AZ Quail Today Podcast

Ryan Rice
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Wilderness

Welcome to AZ Quail Today, your go-to podcast for everything quail hunting in Arizona. From expert insights on local habitats to interviews with passionate hunters, join us as we dive into the world of quail hunting in Arizona.

  1. 1d ago

    Episode #83 Super El Nino, Quail Prospects and Hunting Strategies with Kirby Bristow

    We take another quick look at how weather and timing shape Arizona quail hunting, from Super El Nino optimism to the very real effects of heat on Gambel’s chick survival.  Kirby Bristow gets practical about hunting strategies, dogs, calls, covey behavior, and how to turn a flush into real shooting chances.  • why Arizona climate swings matter for quail numbers and hunter expectations  • how hot, dry summers can limit Gambel’s quail chick survival even after good winter rain  • corrected Arizona quail season dates: The 2026-2027 Quail Season: Gambel's and Scaled Quail: October 16th - February 7th | Mearns' Quail: December 4th - February 7th • what wetter winters can mean for spring green-up and dog scenting conditions  • using a quail call to locate Gambel’s and scaled coveys rather than pull birds in  • sticking with a covey until you break it into singles that hold  • why Mearns hunting starts later and depends on dogs more than calling  • prioritizing the covey rise on Mearns and not over investing time in low-scent singles  • shot size and load considerations across species and typical engagement distances  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquil today.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Till then, remember to get outside.  You can get your copy on Amazon Today. Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

  2. Oct 16

    Episode #82 Monsoons + Quail Forecast with Kirby Bristow

    We sit down with retired Arizona Game and Fish biologist Kirby Bristow to connect Arizona’s 2026 monsoon rainfall to real-world quail numbers. We break down what that rain means for Mearns, Gambel’s, and scaled quail, why coveys can feel scarce after drought, and how hunters can set expectations for the season ahead.  • Kirby’s background in quail research and a lifetime of hunting  • How the 2026 monsoon performed across Tucson, Phoenix, and Southeast Arizona  • Why summer versus winter rainfall patterns shape quail distribution statewide  • How rain boosts forbs, insects, and warm-season grass cover that improves survival  • Why Mearns quail are especially tied to monsoon-driven grass and dog work  • What low base populations mean for covey counts even in a better year  • What harvest age data and percent juveniles reveal about Gambel’s reproduction  • How scaled quail breeding timing and habitat conversion affect long-term numbers  • How to tell juveniles from adults using wing coverts and molt clues  Please consider making a tax deductible ball. Visit us online at azquiltoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates  You can get your copy on Amazon Today. Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

  3. Oct 9

    Episode #81 Here Is What Actually Helps Scaled And Mearns Quail with Nick Shobinger

    Nick Shobinger and Ryan continue to talk and in this episode they break down how the Arizona Quail Initiative turns donations and grant funding into real habitat improvements for Arizona quail.  They  also get practical about what scaled quail and Mearns quail need most, how drought and monsoon timing shape populations, and what hunters can do to help.  • what the Arizona Quail Initiative is and how it differs from farm bill programs  • how the RCPP grant funding gets used on the ground  • why mesquite encroachment changes scaled quail habitat and hunting strategy  • how invasive grasses can look good but feed birds poorly  • what rain timing means for long term quail numbers  • the biggest habitat pressures in Mearns quail oak woodlands and Sky Islands  • which water improvements help wildlife most, from solar wells to wildlife friendly troughs  • how monsoon storms can be pockety and how to plan hunts around moisture  • ways hunters can support habitat work through chapters, surveys, and stewardship  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Till then, remember to get outside.  You can get your copy on Amazon Today. Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

    Episode #81 Here Is What Actually Helps Scaled And Mearns Quail with Nick Shobinger

  4. Oct 2

    Episode #80 Bridging Ranching And Quail Habitat with Nick Shobinger

    We are back to talk with Nick Schobinger about the real work behind Arizona quail habitat projects, from internships and field surveys to his current role connecting ranchers, agencies, and conservation groups. We also get honest about what hunters can do to protect access on public lands and keep relationships strong.  • Nick’s hunting background and how he got started with dogs and the pointing dog community  • Switching from engineering to wildlife conservation during COVID and spending more time in the field  • Arizona Game and Fish internships across the state and what field monitoring teaches you  • Wildlife veterinarian internship basics, including what a necropsy is and what it reveals  • What a cooperative wildlife biologist does and how Pheasants and Quail Forever funding works  • Landowner Relations Program goals, including water and habitat projects that help cattle and wildlife  • How relationships with ranchers are built through time, trust, and showing up  • Plain-English breakdown of NRCS programs EQIP, CSP, and CRP and how they can support habitat  • Why “overgrazed” looking areas can come from drought, soils, erosion, and terrain not just cattle  • Hunter responsibility on shared landscapes, including gates, trash, signs, and respect for operations  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. You can get your copy on Amazon Today. Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

    Episode #80 Bridging Ranching And Quail Habitat with Nick Shobinger

  5. Sep 25

    Episode #79 From North Dakota To Arizona Quail Country With Nick Shobinger

    We catch up with Nick Shobinger and trace his path from North Dakota roots to Arizona quail country, bird dogs, and a career that keeps him close to the land. Along the way we get practical about scaled quail versus Gambel’s versus Mearns habitat, why listening beats wandering, and even how he records covey rises in real time.  • Nick’s background from the Dakotas to the Valley to Tucson  • Swapping engineering for wildlife conservation and management  • Early Arizona hunts for Gambel’s quail and learning desert birds  • Getting serious about bird dogs through clubs, mentors, and NASTRA field trials  • Why scaled quail stands out and what makes late-season Gambel’s special  • How to scatter coveys and work singles for better dog work  • English pointers, breeding lines, and what matters more than pedigrees  • Using Ray-Ban Meta glasses to film points, flushes, and misses  • Desert bird tactics around water sources and morning calling  • Mearns country versus desert washes and why the approach changes  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates.  Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

    Episode #79 From North Dakota To Arizona Quail Country With Nick Shobinger

  6. Sep 18

    Episode #78 How Monsoon Timing Shapes Arizona Mearns Quail

    Mearns quail are not desert birds, and the timing of Arizona’s July and August monsoons can make or break the next several seasons. We connect recent monsoon swings to 1,200 years of tree-ring drought data, then bring it home with water reality, habitat stakes, and how we can show up for birds and for people.  • how Mearns quail live in sky island oak savannas with small home ranges  • why monsoon timing drives nesting conditions and brood survival  • what digging behavior and late nesting reveal about rainfall dependence  • the 2024 bust, the 2025 building year, and why 2026 looks like a chance  • tree ring soil moisture research showing 2000–2020 as the driest stretch since year 800  • what aridification means when heat pulls moisture from the ground  • why one good winter does not reset decades of drying  • Arizona water demand and reuse, from chip fabs to Pure Water Phoenix  • why we should hunt Mearns like they matter because they do  • sponsor thanks, new team voices, and the Fathers in the Field mission  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates.  Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

    Episode #78 How Monsoon Timing Shapes Arizona Mearns Quail

  7. Sep 11

    Episode # 77 Special Guest Nate Istrate: Quail Camp, Youth Needs, Dove Hunts and a Crazy Rain Story

    We catch up on Quail Camp, the dog work behind it, and what it looks like to mentor a shy eighth grader into real confidence outdoors. We also map out a plan to send JJ on a South Dakota pheasant hunt, then pivot into practical gear talk and Yuma dove hunting details to help you get ready for the season.  • Quail Camp recap, planted birds vs wild mechanics, and teaching gun safety  • Why we focus on beliefs and relationships more than behavior  • Screens, supervision, and why the outdoors has to be prioritized  • Big Shot Lodge in South Dakota, what a youth pheasant trip looks like, and why it takes gear  • Building and sharing an Amazon wish list so supporters can buy one item at a time  • Water bottles, microplastics, and small changes that add up  • Shotgun talk, why three shots can matter, and gearing up for dove season  • Yuma dove hunting fun facts, flyways, agriculture, and timing the opener  • Eurasian-collared doves, identification in flight, and what “no limit” means  • Keeping birds, planning food like dove tacos, and hunting with a local operator  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and update. Till then, remember to get outside.  Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

  8. Sep 10

    Special American Moment Episode: Faith, Family, Freedom

    We pause Arizona Quail Today for a candid message about faith, family, freedom, and why hunters should care about the direction of the country. We remember Charlie Kirk, reflect on the 25-year anniversary of 9/11, and ask what it looks like to protect what’s good while still building the next generation of Arizona quail hunters.  • welcoming Democrats and Republicans around a shared love of hunting, dogs, and the outdoors  • marking one year since Charlie Kirk’s assassination and what his influence represented  • explaining “faith, family, and freedom” and asking where truth and morality come from  • urging personal responsibility at home and in the community  • connecting hunting rights to freedom and encouraging listeners to vote their values  • remembering 9/11 and drawing distinctions among Muslims, Islamists, and jihadists  • calling hunters to be protectors and pass down truth to the next generation  • sharing upcoming content on quail camp, kids, monsoons, and quail season conditions  • inviting support for Fathers in the Field to help a young boy get gear for a pheasant hunt  To help further our work, please consider making a tax-deductible gift. Visit us online at azquailtoday.com and be sure to follow us on social media for the latest information and updates. Connect with us: Email us at ryan@azquailtoday.com —we'd love to hear from you!  Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

    Special American Moment Episode: Faith, Family, Freedom
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to AZ Quail Today, your go-to podcast for everything quail hunting in Arizona. From expert insights on local habitats to interviews with passionate hunters, join us as we dive into the world of quail hunting in Arizona.

Information

  • Creator
    Ryan Rice
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 AZ Quail Today Podcast
  • Show Website
    AZ Quail Today Podcast

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