The quail hunting season in Lake and Mendocino counties opens Saturday. Quail are a popular game bird among local hunters, one reason being there are thousands of acres on public land that offer excellent hunting.
Lake and Mendocino counties hold two species of quail, California and mountain. Both can be found in abundance throughout the two counties, but California quail are the most popular. In fact, quail can be seen daily throughout the urban areas of both counties.
The California quail is the official state bird and is widely distributed throughout the state. The male is about 9 1/2 to 11 inches long and is more colorful than the female. He has a black throat circled with a white line, and the top of his head is dark brown with a plume of short and black curved feathers set at a cocky angle. A chestnut patch is in the middle of the stomach. His breast is scaled and his flanks are streaked with white. The female is mostly brown and the breast is scaled. The female does have a plume, but it is not as showy as the male’s. The average weight is approximately 6-7 ounces for both sexes.
Unlike many other species of wild birds, quail are monogamous in that the male takes only one female for the season and assists in raising the young. They are always found near water and will be found mainly in the lower foothills. The average size of a covey for California quail is from 10-12 birds and they are considered the noisiest of all the quail. They are constantly chirping and peeping while feeding. If disturbed, they give an alarm call and after being scattered they will give an assembly call for the covey to regroup. Hunters often use this constant chattering to locate the birds.
My favorite quail is the mountain quail, which is also native to Lake and Mendocino counties. Unlike their California quail cousins, mountain quail have much smaller coveys, averaging from six to eight birds, and they are much larger, averaging 8-10 ounces. The males and females closely resemble each other and can be identified by the long and slender erect plume feather on their head. Unlike other quail that migrate by flying to lower elevations, most mountain quail walk. Some have been known to walk as far as 20 miles from their summer grounds to their wintering area.
A ready source of water is critical for quail to survive. They will gather around a spring or creek and spend a good part of the day there. When there is a drought, as we have had the past five years, the quail population decreases significantly. Like all wildlife, quail have a short life expectancy. Less than 25 percent of the quail hatched will live a year. Disease, lack of food and predation by hawks, eagles and other predators takes a tremendous toll of the birds.
The Mendocino National Forest is a prime area for both California and mountain quail. The Lake Pillsbury area holds mostly California quail but there are a few coveys of mountain quail scattered through the area. The prime locations for the mountain quail are at the higher elevations such as Hull and Snow mountains. Parts of the Mendocino National Forest are still closed because of the recent wildfires. Hunters can go the Mendocino National Forest website for the latest updates on which areas are closed and which are open.
Quail also can be found at Indian Valley Reservoir and in the Cache Creek Wildlife area.
The hunting season runs through Jan. 27 and the daily limit is 10 with a possession limit of 30. In addition to a hunting license you must also have an upland game stamp. This will be the last year that lead shot can be used on quail. Starting next year only non-lead shot will be permitted.
