Mearns quail season is set to open on Dec. 6, and quail hunters are optimistic about a rebound in the Mearns quail population, thanks to a decent but spotty monsoon.
This will result in an increase in quail hunters from across the country showing up in the Patagonia-Sonoita area to pursue this unique game bird. More tourists are a great boost to the local economy, as restaurants, gas stations, stores, hotels and guides will all be busy.
What’s unique about the Mearns quail hunting experience is that, for the most part, hunting takes place on public lands, namely the Coronado National Forest, allowing access to anyone willing to take on the challenge of hunting Mearns quail.
The onus is on the hunter to subscribe to their own code of hunting ethics and conduct, as there is no private landowner to suggest how he or she wants the hunting conducted on their property. Here are some takeaways from other public land Mearns hunters that for the most part are self-explanatory:
• Leave gates how you found them.
• Move around livestock so you and your dogs don’t stir them up.
• Pick up your empty shells and pack out what you brought in.
• Picking up other peoples’ empty shells and garbage results in good karma for you.
• If someone is hunting in the area you wanted to hunt, it’s best to move on to another spot so as not to disturb someone else’s hunt.
• If you are already on the ground and see or hear another hunting party, it’s usually a good idea to move in a different direction.
• Mearns quail, or any covey bird, needs the security of the covey to survive. Ending your hunt by 4pm helps ensure they can covey up for the night.
• Driving vehicles off designated roads or trails is against the law.
• A lot of hunters like to take a bird or two out of a covey and move on to find more coveys, making it a sport of covey finds with shooting birds thrown in.
• AZ Game and Fish (AZGFD) sets the Mearns quail limit to eight birds per day for a total possession limit of 24. Most obey it.
• AZGFD relies on wing barrels to collect harvest data. These are located along roads going into popular hunting areas. If you see one, take time to fill out the questionnaire.
• Enjoy the landscape. Mearns quail are found in a very unique area of the Southwest, take time to enjoy the area and don’t eat too many tacos.
