For more than 30 years, I've had the good fortune of pursuing quail. I never tire of the thrill they bring, not to mention their fine table fare.

Two of the West Coast's most prized upland birds: a pair of valley quail, also called California quail, and a single mountain quail. Photo by Scott Haugen.

This time of year, valley and mountain quail have a lot to offer.

Here's what to look for.

VALLEY QUAIL
Also called California quail, the valley quail is one of the most adaptable of all upland bird species. It makes its home in a variety of habitats, withstands a range of weather conditions and provides hunters with no shortage of sport and thrills.

Valley quail thrive from Canada south through most parts of Washington, Oregon and California, all the way down to Mexico. So popular is this bird that in 1931, Californians declared it as their state bird.

Some ornithologists distinguish California and valley quail as two separate subspecies. But whatever you call them and no matter where you hunt them, their seasons and hunting methods are the same.

What does dictate how valley quail are hunted are the habitat and terrain. The flatlands make for easy going, but brushy habitat offers the best results for hunters with dogs, especially when it comes time for retrieving birds in thick brush.

Because many flocks are year-round residents of agricultural land, they are easy to pattern and predict, which makes for highly successful hunting. As the winter progresses and flocks grow larger, your hunts can become even more productive, to the point that securing a limit is simply a matter of time.

Streamside habitats are also excellent places to find valley quail.

These birds have very specific needs: food, brushy cover, safe roosting sites and water. Find these and you'll likely find birds.

For feeding, valley quail prefer open areas over brushy ones. If one covey finds such a place, you can expect more groups to join them as the winter progresses.

One reason why valley quail are so prolific is because of all upland birds, they are one of the latest species to nest. This means their clutches are not hurt by late-spring storms, which are a big factor in nesting success.

The quail's wide-ranging diet of plants, seeds, grains and even weeds allows the birds to grow quickly and be in good condition come winter.

The typical hunting approach for valley quail is to spot them first, and then stalk to within shooting range.

Many hunters pursue them without dogs. But that requires stealth and good planning in order to get a shot before the birds scamper into heavy brush for safety.

When these quail do flush, they often take off and fly over brush, which can make recovering them a challenge. If you're shooting over brush, carefully mark where each bird falls. Some hunters will bring along a dog for the sole purpose of retrieving birds.

Valley quail are very vocal. Often a male -- sometimes more than one -- will perch up on an elevated vantage point and serve as a sentry for the flock. Should danger approach, it sounds a warning call, sending all the feeding birds into cover.

But this isn't always a bad thing.