I have been given the opportunity to do a quail hunt East of Dallas area this weekend. I realize we may not even see a single quail as they are almost non-existant in this neck of the woods, but I'm going to try anyway. My question though is that I don't have a bird dog, so is it possible to hunt quail just by walking the fields etc.? How do you hunt quail if you don't have a bird dog? I realize this will be much harder than if I had a dog, but is it impossible?

Thanks ahead for any of your input!

I hunt quail without dogs all the time. Where I hunt however there are alot of quail and I know where to find them. In west Texas it is easy to see the blues running under the brush because of the lack of grass. In the hill country where I hunt bobs I will just walk till I find them and then hunt the covey.

Ok, I might need to clarify a little bit... I've only hunted quail once out towards Abilene with a friend who had dogs. I have no idea what a "covey" is. I'm hunting more towards Kaufman/Van Zandt county and I think its mostly trees and such, not alot of open ground like where I hunted previously. What do I look for that would give me a clue where to "kick around" etc? Any type of tree they find appealing, or bush or grass?

Brady, thanks for your suggestion. I kicked a quail up one time walking through a field (didn't have a gun on me) and I'd really like to try this for the first time. My buddy will be going with me, and he has a retriever, but she's not a flushing dog.

ok, no problem....Well a covey is what I call a group of quail. I couldn't really tell you a specific bush or tree that they prefer but only that they like cover and will group up together. They always scare the piss out of me when I am walking around. If you don't know much about the land or where they are at or if there are any on the place then I would just go a look around and see what you can kick up. Someone else on here might know more about what specific cover they prefer so they might chime in and help you more than I can.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it!

Anyone else want to give some advice?

Oh, another question, is #6 shot ok for quail? Or should I get the #7-8 shot size like dove?

I like 7 1/2's. Hunt the fence lines along the fields. The ones with scrub brush on them will be the best. Your best bet is busting covies and hunting the singles. When they break hunt the singles slowly.

Don't have any idea where you will be hunting, but another idea-Fence lines with brushy cover are excellent most of the time. If it has tumble weeds that are piled up, they often hide in there to get away from hawks and for cover. If you can hunt around the outside edges of any type of grains along fence rows, that can be a hotspot. This time of the year, if you can find wheat or anything green that is up, that will attract them also. Just depends on where you are hunting. I would venture to say, more birds are shot without dogs than with dogs, just because of the number of hunters. Believe me, not all hunting dogs are really hunting dogs, many of them are covey busters????

Good Luck and for sure go Hunting if you get a chance, dog or no dog.

Regards,
Mud-Dabber

I have never hunted quail that direction, but I would imagine fence lines and cover are your friends,

Have the folks that given you permission to hunt the area seen coveys or singles?

I have an ESS that runs nose down hard and will kick em up if they are their, if ya want to use her, I would need to tag along but I dont need to shoot, just like runnin the pup.

Well, I've got two places, one is some public land near lake Tawakoni and the other is private farm land nearby. My buddy's dad owns the private farm land and said we can hunt anything but deer (varmints look out!!!) on his place outside of deer season and by legal means/seasons. I think we are going to try the public land first, and then maybe move over to his dad's place. If he can't go, I'll be at the public land only by myself, maybe take a friend if they'll go. I'm not expecting much as its public land and this area (Van Zandt and Kaufman) are not exactly known for quail areas, at least in the past few years. But I wouldn't mind putting a few on my dinner plate if I can find them!!!

Oh, my buddy hunted his dad's place last year for 2 days and came out with 17 birds between the 2 days. Don't know if that's good or bad?

In that area that sounds like an epic hunt. I can't imagine finding more than a bird or two a day around there. Unless you had 1,000 acres I wouldn't think you would have a chance at a bird. I could be wrong but I have never seen one out that way.

As far a no dogs, we just hunt with a lab out west. Where we hunt there is no need for a pointer since we hunt brushy lines, creeks, and sage flats near open fields. We have gotten as many as 60 to 80 in a day in a good year without a dog. And as few as 3 in a bad year sure as this one and last.

Grego, let me check this place out and take some pics while I'm there this weekend. I would hate to say "come on along and bring the pup" for a disappointing hunt. As I said above this is my first time to this location and I have no idea what to expect for land etc. Only what I've seen down around the lake when I've been there in the past. I'll get the pics up next week and if its good, I'll plan another trip for next weekend again. Its not hard to plan since its about 30 mins from my front door...

NateDogg,

Listen to Txduckman. Bob whites are scarce this year even in places where the population is decent. You will be VERY lucky to find bobs in East Texas. That area has never been too good, historically. But, if you like to get up early, walk 10 miles and enjoy the scenery, then go man go! And best of luck, let us know how it went.

yep ya better be the kind of guy that just likes beein out doors...
my suggestion is to listen for them calling and try to locate them then bust them up, then listen some more and try to find singles

That's what I plan on doing... getting out in the woods again. Plus the public land area close quail on the 24th, and opens up on the 25th for hogs. While I'm trying to find the quail and do a lot of walking, I might find the best areas to try and setup for hogs. I don't mind walking (does help me get in better shape) and being out in the outdoors is what its all about. I don't have to shoot anything to have a good day of hunting. But it always helps to put some on your plate!

I have a lease that's over run with hogs already, but its 2 hours away, and this is only 30 mins.

I grew up hunting around Poetry, Quinlan, Wills Point in the 70s and early 80s. Used to limit out all the time. We would find the birds in the thicker calf high grass that bordered the timber and against white rock roads a lot. The birds hit the gravel about an hour before dark at night. Some of those areas havent lost a ton of habitat, but I am worried the fire ants have put a hurting on them. Let us know how you do, at least you dont have a bad broomweed problem (which is acidic and basically has a terpentine order for dogs). I carry a water rag with a dab of vinegar on it in my game vest to swab the dogs noses, lip edges and eye edges throughout the day to neutralize the acid and they still cant smell worth a dang.

Let us know how you do!

Here goes my $0.02. First, WELCOME to upland bird hunting, beware, it my become your life's passion consuming many hours and dollars, but it will repay you with lifetime friends and wonderful times.

We are West of Dallas, a lot West in Midland, Texas. What I am gunna say then has some info that may help you because it is general in nature and some may not. Few of us get to hunt enough different areas of the state to know all the techniques around.

Blues, in West Texas ya better hunt Blues are you are not hunting. Our Bobs are so scarce that we see them only by accident while hunting Blues, we DO NOT hunt Bobs on purpose. We can hunt Blues w/o dogs, if we follow certain protocol. We have lots of roads due to the oilfield. We drive the roads and spot a covey (if ya run across quail you'll quickly learn the meaning of that word), and try to flush them (make the fly) witht the truck. CAREFULLY watch them down (watch where they land), dismount, load up, form a line and start the long walk run to that spot. As you approach, be ready for the flush. No one can describe the sound, but it is a flurry of beating wings that stops your heart, you just must experience one. This description sounds simple, trust me it is HARD work shotin' Blues afoot, it is however and TOTAL BLAST!!

Best of Luck!

Thanks Mark, I have hunted them once before out around Abilene but it was with dogs. I've seen the Blues "helicopter" on their take off before and I was so amazed, I forgot to pull my gun up the first time! But that was my only experience. I have watched some of the bird hunting shows on tv with quail hunts and I can honestly say I'm amazed and LOVE to just watch the dogs work. Its amazing to me to see a well trained dog work a field, point, and then flush. My biggest concern since my dogs are "city dogs" I want to try more upland game hunting, but I don't have the dogs to do it. I will try your method as best as I can and everyone on here is giving me great advice. I'll take as many photos as I can this weekend and hope this is an exciting experience!

Oh... and nobody warned me the first time that'll you'll about crap your pants the first time they flush next to you cause the dog missed em...

Most of the quail i shoot are without dogs but i just make a point of keeping a shotgun in the truck during quail season and if a covey happens to cross the road or fly up i get the gun and chase them. Never gone out walking for them, if you walk a lot you are gunna do pretty well but you will have to do a LOT of walking.

My fat butt could use the walking...

Hunting quail w/o a dog is like whiping before you poop...just don't make no sense!

Or poopin before you get sat down good.

Natedogg, I hate to tell you but your in for a real tough time. Not to discourage you, but these days quail huntingis tough even with good dogs. NOw im not sure about east of dallas, but I'd venture to say that the old bobwhite is a pretty rare comodity out there. You should probably wait for a better opportunity somewhere else. Western tx and south tx are prime locations but I still wouldnt recommend it without a dog.

Sportsman79 is correct, it will be tough. However, if you are new to it and do see some birds you may get the fever and begin to learn and acquire the gear and skills to do it. I really do not know where he's going and how many birds there are outside my little piece of West Texas. Out here ya can walk up a covey of blues 'bout anywhere. Does not mean your gonna get a shot, but you can find birds. Hope that is what they get into.