Quail Calls I Have Known

It's that time of year and some hunters without dogs are asking about quail calls to help locate coveys to save some boot leather. I've used the Lohman's, Primos and Iversons quail calls over the years. The wooden calls sounds the best to me but you have to keep them dry or the wood warps, ruining the call most times. When it's wet I use the plastic Primos call. I don't think Iverson is still making their quail call, I had to talk the dad into making me one one years back and I believe the son now runs the business. You might call and ask. Iversons.

I like Jim Matthews' quail calls the best, they're a lot louder than the others so in the windy west the call carries the best. Many times I've stood on a small hill and hit the call and the birds told me right where they were across the valley. I don't have a dog either and this saves a lot of walking sometimes. Jim has a production version and a higher priced custom signature version made from selected woods. You can see the special sound chamber in the 2nd pic that gives the Matthews call the extra umph for longer range.











Prices and more info on Jim's calls here. Jim's PH# 909-887-3444. e-mail odwriter@aol.com or P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427-0007. http://www.outdoornewsservice.com/.

If you're handy with the wood you can make your own quail call. Primitive Hand Made Quail Call.

Another quail call to carry is a hawk screamer for when the lil buggers are running on you. Lohman makes a nice loud wooden hawk screamer.

What kind of quail call do you like? Do you make your own? If so let's see some pics.

Fuzzballs

Each spring brings the young kids of our planet out, it's always a joy to watch the newbies find their legs and explore their new found world.

I first saw these California Valley Quail as they crossed the road in the foothills of Claremont CA. Mom and dad were easy to see but the little fuzzballs looked like Morse Code dots, scrawling across the pavement like on a ticker tape.

"Wow, they're just lil guys" I thought to myself. Maybe a late 2nd hatch.

The covey was too fast for me to catch in the road with my Canon GL-2 camcorder so I parked and waited to see if they would come back out of the Catclaw bushes where they had disappeared.

Since it was feeding and scratchin time it wasn't long before they popped back out for some tasty seeds and bugs.

Man are them lil goobers fast with such short legs. I tried to count the chicks and got maybe 12 to 14. See how many feathered pinballs you get. I figure Mr. Hawk and Mr. Bobcat have already glommed a quail cheeseburger or two so this hatch was close to 16 maybe? Not much to chew on though, more like popcorn shrimp for a large predator or raptor.