Quail season opens in Lake and Mendocino Counties on Saturday and from all indications it should be another banner year for one California”s most popular upland game birds.
Quail hunting ranks only behind deer and waterfowl in popularity among the state”s hunters with nearly two million quail bagged each year.
Quail are fascinating birds for both hunters and bird watchers alike. They are commonly seen along country roads and occasionally in backyards.
California has three species of native quail — the California quail, mountain quail and Gambel”s quail. Every county in the state is home to at least one of the species. California and mountain quail are found throughout the state, while the Gambel”s quail is found only in the southeastern portion of the state.
California quail are the most numerous. The male can be identified by a black throat circled with a white line. The top of his head is a dark brown with a plume of short black and curved feathers. The average weight is about seven ounces. This is the quail most commonly seen on the local roads and in backyards.
The females lay their eggs between May and June. Their nests are made in shallow scrapes in the ground and are lined with grass. They can lay from five to 20 eggs, with 10-15 eggs being the average. Both the male and female tend the eggs, which incubate in about 22 days. The young will leave the nest immediately after hatching.
If the female is killed, the male will raise the young. Like all birds in the wild, only a small percentage of the young ever reach maturity as disease, starvation and predators take a heavy toll on the young chicks. If a quail doesn”t successfully nest on her first attempt, she will make a second or even a third nesting attempt later in the summer.
Most hunters are aware quail can fly fast when flushed and can reach speeds of up to 50 mph. However, their flight is usually short and after landing they will call out to reassemble the flock.
Lake County also has mountain quail. They tend to live in the higher elevations in the Mendocino National Forest but can also be found in lower areas such as the Cow Mountain Recreation Area. They are the largest of America”s quail, with the males weighing up to 10 ounces. Unlike the other quail species, the male and female mountain quail look nearly identical. They have a long and slender plume that sticks straight out of the top their head. The throat is chestnut gray bordered with white.
Mountain quail are migratory. They spend the summers in the high country but when the snows hit they flee to the lower elevations, often traveling 30 miles or more. They will fly part of the way but also will walk long distances.
Mountain quail are the most difficult of all quail to hunt. They prefer to run instead of fly and rarely hold for a pointing dog. They also prefer very thick cover. To bag a limit of mountain quail is rare feat.
Lake County offers excellent hunting for both California and mountain quail. The good news is that some of the best hunting is on public land. The Mendocino National Forest holds a large population of both species of quail.
Cow Mountain has a huntable population of quail. The Cache Creek Wildlife Area also offers excellent quail hunting.
Whereas a good hunting dog is an asset for quail hunting, it isn”t required. In fact, many hunters never use a dog. A pair of hunters usually team up and flush the birds to each other. A few hunters even use a quail call to locate the birds.
The best part of hunting quail is the lack of pressure. Since most of the hunters are concentrating on deer, and later in the season on waterfowl or pheasants, most quail hunters never see another hunter.
The season runs through Jan. 28 and the limit is 10 birds per day. In addition to a current hunting license, an upland game stamp is required.
