Question for the trophy deer hunters. Since full season quail leases are extremely hard to find these days, I have in the past signed up to hunt on a deer lease that has a decent quail population. While going through this search and being interviewed, the issue of quail hunting with dogs will come up. A few leases are ok with it, some just flat out say no. The last one I looked at 3 years ago was absolutely covered up in quail in March. I could tell the issue of hunting with my dogs was going to be an issue with MLD hunting all the way to end of February, and bow hunters(not knocking them) were the majority of the hunters on that lease. After thinking hard on the drive home, I passed on the place, didn’t want to be the fly in the ointment.
The trophy deer places seem to have limited quail hunting quite a bit. Even though for years and years the quail hunters got along fine hunting around the deer hunters.
Opinions and thoughts on this issue?

IMO I think some hunters feel that poaching would be an issue than the actual quail hunting. No matter how honest someone is or tells someone they are, if the person you are wanting to lease from does not know you then there will always be that question. It could also involve something as simple as the quail hunter talking to friends about how good the deer are on a place. Then the current lease hunters loose the lease to that friend paying more. Trophy leases are hard to come by. Building one up to the quality a lease group wants takes time and patience. Loosing it to more money is a real ongoing issue. Just my

I don’t agree with poaching. The quail only leases I’ve been on were also shotgun only. I’ve seen more oilfield hands poaching, stealing cameras, etc. if your staying in the same camp as the deer hunters, and with all the game cameras around a lease these days, the poaching thing is pretty tough.

68, I wish you all the luck but I can see the issue. STx pretty much right on except im not sure if poaching or being outbid would be as big an issue although a consideration. The bigger issue would be the likeminedness of the group that has put together a "Trophy" lease. Its not a deal killer, but when I interview hunters and they start asking about quail, fish, hogs, or anything "non Trophy deer" then I know its not a perfect fit. IT MAY BE FINE BUT NOT IDEAL. A "non Trophy" lease would be different. I doubt the Trophy hunters could even tell you "why" it was an issue but it would just be a shift from the ideal like mindedness. STx mentioned the time and effort to put together a Trophy lease(and money) they may just not be willing to chance a fly in the ointment, even if not sure that fly would hurt.

Another thought is lose of revenue, either for the landowner or hunting lease holder. North and West Texas quail ground only brings 1.50-2.00 an acre. But South Texas commands much more, for the right place it could be much more than that. Revenue that could supplement feed costs.

What could be be better than a hunter that really doesn’t care about killing a deer? Last deer lease I was on I sat in the stand 40+ days and never pulled the trigger. And yes I was trophy hunting. Just did my quail hunting after I hunted in the morning. There were plenty of other hunters wanting to use the MLD tags.
As for a non trophy lease, those are not typically in quail country.

When we were in Albany we hunted on a trophy lease that also had exceptional quail hunting. Everyone hunted deer and everyone hunted quail, many with dogs. It was always simple enough to know where deer hunters were hunting and simply not quail hunt in that area. We had 10,000 acres to run around on but there was never any conflict. But we did prefer hunters who hunted deer and quail vs just quail only because we had to shoot 50 for a year

I was on a quail only lease the last 2 seasons on one of the largest landholders in Texas property. There were also deer hunters on the same property. We just stayed out of each others way. And it’s been like that a long time there.The ones that don’t, don’t get invited back the next season. I’d still be there, but no driving off the road, coupled with I prefer more open Mott country so I can watch my dogs work.

“I doubt the Trophy hunters could even tell you "why" it was an issue”

I believe this is the hammer hitting the nail on the head.

Any other opinions and thoughts from hunters on a trophy deer lease with a huntable quail population?

While I'm not on a trophy deer lease since I own my place, we have always had incredible quail populations and I agree with the poaching concerns- not just for deer, but the quail too. I tend to be VERY selective of who I have out to do work, etc., as the year I bought the ranch, the sellers found a poached spike with hams and backstraps cut out and the carcass covered in leaves. Additionally, if I were a leasee on an MLD place, I might get bent out of shape if quail hunters were pushing through my deer hunting areas. But who hunts quail without dogs anyway? That's a tough project there.

However, I suggest you just keep pushing for good opportunities. Even if some see you as the fly in the ointment, as long as you're playing by the rules, have tight control of your dogs, and stay in the areas as directed, I say go knock some quail down.

Not sure if it will, but I hope this helps.

Thanks for vote of confidence Kry! After doing a couple out of state trips the last couple years, I may just focus my energy on more of these opportunities. Much less hassle than leasing in Texas.

I know for a fact that a quail hunter killed a mule deer on a lease that he was quail only lease for him. He did not have deer hunting rights...that was leased to a separate group. He had the deer on a trail camera photo. Shotgun can shoot either slugs or buckshot. If a guy is gonna poach he will easily wait till after the deer season is over when all deer hunters are gone. Suppressed rifles make it very easily also. We had a mule deer lease and they went up in price. One option was for us to take the quail hunting...which was not that great in all the years we hunted there. If we did not take it they would then lease it to quail hunters only AFTER the mule deer season was over. With the size of the ranch a deer could be poached and no one would ever know it. Go out a different gate than the entrance. Our groups concern was poaching mule deer after the season and we were gone. Not that it would happen on any lease but it could. It has like I stated above.

We used to lease quail right after season on one of my leases, trust is always one issue but one we found was majority of the coveys loved to stay around or near feeders so in result lot of bird hunting in and around feeders. Figured it better to just eat the cost then deal with it

We have 1 quail hunter he is the only one that gets to quail hunt our lease. He gets to start hunting January 1st until the end of quail season. Doesn’t bother us at all and we are usually done hunting bucks by then anyways.

We did it most days deer hunting down in South Texas for 30+ years, deer hunted mornings, quail hunted 10:30AM-12/12:30, then hit lunch and back out deer hunting around 3PM. Great Bobwhite and Scaled quail hunting in 1970s-1990s, not as great with droughts and fire ants in mid 2000s. Sure loved watching our English Pointers work the pastures from high racks. Think the commercialization of trophy deer hunting especially in mid 1990s and beyond put a lot of end to dual deer and quail hunting in TX.

Remember, extended quail only season into Feb. beyond general deer season in TX didn't happen until early mid 1980s or so...

Thanks, I didn’t start quail hunting til early 90’s.

Guess there’s a bad apple in every bunch.

I'll bet that contributes to the reason that it's safer to just say no to quail hunters.

That’s the first I’ve ever heard of a quail hunter killing a deer. I’ve got more stories and first hand experiences of dishonest deer hunters than I care to think about.

68, I feel your pain and I wish you the best.
I doubt STx example of the poaching quail hunter was an indictment of all or most quail hunters. If you put all quail hunters in a bunch and all deer hunters in a bunch, I think it could be a lively debate on which was more trustworthy. The point, or mine, is the like mindedness of the total group. If you got on a quail only lease or a deer only lease there would be less potential for issues. What youre wanting is certainly doable but its a harder row to hoe to find that good fit.

I would never lump one group in with an individual and call the whole group bad, but there are bad apples in every bunch.

My big concerns about quail hunting, hog hunting, or other animal hunting on a trophy lease or on my property are simply mechanics related, thats a lot of movement out there to spook deer off a place and make them super jittery. I prefer things quiet, calm and almost spa like for my place and do not want a lot of extra-movement going on; this led to a big family rift, only partly resolved at this point, but my place my rules and if you don't like it, don't come back.

Big deer in a low fence setting (I assume that is what we are talking about here) just do not take extraneous stuff lightly. They do not get old accidently, it is by purposeful actions they stay a live and those same purposeful actions say 95% of the time that buck will hunker down and not move much at all if there is something that threatens its life. Dogs are a threat to deer. I have seen feral dogs chase off deer and just having them in the local area deer know and will be spooky, jumpy, fly off at the least bit of anxiety. Why would any trophy hunter want to pay money for that?

just to be fair, I am in no way equating quail dogs with feral dogs, not in any bit. But does the deer know if it smells a dog if it s a quail dog or a feral dog?

Yep no problem…. The key is not getting in a rush to lease it until you find a serious quail hunter that loves to see their dogs work more than shooting…..these true quail hunters are very conservative about the number of quail they shoot from a covey…. the other important factor IMO is having a big enough pasture to never put too much pressure on the activity that effect wildlife movement and patterns. 5000 plus acres for one or two hunters and their dogs can be easily managed while deer hunting season is still open on MLD property FME.

Pitchfork is familiar with the situation. A good guide is around 1000 acres per gun. Last few places I was on were no smaller than 5500 acres, biggest was around 20,000. Ive been the only quail hunter on a 2500 acre deer lease also. That place had a 600 acre open Mott area that the deer hunters didn’t like, but held about 10 coveys. Usually the huntable acreage is only 40-50% of the total acreage. Unless you are on some of the larger, more famous places.
As for control of the dogs, anybody putting dogs on the ground these days have e-collar/gps combo. Too much investment in these animals to run amuck.hence the need for more open country, I like watching my dogs work. I count coveys they point, don’t know that I’ve ever killed a limit of quail. But I like to take one on a covey rise, so the dog gets rewarded with a retrieve.