Hunting the Overlap: Sooty Grouse, Band-Tails, and Quail in the High Sierra in September
Three days hunting sooty grouse near Hope Valley, two empty ones, and a band tailed pigeon Peter shot on the last afternoon.
The Four Weeks That Decide October: Quail Prep While Dove Is Still Open
The dove split closes on the 15th and quail is a month out. That gap is the most useful four weeks on the California upland calendar and the easiest to waste. What we are actually doing with ours.
What Changes in a Sacramento Valley Dove Field After Opening Weekend
The field you scouted in August is not the field that exists on Sept. 8. Four things move in the first week of the season — pressure, water, cut dates, and the birds themselves — and the hunters still shooting on the 14th are the ones who tracked them.
Reading California's Upland Harvest: A County Map of Where the Birds Were Taken in 2023–24
We built a county-by-county map of California's ten huntable upland species from CDFW's 2023–24 harvest survey — where doves, quail, chukar and pheasant were actually taken, what the numbers do and don't tell you, and how to read them for your own scouting.
Scouting Summer Dove Fields in California: Reading Sunflower, Safflower, and Grain Edges Before the September Opener
A summer guide to scouting California dove fields: how sunflower, safflower, and grain stubble pull mourning doves, plus the water and roost lines to map now.
How to Scout Public Land for Upland Birds Without Leaving Your Couch (Then What to Do When You Get There)
Field notes for California upland hunters — chukar, valley quail, pheasant, and the country and dogs that put them in the bag.
Planning a Modoc Plateau Chukar Hunt: A NorCal Scouting Guide
Modoc Plateau chukar planning for NorCal upland hunters — public land, water sources, basalt rim country, and how to scout the spring before the October opener.
Mapping Chukar Water in the Off-Season: A NorCal Hunter's Approach
Mapping chukar water in California's off-season — a NorCal hunter's approach to springs, seeps, and guzzlers across the eastern Sierra and Modoc Plateau.
California Pheasant Genetics: What DNA Research Means for the Sacramento Valley
California pheasant recovery hinges on DNA research showing isolated genetic pockets — what NorCal upland hunters should know about translocations and habitat.
Sooty Grouse Spring Scouting in NorCal: Hooting, Habitat, and a Plan for Fall
NorCal sooty grouse spring scouting peaks in May when males hoot from Douglas-fir ridgelines — how to locate the birds now and bank waypoints for fall.
California Wildfire Burn Scars and Upland Bird Habitat: A 2026 Hunter’s Planning Map
California wildfire burn scars and upland bird habitat in 2026: how to read 1-5 year burn ages across NorCal for quail, chukar, and pheasant scouting.
Reading May Greenup: What Bunchgrass Tells You About Fall Valley Quail in NorCal
May greenup is the strongest forecast you'll get on fall valley quail in NorCal — what bunchgrass, forb cover, and brood habitat tell you about October coveys.
