I am out in West Tx and the quail this year is sparse...have very good GSP 3yr old..anyone have info on New Mexico hunts from south central to southeast--no outfitters or guided..(just returned from Kansas pheasant hunt--33 roosters and 8 quail) Help having withdrawals from lack of quail.....gunter

The birds down here are real scarce and no big coveys. Found most of our birds in the Maljamar area below the cap. I have a gsp thats fair and a pup that I'm training. Holler on a pm

I guess the lack of early rains hurt us all...thought you guys around Hobbs were catching some of that moisture though..man last year was a bumper year this year a bust...you have a lease you hunt on?

I had a couple of decent hunts in the Black Range just before xmas for mearns and gambels. The gambel coveys were pretty big. One covey had close to 200 birds in it. It was hard as hell to get close to them. Had to work at breaking them up. Once we did, it was pretty good hunting. we worked that one covey for 1/2 day. There were a few birds around Lemitar (blues and gambel) and just to the north of Bosque del Apache (blues only). If you hunt on BdA, you have to use non-toxic shot. I didn't go on it this year, but have had decent days on it in when I lived out there. I didn't even try the SE corner based on the reports.

Been through part of that west N.M. country, horseback...real rough dry country. North of Horse Springs, Mogollon, West of Winston....Ted Turner and Hanoi Jane have a ranch around Winston I think. Was there any cover to speak of for those gambels to stick in after split up??
I ran those things forever over in Arizona few years back. No grass cover to stick em and they ran into Old Mexico all the way to Chihuahua!!! Killed some Mearns northeast of Nogales...first and last time to hunt them...pretty unusual quail...

I have a contact in Clovis, thought I might see if any birds in that area..if so maybe we can hook up for a hunt..

The ranch you're referring to is the Ladder Ranch. It's around 150K acres. He owns another one, Armendaris Ranch 350K+ acres, on the east side of I25 base out of Engle.

As far as cover goes, it's a desert region. It looks nothing like crp in KS. If you get off the road and away from the cattle, I think you will be surprised with the amount of cover available. You should consider picking up a forest service map and BLM map.

We had some hail early in the year in some parts of the southeast, it came in strips. I think the rains were at the wrong time, ( while the hens were setting the nests) I'm planning to check out the area around Kenna and Elida this weekend. Most of the land I hunt is BLM or State land. I went over in the Reserve- Qumado country about 2 weeks ago and never saw a bird, one rancher said it had been to dry during the spring and summer, and their rains started late and were big rains when they got them

I am planning to come down and hunt the Fort Sumner/Clovis area the weekend of February 7 & 8. Never hunted this area before, and only hunted NM once. I'd be interested in any help or ideas. Have 3 setters I'll be bringing. Would be happy to return the favor here in Kansas. I've got a little over 2,000 acres of private ground for pheasants and quail, or could do an early season prairie chicken hunt next fall.

I am also planning a trip to the area. I'm looking for people to hunt with.

I have dog power and some local knowledge. PM me if interested.

flyboy, tried to send a PM, but not sure if it worked. Let me know if you received one, my home said I hadn't sent one