When it comes to upland bird hunting, the old saying, “if you know, you know” applies. Quail hunters understand the appeal of cool mornings, crisp air, eager dogs, open spaces, and the heartpounding rush of a covey taking flight. But if you don’t yet know, that doesn’t mean you can’t find out! The Wildlife Department is inviting you to make 2023 the year you discover a passion for upland birds, their habitat, and quail hunting.This year’s quail season kicks off Nov. 11 in Oklahoma. Although dogs help, you don’t have to have one to hunt quail or to have success. You just need to learn a little about the game! There’s public lands open for quail season, and you can scroll below for resources to get you started. Believe us when we say it’s available and accessible to you! So get your hunting license and don’t miss out!More than 30 years ago, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation began conducting roadside surveys to monitor quail numbers throughout the state. Surveys are conducted on 83 routes of 20 miles each in August and October in all counties except Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, which are excluded due to urbanization. With low observation numbers, these roadside surveys can have a wide degree of variability, but the consistency of the survey methodology over time allows interpretation of the information on a historical scale.August surveys give biologists an idea of breeding success, while October surveys reveal a glimpse of recruitment for the fall hunting season. Typically, August survey numbers are a less-reliable hunting season predictor than October survey numbers because some chicks won’t survive through summer. Long-term and yearto- year trends are important for hunters and biologists alike. The past decade has seen survey numbers cycle starting at the lowest recorded on these surveys in 2012 and slowly rising to a peak in 2016 that quickly fell back to previous lows.This year’s data show the statewide average up by about 38 percent over 2022.August surveys showed more sightings than in 2022 in all regions except the northcentral region. October surveys showed more sightings than in 2022 in all regions except the southwest and northcentral regions, and the southeast region showed no change over 2022.When statewide numbers are broken down by ecoregion, it is easy to see which areas are producing better or worse year-to-year. On an ecoregion basis, the Southern High Plain had the largest ...
