzloader season fell through with the weather >:(
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Shoffy on October 04, 2012, 01:06:43 PM: I always hit the opener of quail and chukar that happens a couple weeks before pheasant.
I think the state should just lump together all upland birds for eastern wa on one season opener and close date. Maybe that would be to easy :dunno:
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Stilly bay on October 04, 2012, 01:14:49 PM: Quote from: Shoffy on October 04, 2012, 01:06:43 PM
I think the state should just lump together all upland birds for eastern wa on one season opener and close date. Maybe that would be to easy :dunno:

and have it all open up on opening day of deer season... which should open up the same day as elk.. Muhahahahahaha!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: whackemstackem on October 04, 2012, 01:19:51 PM: I hit the quail as soon as possible and just have to watch the pheasants fly. It pays off later because I am able to "scout" more or less and figure out there escape routes for the area. Then when the season does open I already know the established trails and where to position the other hunters for early flushers. :twocents:

It is also the only time that I am able to load both with 8 shot instead of 6s.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: 10Key on October 04, 2012, 01:36:44 PM: Hunt early for quail, as that is my dogs preference (tend to hold better). Trouble is snakes, just have to be careful.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: whackemstackem on October 04, 2012, 01:39:43 PM: Not too much worry about the snakes...Most of them are in Olympia right now :yike:
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: snowshoes22 on October 04, 2012, 06:18:49 PM: The good news is the mornings have been cold lately so the snakes will be to a minimum. I have lived and hunted the east side my whole life and snake never cross my mind while hunting.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: 10Key on October 04, 2012, 09:52:45 PM: We've been "lucky" so to speak and have had run ins multiple times the past two years (3 to be exact) all in different locations...Palouse country, Chelan area and E-burg, needless to say we are a bit "gun shy" in the early season :)
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Shoffy on October 05, 2012, 07:15:43 AM: Quote from: whackemstackem on October 04, 2012, 01:19:51 PM
I hit the quail as soon as possible and just have to watch the pheasants fly. It pays off later because I am able to "scout" more or less and figure out there escape routes for the area. Then when the season does open I already know the established trails and where to position the other hunters for early flushers. :twocents:

It is also the only time that I am able to load both with 8 shot instead of 6s.

That's a great point. I kinda do the same thing. I get much more motivated about scouting when I'm hunting something else in the process
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: KimberRich on October 05, 2012, 08:10:01 AM: Quote from: whackemstackem on October 04, 2012, 01:39:43 PM
Not too much worry about the snakes...Most of them are in Olympia right now :yike:

:chuckle: Very true!

I'm going over to check game cams this weekend and do a quick quail hunt. Excited for my first hunt with my new O/U.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Shoffy on October 05, 2012, 08:48:27 AM: and have it all open up on opening day of deer season... which should open up the same day as elk.. Muhahahahahaha!!!!!!!
[/quote]

If I remember right, I think back in the day pheasant did open up the same day as deer??
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: JLS on October 05, 2012, 08:51:52 AM: Yep, used to open at noon on the same day as the deer opener.
Title: Re: Do you hunt the quail opener or wait for pheasant to open?
Post by: Andrew on October 05, 2012, 12:34:41 PM: I would if I didn't talk my wife into a 5-day deer hunt (high hunt)...being married is like being 10 all over again "mom can I go do this?...Sure but you can't do that?

As for snakes I've only ran into one three years ago in Wenatchee, granted it was pushing 80 mid day and at the bottom of a draw. I'm sure my ignorant midwest self has walked by a few more without even knowing.

However, nothin is more fun than chasing birds after a 1" dusting...don't get those often on the opener.