Thursday, June 30, 2016

Lucky streak continues with 2016 Texas quail populations

JOHN GILL

In competitive sports or anything else, it's difficult to sustain a string of wins, but that's exactly what has happened with the state's wildlife population for the past three years.

Three back-to-back wet years statewide has Texas looking at bumper crops of game and birds just before hunting and game regulations are established for the 2016-2017 seasons.

Texas Outdoors Annuals, which contain freshly established rules, will be at hunting and fishing depots in mid-August.

Dr. John Tomecek of the Texas A&M Rolling Plains quail management facility in San Angelo feels it's now save to say Texas has turned the corner on bad years of bird hunting, which includes turkey and quail. Dove are products of migratory patterns, depending on good hatches not only in Texas but some other states in the flyway.

Tomecek feels that quail in West Texas and the Rolling Plains have already experienced one hatch and predicts that another will occur before the season opener, probably in October.


However, Perez feels that the coastal plains of Texas may be the exception. The coastal bend had lots of rain for long periods of time this year and as a result quail have not been able to build nests and hatch young birds.

" I feel that another nesting opportunity will occur later this summer, but that means coastal hunters will be seeing some very young quail this fall," he added.

No-flooding rains happened in most regions of Texas in April and May, allowing for quail to hatch. He predicts that hatch No. 2 is now underway in the majority of the state.

"Quail carryover for 2015 was excellent, which will only enhance the 2016-2017 quail seasons. 


Read the full Gosangelo article



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