“Our added winter moisture and active calling period led to a very long nesting and hatching season, starting in late April and extending into early summer, with chicks hatching as late as early July,” O’Dell said. “From a population standpoint, we are out of a deficit for the first time since 2001-2002. Quail are starting to pop up in places they haven’t been seen in a while.
“If you’ve never had the chance to experience what Arizona quail hunting built its name on, then this would be the year to get out and enjoy it.”
Meanwhile, hunters should note that the season for Mearns’ quail doesn’t begin until Dec. 4. It’s summer rainfall that plays a key role in nesting success and population numbers of this species. After a spotty and relatively weak monsoon across southern Arizona, these birds are likely to be abundant only in pockets that received sufficient precipitation this summer.
A valid Arizona hunting or combination hunt and fish license is required for all hunters 10 and older. Those hunters under 10 must either have a valid hunting or combination hunt and fish license, or be accompanied by an adult who possesses a valid hunting or combination hunt and fish license. Licenses can be purchased online or at license dealers statewide. A youth combination hunt and fish license (ages 10 to 17) is $5.
The general bag limit is 15 quail per day in the aggregate, of which no more than eight may be Mearns’ quail (when the Mearns’ season opens Dec. 4). The general possession limit is 45 quail in the aggregate after opening day, of which no more than 15 Gambel’s, scaled or California quail in the aggregate may be taken in any one day. After the opening of the Mearns’ season, the 45-quail possession limit may include 24 Mearns’ quail, of which no more than eight may be taken in any one day.
More quail-hunting information can be found on the department’s website at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/. Another resource for both new and experienced hunters alike is “An Introduction to Hunting Arizona’s Small Game.” Written by Randall D. Babb, the 196-page, full-color book covers where and how to hunt small game birds (like quail), squirrels, rabbits, ducks and geese. It also includes how to prepare and cook your harvest, with illustrations and recipes. The book can be ordered for $16.95 at www.azgfd.gov/publications.
Finally, hunters should check out O’Dell’s techniques for field-dressing quail at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gRwZAcWzzk.
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Publishers Notes: OUT OF STATE HUNTERS, FISHERMEN & OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS; Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, there could be limitations for OUT of STATE hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts to include a 14-day quarantine requirement or negative COVID-19 testing alternative. Please check with the State's Department of Natural Resources BEFORE you travel or apply for the 2020 Fall Hunts.
Disclaimer: The views expressed on this site are that of the authors and not necessarily that of TBC Press
TPWD Big Time Texas Hunts, Entries Open for 2021-22 Season
Submitted by: TBC Press
Posted on: 08/16/21
The Backcountry Press
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News # 14463
This season, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Big Time Texas Hunts (BTTH) program commemorates 25 years of offering Texans some of the very best hunting opportunities in the state. Ten premium guided hunt packages are offered in this year’s Big Time Texas Hunts drawing.
Big Time Texas Hunts entries are available online for $9 each or for $10 each at license retailers, or by calling 800-895-4248. The deadline to purchase entries is October 15 and winners will be announced within two weeks.
In the last 25 years, Big Time Texas Hunt participants have helped raise over $17 million to fund wildlife research, habitat conservation and public hunting access. The 2020-21 hunting season was the biggest revenue producing year for the program, raising over $1.24 million.
Conservation efforts funded by Big Time Texas Hunts include desert bighorn sheep restoration work in West Texas, thousands of acres of brush control work across the state for the benefit of species like mule deer, pronghorn and quail, along with multiple grassland restoration projects. Public hunting efforts include the funding of numerous public hunting leases and the purchase of hunting equipment like ADA accessible blinds for a number of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA).
“Hunters pay for conservation and the BTTH program is the perfect example of that,” said Justin Dreibelbis, TPWD’s Private Lands and Public Hunting Program Coordinator. “After 25 years, we are extremely excited to continue offering hunters an opportunity at once in a lifetime hunting opportunities and raising important wildlife conservation funding at the same time.”
Some of the popular hunts included in this year’s drawing include an Exotic Safari, where the winner and a guest will have a chance to hunt gemsbok, axis deer, and scimitar-horned oryx at Mason Mountain WMA, the Texas Grand Slam which offers the winner four separate hunts for desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, and desert mule deer, and the Powderhorn Cast and Blast. The Powderhorn Cast and Blast is the newest BTTH offering and provides one lucky winner and a guest a chance to hunt white-tailed deer, exotics, and waterfowl on the more than 15,000 acres of the Powderhorn WMA, in addition to a guided fishing trip on Matagorda Bay.
“The animals I harvested and the fish I caught, the incredible vastness of the land, the variety of animals, and the top-notch TPWD staff and guides, all made this a hunt I’ll never forget,” said Roger Wolfe, winner of the first Powderhorn Cast and Blast drawing in 2020.
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