By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter
Some Texas hunters may have to work a bit harder to bag a quail this season.
For most areas of West Texas, this season will be much like 2019.
“A few spots will be better, and of course, a few spots not as good,” Dr. Dale Rollins, executive director of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch in Fisher County, told the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “Our blue quail populations as a whole are down from last year, so for those who hunt in the Permian Basin, Trans-Pecos, expect to work a little harder.”
The bright spot in this year’s quail forecast is South Texas.
“If you have friends in South Texas, especially in the Hebbronville, Falfurrias area, and you have coupons to clip down there, this is the year to do so,” Rollins said. “Most of those people in that area are about an 8.5-plus.”
Rollins’ calls landowners and hunters across Texas for his annual quail forecasts. He asks them to rate the conditions in their area on a scale of one, being the worst, to 10, being the best.
“I sent an email out in early August to about 75 quailophiles, students of quail as I call them. Some of them are professionals, Parks and Wildlife people, most of them area not,” Rollins said. “They’re interested, long-term quail hunters or observant ranchers. I trust their opinions.”
The Rolling Plains area is rated a three or four due to low breeding capital and hens that quit nesting in June.
The southeast Rolling Plains is rated a seven.
The northern half of South Texas is rated a three, while the southern half of the area, which some people call the Rio Grande Valley, is much better at an eight-plus.
“Of course, we’ve been extremely dry in West Texas. Hot and dry doesn’t bode well for quail,” Rollins said. “They’ve been fairly utopic in their climate down there in South Texas this year, so it paid dividends for them.”
The statewide quail hunting season runs Oct. 31 through Feb. 28, 2021.
“One of the things you have to think about is the long-term weather patterns, and the meteorologists are telling us we’re probably going to have a La Niña winter, which is not a good situation,” Rollins said. “A dry winter is not a good situation for quail.”
He encouraged hunters to be conservative with their harvest.
“One of the things that dictates how many quail you’re going to have next fall is how many you have next May,” Rollins said.
The daily bag limit is 15 birds. The possession limit is 45 birds.
Quail is an upland game bird, so hunters must have an upland game bird endorsement in addition to a valid Texas hunting license.
More information on hunting licenses and quail season is available online at tpwd.texas.gov.