I am out of state and interested in coming to Texas to hunt some quail and pheasant. It appears that Texas offers a Non-resident Banded Bird Hunting License. My question is what is a banded bird? I plan on going to a hunt with what they say are wild birds? It appears I also need a Upland Game Bird Endorsement as well.

Can someone help clarify this for me?

Thanks

Banded birds are a preserve hunt, not wild birds.

Definitely need the Upland endorsement.

So do these birds have actual bands on them so if a wild bird is mixed in and I shoot it then I am in trouble? I have hunted a preserve in NM and we don’t called they are not called banded. They are just pen raised.

Thanks to everyone.

Thanks

Do they have an actual band on the leg or is that just a term they use?

It’s just a term.

The preserve birds (i.e. birds that are raised, released and not wild) are supposed to be banded so they can be tracked back to the preserve which is supposed to be licensed and to confirm you aren’t poaching birds.

If you are from New Mexico, you literally have some of the best wild quail hunting in the USA within a short drive of you - heck it could be out your back door. If you want to hunt I’d look into trying to do something there and if you are new to upland hunting you could probably hire a guide to show you the ropes. If you want a sure thing or to get a kid into hunting a preserve is a good thing but you won’t find any preserve that mimics the real thing in TX just in my opinion. The most realistic preserve hunts are in GA but they are going to cost you a pretty penny. Just my .02

Hope you can get out there and bring some folks with you