Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: GrampasGuns on May 23, 2013, 11:08:21 PM

Title: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: GrampasGuns on May 23, 2013, 11:08:21 PM: Very excited for the upcoming upland season. My dog is over a year now and showing a lot of promise and I will be able to show him his first full season. I want to get him on wild birds this year and will be starting from scratch. We went grouse hunting 3-4 times last year and i shot a few farmed pheasants over him also. I have some good spots in mind but have very little experience with upland birds, I have been focusing on shooting ducks the last few seasons and now I want to focus on the dog and working him. He is my first gun dog and I want this to be a fun and successful season for him.

Any tips for a guy who wants to target quail and chukar?

Cheers

pic is of my gordon Hodgie on point on a wing I had in the bushes last summer. Cant wait to get him out on some wild ones!
Title: Re: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: Forks on May 24, 2013, 06:26:28 AM: Hwy 12 east of tri cities is a good region to start. Start getting permission if your after quail, they hang around houses/silos. Chukar are a whole different world.
Title: Re: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: BiggLuke on May 24, 2013, 08:22:47 AM: My tip is go before Pheasant opens.
Quail and huns are open then, for a couple weeks I think, and there are a lot less bird hunters.
A LOT LESS.
You would have huge areas to yourself. Perfect for a new dog. ;)

Places like sinlaheken release sight would be stellar in the early season.
Title: Re: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: GrampasGuns on May 24, 2013, 08:40:37 AM: Great info brothers. Much appreciated, cant wait to get out there with the dog!
Title: Re: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: 10Key on May 24, 2013, 09:31:44 AM: For quail, central Wa is your best bet. TONS of public land and decent bird numbers. As has been said, chukar are a different animal and will require a BIT more work to find and hunt. As for when to start hunting, feel free to hit the mountains in the early season for grouse, but I would tend to hold out for a bit to chase quail. The hot weather of the early season sucks for dogs, you'll both have more fun when it cools off. Just my two cents
Title: Re: Hitting the upland hard this year for my dogs first full season.WE WANT QUAIL!
Post by: Forks on May 25, 2013, 08:34:37 AM: 10 key brings up great points. Don't burn out in the early season, i'm most successful in nov.-dec.-jan. when most hunters are gone and a little snow pins birds in cover. Have fun.