2004 Quail Season Outlook

Outlook is good for upcoming quail season (10/28/04)

“You never really know till opening morning,” said Gordon Thomas.

Maybe not, but Thomas says he is very optimistic about the upcoming quail season. Thomas operates the Washita Hunting Camp near Reydon and annually hosts hunters from as far away as Florida and Alabama.

“With all the rain and vegetation we have this year, it has been a little difficult to see them throughout the summer, but that is a good thing. When we have a relatively wet summer, it seems like we usually have a good quail year,” Thomas said. “I’m really looking forward to opening day.”

While the consensus from the field is that this year’s bird crop will be good, annual surveys conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation show a statewide decrease of eight percent compared to the previous 14-year average.

“We have been getting good reports from both landowners and biologists. However, the cool wet summer has allowed the quail to really spread out instead of being forced to the roadside bar ditches where they can be spotted by survey participants more readily,” said Mike Sams, upland game bird biologist for the Department

The survey decrease is reflected in all regions with the exception of the Northwest and Southeast regions, which reported increases over the average of 26 percent and 49 percent respectively. All other regions reported numbers lower than the 13-year average. In fact, the statewide 2004 index decreased 20 percent over 2003.

According to Sams, quail populations in the Southeast region seem to be responding favorably to timber harvest practices. Both biologists and sportsmen have reported seeing a number of quail in the clear cuts and young pine plantations on the Honobia and Three Rivers wildlife management areas.

"Overall, I think the outlook for the quail season is good. We had good weather conditions throughout the spring and fall and as always, we are hoping for favorable weather during the hunting season,” Sams said.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation biologists have conducted the roadside surveys during both August and October for the past 15 years. The surveys, which consist of 20-mile routes, give biologists an estimate of quail abundance.

Observers count the number of quail seen to provide an index of quail abundance and reproductive success. There are 83 routes with at least one route in every county except for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties.

Running Nov. 13 through Feb.15, quail season is much anticipated both by Oklahomans and non-residents. Oklahoma regularly ranks among the top three quail hunting states in terms of both quail populations and hunter success, and Oklahoma promises to be a major destination for bird hunters again this year.

For more information about quail hunting and to see the complete survey, log onto wildlifedepartment.com.

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2004 Quail Season Outlook

Mike Sams, Upland Game Biologist

Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation

This summer’s cool and wet weather has Oklahoma quail hunters abuzz with high expectations. Reports from the field definitely haven’t dampened those expectations. Many landowners and sportsman from across the state have reported “seeing more quail this year than in several past”. While the consensus in the field is that this year’s bird crop will be good, survey results are down this year.

This is the 15^th year of roadside surveys and the statewide quail index is down 8% from the previous 14-year average (Table 1). The decrease is reflected in all regions with exception of the Northwest and Southeast that reported increases over the average of 26% and 49%, respectively.

The 2004 statewide index decreased 20% over the 2003 index. Quail sightings in only the Northwestern and Southeastern regions of Oklahoma exceeded 2003 numbers (Figure 1).

Table 1. Average quail seen/20 mile route during the August & October roadside surveys.

Region	Previous 14 yr. average	2003	2004
Statewide	7.2	8.3	6.6
Northwest	10.5	12.5	13.2
North-central	3.9	3.0	1.6
Northeast	4.8	1.9	0.7
Southwest	15.3	24.5	13.0
South-central	3.1	2.8	2.3
Southeast	6.7	6.0	10.0

Despite some low survey results, reports from landowners and regional biologist suggest quail populations are improved across the state this year.

Cool and wet summers, which are favorable for quail production, can also distort survey results. Cover for quail is plentiful as a result of this summer’s weather. When cover is plentiful quail are not forced to the bar-ditches, reducing encounters during the surveys.

The survey does indicate this summer’s weather was favorable to quail production. Extended nesting was evident as 35% of the coveys encountered during October consisted of birds not fully grown. Likewise, landowners and biologists reported a good early hatch and continue to see young broods. Several have reported seeing chicks unable to fly in late September and early October. Due to late production early season hunters may encounter some small bird coveys this season.

With the vast expanses of native habitat the Northwestern and Southwestern portions of the state continue to lead in quail numbers. Populations in Southeast seem to be responding favorably to timber harvest practices. Both biologist and sportsmen have reported seeing a number of quail in clearcuts and young plantations on Honobia and Three Rivers WMAs.

We still need to keep our eye to the sky and fingers crossed. Weather not only dictates production it has an enormous effect on hunting success. Birds are there in good numbers this year but we still need good scenting conditions in order to make this a memorable season.