Texas quail hunters get their first shot at the birds this weekend, and state biologists say the numbers look good going in.
Quail season opens Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, whose annual roadside survey found healthy populations of both bobwhite and scaled quail after favorable habitat and well-timed rain.
Biologists drove more than 3,300 miles of survey routes in early August. "Overall, the numbers were once again in good shape in this year's surveys," said Patrick Schutz, who leads the agency's upland game bird program. He said the best hunting is expected in South Texas and the Trans-Pecos, where quail have historically been most plentiful.
Bobwhite
Hot, dry summer weather and uneven habitat produced mixed results by region, the department said, but most regions counted more bobwhites per route than their 15-year averages. Schutz said biologists expected the summer to cut into numbers and were pleased with the statewide results.
In South Texas, survey crews averaged 10.17 bobwhites per route, a bit above the long-term average of 9.92. The Rolling Plains showed slightly fewer birds than last year but should still offer good chances, according to the agency.
For North Texans looking for public land, the department points to three wildlife management areas: Matador, Gene Howe and Teacup Mountain, an 11,091-acre area that is being managed partly for bobwhites.
