AZ Quail Today Podcast

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.

Connect with us: Email us at r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

We talk with Rashawn Gordon about what makes Yuma special for Arizona dove hunting, why the birds don’t behave the way they did 10 years ago, and how scouting smarter can save your opener. We also dig into flight lines, monsoons, and hunting pressure, then close with how guided hunts and youth mentorship keep the tradition alive. 

• why Yuma became a dove destination and how harvest timing and water restrictions change bird numbers 
• what last season looked like on the ground and why heat and shooting skill still matter 
• the Yuma opener atmosphere including community traditions, competitions, and post-hunt food 
• how Rashawn scouts from March and what flock size reveals about migration and movement 
• dove species timing around the Gila River plus nesting behavior and “pigeon milk” 
• why monsoon storms can move white-wings overnight and how to adapt fast 
• how doves use landmarks to hold a flight line and why 20 yards can change everything 
• why overhunting a field early ruins the rest of the season and how to avoid burning spots out 
• Rashawn’s dove and quail combo hunts and why he limits pressure when quail numbers are low 
• youth hunting mentorship stories and why keeping hunting active takes intent 

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

We talk with Rashawn Gordon about the early hunts that shaped him, from a .410 shotgun at age three to the patience his dad demanded and modeled. Along the way, we get into bird dogs, breeding culture, and the moments in the field that stay vivid long after the birds are gone. 
• meeting Rashawn Gordon near Yuma and the story behind his favorite Hank Williams Jr. song 
• getting a first .410 and hunting jackrabbits as a kid 
• learning patience through deer hunting, glassing, and long walks with Dad 
• shifting into bird hunting with a Brittany and falling in love with hunting over dogs 
• switching to German Shorthaired Pointers for stamina and versatility 
• the breeder encounter that refused to sell to “just a hunter” and what it revealed about dog culture 
• why breeding programs change over time and why fewer young people step in 
• a defining memory of multiple dogs backing on valley quail and a father seeing the beauty of it 
• teasing the next conversation about the Yuma dove hunt experience 

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

We record from a rain-soaked Quail Camp and talk with Todd and JJ about how Fathers in the Field turns consistent time together into real growth. JJ shares what it feels like to train, practice, and finally take his first quail while keeping safety and respect for the dogs first. 

• Fathers in the Field as a one-year mentorship commitment with the option to renew up to three years 
• Building the relationship through faith talks, outdoor time, and honest conversations 
• Using the Lord’s Prayer curriculum as monthly discussion material 
• The monthly rhythm of church, a fun activity, and a service project 
• JJ’s move from Florida to Arizona and finding community through church 
• Preparing for a South Dakota pheasant hunt and the youth gear checklist 
• Clay target practice, perseverance, and how confidence finally clicks 
• What a first quail feels like and how to think about safe shot selection 
• Planting birds, working bird dogs, and learning backing behavior 
• Todd’s childhood pheasant hunts and how the outdoors shapes a young person 
• Why safety and awareness earn trust and more opportunities afield 

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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

We sit down with Geoffrey from Covey Kits to trace the real story behind a working dog first aid kit built for hunters and the chaos that happens when your dog gets hurt far from help. We talk gear, education, heat safety in Arizona, and the field decisions that keep a bad moment from becoming a tragedy. 

• a barbed wire laceration that reveals the cost of going unprepared 
• why many “dog first aid kits” are not dog-specific 
• how Covey Kit leaves room to customize for your dog and your hunts 
• education as the real product, including a detailed guide and an offline searchable app 
• what the live first aid clinic includes, plus what people learn and why dogs stay home 
• safe restraint and muzzling when an injured dog panics and may bite 
• when stapling makes sense, why it still means a vet visit, and why it should be taught 
• vet conversations to have before travel, including calming meds, pain support, and antibiotics 
• heat exhaustion signs, gum checks, capillary refill, and cooling the right way 
• electrolyte myths and why Gatorade is a bad idea for dogs 
• rattlesnake bite reality and why the only move is getting to professional care 

Share this episode with other friends and let visit Covey Kitts online, and uh you can check them out at CoveyKits.com 

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.

Connect with us: Email us at r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday

We sit down with Geoffrey from Covey Kits to trace how an East Coast outdoor kid becomes an Arizona quail hunter who is all-in on bird dogs, ethics, and being ready for the unexpected. The conversation moves from punk rock memories to real-world lessons about hunting right, mentoring others, and why dog first aid belongs in every handler’s kit. 
• Meeting Geoffrey from Covey Kits at Fumar Cigars 
• Moving from Massachusetts to Arizona and falling in love with public land 
• A bad dove hunt that sets an ethical line in the sand 
• Getting hooked on bird dogs and learning quail habitat the hard way 
• Foraging, culinary school, and a food-first approach to wild game 
• Recovery, community, and the interest in Fathers in the Field 
• Previewing the story behind Covey Kits and why preparedness matters 

If you found today's program helpful, share it with a friend, give us a like, let us know. 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 r[email protected] —we'd love to hear from you! 
Follow us on Instagram at @azquailtoday