Dave Schafnit hunts eastern Arizona. The southeastern part of the state has gotten more rain than other parts, resulting in higher densities of scaled quail. Photo by Ron Dungan.

Even desert quail need rain!

The desert drinks in rain and snowstorms. Each storm means that more birds will fly up when you walk the fields in the fall.

A long drought has reduced quail numbers in the Southwest, but we bird hunters are optimists. We scan the horizon and wait, even when the sky remains blue, the forecast dry. We place our trust in hardheaded dogs, our hopes on rain clouds and the sound of wings.

Pockets of birds remain in Arizona and New Mexico, and coveys are out there for those willing to look.

ARIZONA
"Even in a bad year, quail hunting in Arizona, you can always find birds," said Kevin Barnes of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "It's just a matter of scouting and just covering a lot of country."

But it helps to focus your search on places that have had rain. Some areas that have produced in past years remained dry. This season in Arizona, look south and east.

"We're certainly going to have higher densities of quail in some places than others," Barnes said.

Tonto Basin
This year, one of the best places to find Gambel's quail will be the Tonto Basin, a broad stretch of desert near Roosevelt Lake. This is classic Gambel's quail habitat, with flats, hills, washes and thickets of scrub.

Much of this country is public land, under the jurisdiction of Tonto National Forest. From Globe to Punkin Center, there's a lot of country that should hold birds. Look for stock ponds and listen for calls, particularly early in the season. Bass anglers can fish the lake and scout for birds in the desert slopes surrounding the lake.

Another area that shows some promise is the Oracle Junction area. Counts there, though below the historical average, were double what they were last year, Barnes said. For years, the area has been a favorite of Tucson and Phoenix hunters alike.

You'll mostly find Gambel's in this area, with the occasional scaled quail -- a running bird that can be found in a variety of places, but makes its home in grasslands primarily. The region is slightly less hilly than the Tonto Basin, but that doesn't mean you'll won't have to walk uphill on occasion, particularly late in the season when birds seek higher ground.

"One of the problems with hunting that area is there's a lot of cholla," Barnes said. Cholla cactus, sometimes called jumping cactus, can get caught in a dog's coat. Removing clumps of cholla can get messy -- and painful, unless you're patient.

Another area with a lot of promise is the region southeast of Tucson, which is some of the most beautiful country in Arizona. Look for pockets of public land near Willcox, Tombstone and Sierra Vista.

The region has a mix of grassy flats, desert hills and oak-covered canyons that can hold Gambel's, scaled or Mearns' quail, providing opportunities for a mixed bag.

Southeast Arizona
The southeast corner of the state received more rainfall than other areas, so there are higher densities of scaled quail than we've had in the past several years, said Barnes.

The region has a mixture of land jurisdictions, with patches of National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, state trust land and private property.

Barnes urges hunters in this part of the state to respect private property. Public lands often have cattle, so close all gates, pick up your empty shells and take out your trash. In some areas, particularly outside of Tucson, landowners have agreements with the state. They allow hunting, but that privilege can be revoked.

The mix of jurisdictions can make it tough to just show up, pile out of the truck and hunt, specifically in Mearns' quail country, where access to some areas is blocked by private land. You may have to take some time to really get to know this part of the state, but it's worth the trouble. A good set of maps is key.