We are headed out to Matador wma next week. Does anyone have any recent reports?

I went opening weekend. Lots of birds.

Lots of birds early in the season. Been hunted hard. Lots tougher now.

Does anyone have anything else to report? How many covies found? How long they hunted etc?

Nothing to see or shoot there...move along


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We've been a couple of times this year. Lots of birds, but even more cover. It's tough walking and a lot of the area has bad sand burs. Booting the dogs is your best bet. The Blues are still off limits there. The birds have gotten very skittish from all the pressure, and we've seen coveys flush without man or dog within 30 yards.


forecast is for a low of 19 there this weekend.

Can one of y'all download a map and circle the exact areas you've found every single covey? Along with time, weather, what dogs, size of coveys, what truck you were driving, gun you were shooting etc?

Good to see this section becoming like the migratory bird section. Gotta love it

x2 haha

Most people can find ducks easier than we can find places to hunt wild quail.

From some of the stuff I've seen in this upland section, I'd much rather it become more like the migratory section than see more tailgate shots of 50-70 birds shot by 3 guys in 3 days, oh wait, every covey they found had at least 35-75 birds in it so it won't hurt them to take out 6. Plus, what's posted on here isn't only seen by forum members. Have a hunt ruined by some idiot on public land and you'll sing a different tune. Unfortunately, Texas has extremely limited public land opportunities compared to other states and way too high of a bag limit set.

If a long time member wanted information on a property, I'd tell them.
I wouldn't post it openly on the forum, but through pms.

I mostly hunt private land, and may take 10-15 birds total the whole season. That's my decision, based on the number of coveys I see. Others are free to make their own decisions, and I'm not going to down someone that is staying within the legal limits.

I agree and I'm in the same boat as you. I mainly hunt all private except for out of state hunts. If it were a longstanding contributing member, I'd help through pm and have several times. I think the legal limit is too high and there are some out there that are clearly out for a good tailgate pic stack of birds only, and it may be legal. But I sure as heck wouldn't post anything about any land that is accessible to a person like that. Is it legal for 10 guys to hunt together, find 10 coveys of 15 quail and chase down every single there is and shoot them all? Yup it is. Is it legal to pot shot a covey of quail on the ground? Yup. Doesn't make it ethical though. Just too many jackasses on the internet these days to post about public spots.

I get private PMs asking about my hunts and I have no problem sharing information. I have had other members tell me where they found birds and how many. Never had anything ruined while hunting the Chaparral WMA. Its 15,000 acres and the average bird per hunter in December was 1.99. Am not worried about sharing information as from what I have seen, not everyone even has a dog, or can shoot that well and that includes me.

I had a great conversation loading up and leaving with an older gentleman and his wife. He asked me what I had seen and how many. I told him exactly what I saw and and how many and where. We chit chatted a bit and then we left. Couldn't have talked to a nicer couple. Definitely didn't get the feeling they were out to get a tailgate pic. Had I gotten that feeling, maybe I wouldn't have said anything.

Not sure why the worry if you don't even hunt public land here. I agree with you on the ethical business but its public land.

I hunted the Chap and hunted South Blue Jay just off the main road on the left. Saw several covies there, go get em boys!

I like the turn that this thread has taken.

The great thing about Matador, is that it helps separates the upland hunters from the ATV drivers

Even with the no ATV and no off-road restrictions, I would venture that half or more of the quail taken this year on Matador have been spotted, or flushed, driving the roads, then the singles chased down. For me, this falls in the same category as trying to kill every bird in a covey. I've also seen tire tracks well off marked roads in a couple of places. Its a shame.

I agree. Only thing I use a road covey for is to put out my 5 month old Brittany pup and let him get into the singles for bird exposure.

The great thing about Matador, is that it helps separates the upland hunters from the ATV drivers.

I was probably still in diapers, when some of the older gentlemen hunted walking behind their dogs. If my body ages faster than my desire to hunt quail, you will see me in a (not on the Matador) ATV too.

We should also keep in mind that some dog are bred to run horseback trials. You would either be hacking on them all day, or let them roll by using a ATV.

My lease is 18,400 acres, just call me ATV Ray

You can cover a lot more ground out of a vehicle, if the cover is permissive

Ours is 30,000 acres, I'll stick with the Mule too.

I've seen some recent pics. Some of you could stand to walk.

Lol

now that's just mean

I always tell my wife it isn't mean if it is the truth.

My boy said that to my wife this past week and she immediately looked at me.

I walk, and you still wouldn't be able to tell it my recent pictures.