A DOG-LESS PURSUIT

Classically speaking, quail hunting is as much about good dog work as it is about fine shotguns and covey rises. After all, many a Southern hunting lodge is adorned with oil paintings of stoic pointers locked up on cowering bobwhites. But out West, where running quail species like Gambel’s, scaled (blue) and California quail predominate in a rough-and-tumble environment filled with hazards like sharp rocks, thorny brush and cactus, bird dogs are not only unnecessary for filling your upland vest, they can be detrimental to the effort.

“I have clients who bring their dogs, but just as often ). In addition to being one of the state’s premier deer and elk guides, Adams has been successfully guiding quail hunters for more than three decades. He’s found that it’s the rare bird dog that can take a full day of running and gunning across the desert, maneuvering through huge cactus fields and patches of cat’s claw and other nasty brush that shreds canvas pants and exposed arms in a flash.