Arizona
The rugged vistas of the Cowboy West are home to three species of quail:
Mearns, Gambel's and the scaled or blue quail.
The Gambel's and scalies will be found in the desert, in an undulating sea of grass, rocks, cactus, and yucca that is at once harsh and beautiful. You will find it difficult to believe that a dozen or more of these birds could be off the end of a Brittany's nose in cover that couldn't hide an ant. Take that one last step and the air will fill with whirring wings.
Mearns, by contrast, will insist that you lace your boots tight, pack a water bottle, and burn a few calories. They inhabit the oak hillsides and washes that are found above 4000 feet. They will make you sweat, they will make you swear, and they will make you laugh, but to hold one in hand, taken on the wing and over a point is to hold the Stanley Cup of quail. You may be a little tired and you may be a little sore, but more than anything you will be ready to find another covey. Hunting Mearns is that good. We have hunted these birds in T-shirts and lunched on the tailgate with an inch of snow crunching under our boots. The contrasts in these hunts are part of what keep folks coming back. There is nothing vanilla about the birds, the cover or the country.
Lodging In Arizona
Border to Border Outfitters offers three unique lodging accommodations.
Babacomari Ranch
4 guests · 3 bedrooms · 4 beds · 2 baths
The Babacomari Valley, located in the rich savanna rangelands of Southeast Arizona, has been supporting cattle and livestock together with abundant wild game and fish since Europeans first ventured into this "terra incognita" early in the 16th and 17th centuries. Millennia before this, native tribes made this verdant river valley, which cuts through the northern Sonoran desert, their home. Today, in their eighth decade, the descendants of Frank and Sallie Brophy hold stewardship to this land we call the Babacomari Ranch.
Harlequin Hideaway Lodge
11 guests · 5 bedrooms · 7 beds · 3 baths
Harlequin Hideaway Lodge offers guests the perfect blend of luxury and rugged sportsmanship. Spend your days hunting all three species of Arizona’s quail and come home to a chef-prepared meal at the end of the day. Perfect for hunters, vacationers, and everyone in-between; this lodge was built to bring the charm of the southwest and its natural surroundings indoors.
Harlequin Clubhouse
8 guests · 4 bedrooms · 4 beds · 2 baths
New this year, the Harlequin Clubhouse is here to offer hunters something that can be hard to come by: dog-friendly and hunter-friendly lodging. Our Clubhouse is fully fenced with ample space for parking multiple trucks, dog trailers, tie outs, and kennels. Right in the heart of quail country and a short drive to town, this lodging provides hunters with everything they could ever need for a grand slam quail hunt.