Quail in Montana….

[MTGunner]

Yes, many will say it’s not so. Well, pictures tell it all. My lab put up a covey of 12-25 birds in tight brush. Thought they were Huns. NOPE, upon retrieving to hand I realized what I was looking at was a California Quail. In all of my hunting upland birds in MT, 40 years plus, I have never encountered quail. UNTIL NOW. Have read my bird regulations to find Gambels and Cali quail are a non-indigenous bird. No seasons, no bag limits and year around hunting. Very interesting. MTG

 

[jpcoll01]

Killed a bunch last year, no season kill as many as you can eat fun with a bow.

 

[MT_Fin]

I’ve never killed any but have seen a bunch of them running around in the Bitterroot.

 

[MThuntr]

Yep tons in the Bitterroot and probably will continue to increase due to increased urbanization of the area. The Salmon and Lemhi River drainages have piles of them and they've started to sneak over into Beaverhead County though nowhere near the same numbers.

 

[MTGunner]

We live on the S&K res in NW MT. Have hunted long tails, Huns, ducks and geese here for many, many yrs. First time I have encountered quail. MTG

 

[JShane]

You have my attention.

 

[Beignet]

I’ve seen a bunch in the Bitterroot. Though always when I’m carrying a 12ga choked and loaded for turkey. Would make a cloud out of those little birds.

 

[brockel]

Just seen an article about that just the other day

 

[Pagosa]

I seen one in the Flathead this summer. I hope they get established. I used to enjoy quail hunting in Oklahoma and Kansas

 

[The Missing Link]

We have very few Bob White Quail left in Louisiana. Wild pigs and fire ants take out the nest and eggs. I have only heard a few and see one in my 43 years.

 

[OzWildlife]

Oh yeah. I see quail up there all the time. Some days more than I see in KS.

 

[Pagosa]

Oh yeah. I see quail up there all the time. Some days more than I see in KS.

In LA or MT? Didn’t know which you were referring too.

 

[OzWildlife]

MT.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Yes, many will say it’s not so. Well, pictures tell it all. My lab put up a covey of 12-25 birds in tight brush. Thought they were Huns. NOPE, upon retrieving to hand I realized what I was looking at was a California Quail. In all of my hunting upland birds in MT, 40 years plus, I have never encountered quail. UNTIL NOW. Have read my bird regulations to find Gambels and Cali quail are a non-indigenous bird. No seasons, no bag limits and year around hunting. Very interesting. MTG

Flushed several large coveys of these while I was visiting the “Root” looking for property to buy next to @mtmuley.

 

[mtmuley]

Flushed several large coveys of these while I was visiting the “Root” looking for property to buy next to @mtmuley.

Nothing for sale near me. Lots of quail though. mtmuley

 

[Nameless Range]

Heritage Program observations ain't perfect, but while hunting sharpies in a Wilderness Study Area in southern Jefferson County a few years ago I ran into a small group of them. Couldn't believe my eyes. Spoke to the warden for that chunk of country about it and he'd never heard of them either. Found this though, which kind of shored up a belief in my memories.

 

[brymoore]

We have a lot of valley quail in Idaho. In fact, I received a valley quail call for Christmas. How we hunt them is going from spot to spot. A call will make it easier to locate.

One of my fondest bird hunting memories was walking up to an English Setter point expecting a group of Huns in sage brush. What I encountered was a group of 100 valley quail that came up in waves, most after my shotgun was empty. My barrel got very hot that day as I shot singles and smaller groups.

 

[tops911]

Nameless Range, Southern Jefferson county has a hunting preserve and I wonder if that's where the quail came from? Was it in the river bottom?

 

[user009]

Successful hunt. I haven’t got any yet, but I’m ready for them. They are tasty little guys

 

[Flatbrimmer]

Heritage Program observations ain't perfect, but while hunting sharpies in a Wilderness Study Area in southern Jefferson County a few years ago I ran into a small group of them. Couldn't believe my eyes. Spoke to the warden for that chunk of country about it and he'd never heard of them either. Found this though, which kind of shored up a belief in my memories.

View attachment 307858

I’ve turned up a few quail on the line near broadwater/meagher counties! I couldn’t believe my eyes either. It was out of season for upland and I wanted so bad to shoot it but I just wasn’t sure… the more I stared in disbelief the more I was certain. Still, I let them live. Pretty cool…