First Sighting in East TX

[Pineywoods]

I've lived in East Texas for over 41 years and have spent countless hours in the woods during that time. In all of those years I had never see a Bob White Quail until yesterday in Houston County. I had one about 12ft from me and realized that was the first one I had ever seen in the Eastern part of the state. Are they more common than I realize in the Pineywoods or are sightings pretty slim?

[TX_Hoghunter]

Growing up we had lots of them here in Van Zandt county. Not sure if it was fire ants or hogs that cleared them out but I had not seen one here in 20+ years until about a month ago. I saw a single. I mentioned it to a friend and he had seen a covey from the road about a 1/2 mile from here. I would love to see them get going again around here.

-john

[AntlerCollector]

I saw them as a kid in Hardin County, but not since.

[flywise]

My father in law used to grow them and turn them loose for bird hunters ( many years ago) maybe something like that is going on close by

[Man]

Kick up a covey in Nacogdoches ever once in a while. But there are not enough to actually go out there with the intent to hunt.

[UncleBubba]

We saw them in Red River county as a kid. Almost flipped out of a pickup bed the first time a covey busted out right next to the truck.

[Bayouboy]

Raccoons, fire ants, hogs, bobcats all give quail a hard time. Rarely see them in La. or East Texas like I used to. And, I hunt near briar patches and thickets that quail and woodcock used to thrive in.

[jerp]

My father grew up in Houston County (Grapeland). In the late 60's and early/mid 70's when we would go to visit, if it was quail season we would go out and try to find a few birds. One of dad's old buddies who still lived there knew everybody in the area and we would drive around to a dozen or so spots where he knew a covey often hung out. I think there was no longer a huntable population in that area by the early 80's

[Pineywoods]

My father grew up in Houston County (Grapeland). In the late 60's and early/mid 70's when we would go to visit, if it was quail season we would go out and try to find a few birds. One of dad's old buddies who still lived there knew everybody in the area and we would drive around to a dozen or so spots where he knew a covey often hung out. I think there was no longer a huntable population in that area by the early 80's

That's where I was this weekend. The property we hunt has been in my wife's family for over 120 years.

[Mexico]

East Texas used to be covered in birds 40 years ago. Habitat loss and Fire Ants are the 2 major killers.

[jerp]

That's where I was this weekend. The property we hunt has been in my wife's family for over 120 years.

My dad's side of the family goes way back there as well. The Parker Cemetery north of town is on what was my great, great grandfather's farm. I'm related to a lot of the people buried there.

[Etxnoodler]

Every couple of years we see one in cass county that nobody admits to releasing. Non native exotic grasses planted for hay and cattle, and lack of burning are the major causes of the decline.

[Quackerbox]

We had a covey on the north side of our houston county place for years. Far as I know no one hunted them. Probably stopped seeing them around the early 90s

We had turkeys for a couple years as well. A lone hen was the last of them that we stopped seeing 6-7 years ago

[BW96]

What are the chances? Sunday morning we had 2 show up to my grandparents house in Northern Anderson co. No close neighbors. But they hung around the yard for awhile. Then something spooked them, they flew to a brush pile, then here came a chicken hawk. Needless to say, he had quail for lunch. Thats only the second time I've ever seen quail in east tx.

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[lovemylegacy]

I've lived in East Texas for over 41 years and have spent countless hours in the woods during that time. In all of those years I had never see a Bob White Quail until yesterday in Houston County. I had one about 12ft from me and realized that was the first one I had ever seen in the Eastern part of the state. Are they more common than I realize in the Pineywoods or are sightings pretty slim?

They were quite plentiful years back, but fire ants, the demise of trapped hide prices and the explosion of the hog population has destroyed the Bobwhite Quail.