Bird Hunting in Arizona

Nice lodge to conduct business. has all kinds of trophys
Bird Hunting in Arizona

Birds hunted at this preserve are quail, pheasant & chukar. While quail hunting is popular in AZ pheasants are few and far in between so this is one of the very few places to hunt them. The season for pheasants, chukar and quail is October through March when the weather is bearable. Most of the rest of the year is too hot to hunt. The area is only 1400 feet above sea level so temperatures can go well above 110 degrees during the summer.



Quail being shot with Lanber fuled with Blackhorn 209


There is no lodging or meals provided but there are hookups for motor homes and hotels and restaurants are available in Casa Grande or Coolidge. Both cities are a short distance from the lodge with well marked roads. Casa Grande has hotels such as the Holliday Inn, Best Western and Comfort Inn. There are over 650 rooms available in those and other hotels there. There are plenty of restaurants such as the Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden and the Golden Corral as well as
local and fast food places. Coolidge is smaller but has a few diners on their main street. There is also an airport if you want to fly in by plane.


A good dog is a joy to have on a quail hunt


You can take your dogs or use theirs. Both Bob Henson and Arlette Hennesy are top notch dog trainers who have won many field trials. They can board and train your dogs as one of their services.


Tony sure has some well trained dogs



You need to call ahead to make arrangements for training or prior to the hunt. They also have an experienced staff that can answer questions or help out in making your hunt more enjoyable.It is a private club however anyone can hunt there by calling ahead and arranging to pay the necessary fees and getting on the hunting schedule. There are memberships available or 1 day hunts. The memberships range from Associate to VIP with prices ranging from $200 to $3150 a year per the last information they put out. Sporting clay shooting is also available with a 1 day reservation ahead. I don’t want to quote any one day prices in case of changes but a phone call will determine that.


On point!!!!



He has about 8,000 acres available for hunting which is more then ample for any bird hunting.The area is either desert or fields such as alfalfa. There are very few trees but a lot of scrub brush that the birds use. The land is very flat and this makes for easy walking a feature I can appreciate. You should expect to do some amount of walking and blaze orange is required. Be sure to have some good broke in walking shoes for best comfort. High boots are not necessary
as the land is water free. During the winter months the weather is usually very pleasant with temperatures from the 50’s to the 70’s. There is a possibility of rain and windy conditions during the winter months so bringing along some rain gear might not be a bad idea. The fall and spring temperatures can be warmer up to the 90’s so be prepared to dress accordingly. During the warmer weather I would advise to carry some drinking water with you as dehydration can be a concern. I went quail hunting with a good friend of mine who is a member. It was an enjoyable experience that I plan on repeating.

Typical desert quail country






The Lanber O/U 12-gauge I was carrying is light and acquires the target very well which is a help with fast flying quail. The Lanber proved to be a reliable shotgun that everyone who shot it liked it. A light well balanced shotgun is much easier then a heavy one for the amount of walking you might do. The Lanber is such a gun.
Tony’s dogs were great and I was able to get some pictures as well as some quail. All in all an enjoyable hunting experience which I intend to repeat.


Tony with Lanber and dog


Desert Pheasant recreation has been in business for 20 years and has a good reputation. They also have big game hunting available in Texas for exotics and whitetail and Ohio for deer so if you are interested call for info. As with any hunting situation I would advise calling ahead of time with any questions so there isn’t any misunderstandings and you will have a more enjoyable hunt. That is true with any hunting lodge.


Bringing back the bird



The land is flat desert and is easy walking. The hunting is on the easy side and the dogs have plenty of room to run. If you would like to try a different type of hunting then this south west excursion might be just what you are looking for. It is not at all like hunting birds in the eastern states where there are trees and lots of undercover. Shot size is regulated to 7 & ½ or smaller.
Based on my experience I would recommend it and I have a pheasant hunt planned for the near future. Since I live about 45 miles away I will be going back as often as I can.

They have some rules so you need to call or e-mail prior to showing up.

Contact info is Bob Henson the owner who you can call at 520-723-7234 or 520-709-1019 or e-

mail pheasantrec@earthlink.net for further info and fees. The snail mail address is Desert

Pheasant Recreation 774 N Wheeler Rd Coolidge AZ 85228-9313.

Bob Shell
Tony sure likes that Lanber