Quail making a comeback to N. Texas?

[El General]

I used to be the managing editor at Lone Star Outdoor News. For years we had articles on quail decline caused by eye worms, fire ants, habitat loss, pigs, predators, wind farms, etc.... Then we had a year with good timely rains ... TONS of quail. Just anecdotally, I think drought cycles have more to do with it than anything.
They are so boom or bust from year to year and it seems like good rains = good quail numbers.

Good, timely, rains do definitely equal good quail numbers. But, there used to be huntable numbers in alot of places even in years of down rainfall. All of those factors do definitely contribute to the general decline of the species, though the biggest factors outside of moisture is cedar intrusion/non native grass species/timber management.

Like most wildlife, if you take care of the habitat, then good things follow.

[CTR0022]

Didnt tamu commerce release some California quail in north texas? My buddy saw one on his place a month or so ago up north of bonham.

[Dale Moser]

You can talk about habitat all you want, but there is plenty of habitat in north and west Texas that has not been substantially altered in 75 years or so, and the quail are largely gone.

[Garbuster]

I went to a seminar last year where there was a biologist from TP&W talking about quail. What shocked me was that she said the average life span of a bobwhite quail was 7 months. I was thinking 3-5 years. She said they were the "ice cream" of the outdoors meaning everything wanted to eat them

[doghouse]

I went to a seminar last year where there was a biologist from TP&W talking about quail. What shocked me was that she said the average life span of a bobwhite quail was 7 months. I was thinking 3-5 years. She said they were the "ice cream" of the outdoors meaning everything wanted to eat them

I've heard that but the word was the potato chip of the outdoors.

[PlanoDano]

hi planodano,
i'm one of the founding members of the north texas bob white quail restoration page on fb. I heard about your sighting via forum member pharmvet, who also participates in restoration efforts.
As you mentioned, we have been raising/releasing quail at connemara for the past few years, and we've also recently shared quail with the city of plano, city of lewisville, and the blackland prairie raptor center (next to lake lavon). Rowlett creek runs next to connemara and over to oakpoint park/plano, so it's possible some of our quail have traveled, or plano has released theirs already (not sure about that...i'll have to check).
Where exactly did you see the quail? I'd send you a pm, but i'm a new member and can't do that.

Thanks, mike

33.05427 -96.65828

[muzzlebrake]

There used to be a big gun dog club up north of Bonham around Ivanhoe area that raised quail and trained dogs and may have put on canned hunts. Very probable that a few of these pen raised birds have escaped (lot of shooters can't hit a flying bird) and somehow managed to make it in the wild.
I grew up in Bonham and down on the river in Mulberry. Bobs were always there along the bluff from hwy 78 west to Ambrose since I was a kid. You just had to know where to look although the numbers are extremely low.

[hog_down]

I've heard that but the word was the potato chip of the outdoors.

"shrimp of the prairie"

[rvd]

If I could consistently find 6-8 coveys a day, I’d sell all my deer hunting crap and buy 3 German Shorthairs tomorrow.


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Me too Brother!

[rvd]

Didnt tamu commerce release some California quail in north texas? My buddy saw one on his place a month or so ago up north of bonham.

Yes they did and it sounded very promising but I haven't heard anything about it recently.

[planomustang]

You can talk about habitat all you want, but there is plenty of habitat in north and west Texas that has not been substantially altered in 75 years or so, and the quail are largely gone.

I agree. The land around our place, near New Harp, has hardly changed in my life. Also, we are not seeing fire ants, but are seeing lots of red ants.

[miketx55]

33.05427 -96.65828

Thanks!

[Mexico]

Bobwhite's are still holding strong on our place in Mexico. I enjoy watching them more than shooting them these days... guess I'm getting old.

[double bogey]

You can talk about habitat all you want, but there is plenty of habitat in north and west Texas that has not been substantially altered in 75 years or so, and the quail are largely gone.

I agree Dale, a lot of the land we hunted on 50 years ago doesn't look much different than it did. Goes back to the 99 other reasons i guess.