"Last year, it was not uncommon to find six to eight coveys a day," Madsen said.

Early in the season, work around water sources to find birds. As the season progresses, you may have to search harder. Blues will eat a variety of bugs, seeds and new growth.

"After they've been bumped a time or two," Madsen said, you'll find them farther and farther from the nearest water source."

That means lots of walking. Blues will cover some ground, and you'll sometimes find them in the middle of nowhere. Sanders said that although most people associate scaled quail with grasslands, they will seek out the tops of bald, grassy hills.

"That's one of their favorite things to do," he said. And when he sees such a hill, he'll send a dog that way.

Other places that should produce birds are the Guadalupe and Sacramento mountains in south-central New Mexico. State trust lands are spottier in this part of the state.

On the southern portion of the Lincoln, work along the east side where state and BLM lands adjoin it for some good scaled quail action, Kamees said.

You can find Mearns' as you work up in elevation, so the south-central region presents some opportunities for mixed bags. This is beautiful country where nights can get cold.

Pat Mathis of the Las Cruces office of the New Mexico Game and Fish Department agrees that this season's outlook is better.

"It looks promising," Mathis said. "It should be better than last year, which was pretty dismal."

Work the patches of state trust land near Deming and Lordsburg for a mix of cotton-tops and Gambel's. Sanders said this region used to be scalie country primarily, so much so that Gambel's were a novelty, but now there's more of a mix.

In general, you'll find grasslands north of I-10 and desert terrain, with craggy peaks to the south.

As you work the southwest corner of the state, don't ignore the foothills of Gila National Forest near Silver City. In the lower elevations, you'll probably find Gambel's. But as you work your way up to the oak-juniper mix, you'll start to find Mearns'.

"The Gila has a good population of Mearns'," Mathis said. "The land's in fairly good shape, so I'm hoping for a good year for Mearns' quail.

Another place to look for them is the Peloncillo Mountains south of Lordsburg.

Mearns' quail are not as numerous in New Mexico as they are in Arizona, so don't expect a lot of coveys. Mathis said that you could find Mearns' without a dog by looking for scratches. Mathis walks slowly, and he listens.

The best way to hunt for Mearns', however, is with a pointer. Look for hills of nutgrass, Sanders said. Park your truck and let the dog do the rest.

"Those dogs know more about finding birds than I do. I turn 'em loose and I follow them." Rains have been spotty, Mathis points out. So if one canyon doesn't produce birds, drive to the next.

John Moen of the Las Cruces chapter of Quail Unlimited said that the state has had some rough years in the past because of drought and over-grazing.

"It's going to be spotty, very spotty," Moen said. Late hailstorms hammered some places that did get rain, he said, and that can have disastrous consequences on young bird populations. Moen said that Quail Unlimited is trying to help Game and Fish come up with a management plan for habitat.