Quail season opens Nov. 1. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) said its annual roadside survey showed good population numbers going into opening day. Biologists covered more than 3,300 road miles in early August.
Patrick Schutz, TPWD upland game bird program leader, said the numbers were in good shape and that the department expects a good season, especially in South Texas and the Trans-Pecos. He said bobwhite numbers varied by region, but most ecoregions had more birds per survey route than the 15-year average. The Rolling Plains had slightly lower numbers than last year. South Texas averaged 10.17 bobwhites per route, compared with a 15-year mean of 9.92.
Scaled quail numbers rose in most ecoregions, according to the survey. The Edwards Plateau averaged 29.88 scaled quail per route, up from 14.00 last year and above a 15-year mean of 8.38. TPWD named Matador, Gene Howe and Teacup Mountain wildlife management areas (WMAs) in North Texas, Chaparral and James E. Daughtrey WMAs in South Texas, and Black Gap and Elephant Mountain WMAs for public hunting. Schutz said the hot, dry summer was expected to affect bobwhites.