Payson Roundup

It’s been a long and fruitful season, but the end is near. When the sun sets on Sunday, Feb. 8, there will be eight long months before upland hunters can chase Arizona’s fabulous quail species again. The good news is, there is still a little time left to head out after them one more time.

“Towards the end of the season, smaller coveys congregate to make larger super coveys,” said Mike Rabe, small-game management supervisor.

“This can make for some excellent bird hunting. However, if you don’t have a spot already picked out, you might have to do a little extra walking to locate these jackpots — so be patient and persistent. A call can be particularly effective to locate quail this time of year. Don’t overdo it though; just use the call to locate birds.”

Rabe recommends hunting sunny, southern-facing slopes in the morning near washes and good roosting cover.

As the day progresses, country with mixed cover and natural washes (big and small) are always good bets.

Quail dependence on water in the late season is minimized due to morning moisture and recent rains.