Old Yeller and Quails
Quail hunting takes practice and skill. With the added benefit of using dogs, the odds of finding and catching quail become higher. Using dogs to hunt quail is common and has been done for many years. These dogs, often called bird dogs, are not the ordinary house dogs but those that have been trained particularly in hunting game birds. Commonly used breeds for bird hunting include the English setter, Red setter, German shorthair pointer, Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever, Britanny and other pointing breeds duly trained.
Quail Hunting
Quail hunting has become particularly difficult because of the decline of quails over the past few decades. This makes hunting for quail in public lands a lot more difficult. The best alternative is to get permission to hunt on private lands including private property, state approved property, or ranches.
Knowing where Quails are located increases the chances of a successful hunt. Quails often found on a combination of open land and woody cover. Look for fields that contain diverse vegetation wherein seeds that Quails feed upon are numerous. Knowing the habits of a Quail is also a factor in successful hunting. It is good to know that Quails feed on seeds in fields during the day, rest under woody cover by mid-day, are back in the weedy field areas in the late afternoon, and often sleep in weedy, grassy areas at night.
Quail Hunting with Dogs
There are many things to consider when bringing a bird dog to a hunt, both for the hunter’s success and the dog’s safety. First of all, only good bird dogs should be brought with the hunter on a hunt. Most hunters bring along two dogs to effectively flush out the Quail into the air instead of allowing it to run on the ground. These dogs should be bought from a reputable bird dog breeder and should be trained by a hired professional. Lastly, hunters should never take a shot at a low flying Quail because this would mean that the hunter lower his or her muzzle below a horizontal plane with the ground. This type of shot can be dangerous because it will likely hit the dogs instead of the Quail.
Bringing along a bird dog can be extremely helpful. Many hunters have testified that they weren’t able to find that many birds without bringing along their dogs.
