Back when there used to be blue quail in South Texas, we hunted them on the run. They would not hold for a dog. Driving on ranch roads we'd spot a covey (which meant you'd see one run into the brush), I'd immediately bail out of the truck on the run. If I was lucky I would catch up to and run into the covey. They'd flush. The flush was one or two birds basically hopping off the ground and flying about ten yards two feet off the ground. You had to be fast on the draw or they be back on the ground again.

When my grandfather wanted a few quail for supper, he break out his little browning 22 short automatic. It had an over sized brass bead on the front sight.

He'd catch a covey of Bobwhites in the road and shoot one of them in the head. It would flutter around and the rest would run over too it to see what was wrong. Pop, and another one is fluttering. He'd take what he wanted which was usually four and take them home. My grandmother did not cook skinned quail. They had to be plucked (the skin was the best part).

This method works remarkably well, and sporting issues aside, I have eaten some ground tainted meat. It tasted fine.

Alan