Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: teej89 on November 12, 2019, 01:59:48 PM

Title: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: teej89 on November 12, 2019, 01:59:48 PM: Emphasis on "A" ha! So I'm new to WA this fall. I always hunted released pheasants back in PA with the dog and was excited to get out here and chase chukar, quail, wild pheasant, huns, grouse, etc...

Well so far I've been out 4 times for birds. Managed to kill a couple mallards, and flushed 2 coveys of quail(on two different hunts in the exact same location) with a total of 6 rounds fired and no quail to show for it. I always thought I was a decent shot but man those buggers are little rockets and behind an energetic flushing lab they're making a fool of me. In addition to their speed the strategic flushing has it hard for me focusing on a single bird, it's sad lol! Now I see the benefit of a pointer over a flusher. We've also managed to flush some pheasants but they're flushing 50+ yards out ahead of the dog and I.

Right now I'm trying to define quail habitat as where I'm at now I'm finding a ton of russian olives but the grass is so thick and tall i don't believe they're there. The locations where I did flush them are pretty bare grounds with extremely thick depressions, almost too thick for the dog.
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: teej89 on November 12, 2019, 02:07:11 PM: Where I'm not finding quail
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: teej89 on November 12, 2019, 02:08:14 PM: Where I am finding quail
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: vandeman17 on November 12, 2019, 02:16:18 PM: Looks like quincy lakes area. If so, that gets hunted hard and birds disperse quickly. PM and I can give you some other places to get your dog on some quail
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: Forrestrover on November 24, 2019, 07:47:01 PM: In the past we’ve usually busted quail hanging out in the tall sagebrush right next to the russian olive trees.
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: jackson7 on November 24, 2019, 08:17:30 PM: all pics look like good quail cover. its hard when you cannot see where they put down after covey flush. If they stay in the thick stuff it is hard to get shots. vandeman made a hell of an offer.
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Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: teej89 on December 19, 2019, 03:22:19 PM: I've actually made the transition away from quail and into chukar, man they're fun! Tough hunt but the dog and I are having a blast, I'd rather be hiking the open hills than kicking brush and briars.

Still have yet to connect though but we've been seeing the birds, stable footing seems to be the culprit in our harvesting abilities.
Title: Re: 2019 My Quest For A WA Upland Bird
Post by: duckmen1 on February 15, 2020, 09:15:12 AM: Any updates to the rest of your season?